Allegheny County: Money available for communities to address blight

By JEFF STITT

jstitt@yourmvi.com

An Allegheny County councilman from the Mon Valley is urging local communities and others to look into applying for the ACT 152 Allegheny County Blight Removal Program.

The Allegheny County Economic Development announced this week that the application period for the Blight Removal Program has opened.

The program uses established blight conditions and will focus on demolition of hazardous structures, site preparation for development projects and multi-phase planning efforts. The program fund currently has $1,580,070 available for demolition, planning and asbestos surveys.

A West Mifflin resident and councilman for District 9, Macey is the county councilman for the Valley cities of McKeesport and Duquesne, which were each once home to booming mills and are each trying to find new ways to grow the tax rolls by attracting businesses and developers, home owners and other stakeholders, while also trying to tackle blight, among other things.

He also represents surrounding communities such as Glassport, Lincoln, Port Vue, White Oak and others, which like McKeesport, have been trying hard in recent decades to find funding and resources to condemn and demolish blighted structures, as well as conduct asbestos studies prior to demolition.

Those communities are working to get those lots either ready for development or into the hands of residents who want to grow the size of their property.

Macey understands the toll blight can take on a region and knows communities are trying to find creative ways to battle blight.

That’s why he is encouraging local communities to apply for funding.

“This is a great opportunity for our communities to get rid of blight, to remove buildings that have become places where criminal activity occurs, and more importantly, allows residents and municipalities to clean up their neighborhoods so that they look prosperous and inviting to others,” said Macey, who sponsored the legislation creating the program. “Using the Blight Removal Program can make a community more attractive. With this resource, municipalities in our county become perfect locations for young families and others looking for a new place to call home or locate their business.”

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