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GROUP EARNS GRANT TO BUILD CENTRAL PA'S FIRST FULLY ACCESSIBLE HOUSING COMPLEX HUD designates $1,162,500 for accessible housing in Swatara Township The Center for Independent Living of Central Pennsylvania (CILCP) has announced that HUD has awarded a grant to build 12 fully accessible homes in Swatara Township for people with disabilities.   (Camp Hill, Pa.) - The Center for Independent Living of Central Pennsylvania (CILCP) announces that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has awarded a $1,162,500 grant to build 12 fully accessible homes in Swatara Township for people with disabilities. The complex is the first fully accessible development in Central Pennsylvania and will be built on Mohn Street in Steelton. "This is a very unique project for two reasons," Lynn Stewart, CILCP's Local Housing Options Team (LHOT) coordinator, said. "Most importantly, this is the first fully accessible housing complex in Central Pennsylvania. It is also the first time that HUD has awarded this type of grant to a collaborative effort." CILCP, the Affordable Housing Associates of Dauphin County, Inc. (AHADC) and Tri-County HDC, Ltd. formed a partnership to apply for the grant from HUD's Section 811 program. The funds will be used to build an independent living development for low-income people with disabilities. There will be a total of 12 units, including 10 one-bedroom units and two two-bedroom units. "There were only five Section 811 (grants) awarded in Pennsylvania," Chuck Gassert, president of the AHADC, said. "The collaborative effort between the three organizations made for a strong application." In addition to the three collaborating organizations, The Foundation for Enhancing Communities (TFEC) awarded a $2,000 grant to hire a HUD consultant to assist with the Section 811 grant application. TFEC is a community foundation whose mission is to preserve and increase resources so that future generations will have the means to address and solve societal challenges. The organization serves Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lebanon and Perry counties as well as the Dillsburg area. There is a significant need for accessible housing in Dauphin County. As of December 31, 2005 there were 149 people on the county's public housing waiting list with an accessible housing preference as well as 695 people waiting for accessible Section 8 housing. The one-story homes will be completely accessible to people who use any type of mobility device. Some of the features include extra large spaces to accommodate turning radiuses, large bathrooms with roomy showers and adjustable kitchen cabinets that can be raised and lowered. "Most rental housing is not accessible," Gassert said. "We are trying to increase the amount of affordable accessible housing available to people with disabilities and this program was one way available to us to accomplish that goal." According to the HUD Web site, "The Section 811 program allows persons with disabilities to live as independently as possible in the community by increasing the supply of rental housing with the availability of supportive services. The program also provides project rental assistance, which covers the difference between the HUD-approved operating costs of the project and the tenants' contribution toward rent," which is usually 30 percent of the adjusted income. HUD requires each Section 811 project to have a supportive services plan. CILCP will provide these services through a variety of programs, including its Attendant Care Program. The Attendant Care Program provides personal care attendants to people with disabilities, enabling them to live independently. Attendants may assist with cooking, cleaning, dressing and personal hygiene. According to Stewart, HUD requires all Section 811 developments to have a separate, non-profit organization whose sole purpose is to oversee the construction, management and maintenance of the complex. The board for this organization will be comprised of members of the three organizations who applied for this grant. Edward R. Junkin, AIA, of JWF Architects in Harrisburg is the architect for the project. Junkin has been recognized by numerous organizations for his efforts in accessible housing architecture. CILCP provides the coordinator for the Local Housing Option Team (LHOT) project, a group of service providers, housing representatives, builders and realtors. LHOT was formed to help create more housing options for people with disabilities in Central Pennsylvania. The LHOT project provides information regarding housing options, Section 8, public housing, home ownership and funding for housing. The Affordable Housing Associates of Dauphin County is a non-profit 501 (c3) corporation formed by the Housing/Redevelopment Authority of the County of Dauphin to seek additional ways to provide affordable housing in the area. Tri-County HDC, Ltd. is a tax-exempt not-for-profit organization that provides the community a full spectrum of housing and redevelopment products. Tri-County continues to be a premier provider of affordable housing in Central Pennsylvania, and seeks to make its products affordable and available to low-income residents of the region. The Center for Independent Living of Central Pennsylvania is a nonprofit, nonresidential organization established for and by people with disabilities and serves Cumberland, Dauphin, Perry, Mifflin and Juniata counties. CILCP's vision is to empower people with disabilities to fully participate in all aspects of society. For more information on the CILCP visit their website at www.cilcp.org. For more information on this press release, contact Nathan Pigott at 717-975-2148 or via email at npigott@hersheyphilbin.com. ### Back to the Newsroom