Bradford’s Office of Economic and Community Development (OECD) held its first, of two, required public meetings to discuss the plan to disseminate funds from the 2022 Community Development Block Grant (CBDG).
According to the OECD Director Shane Oschman, the funding allocated for 2022 will be $309,001 — which is approximately $11,000 less than funds received the previous year. With the funds, the OECD plans to focus on a range of projects, including but not limited to: continued downtown streetscape improvements, recreational improvements (such as the planned improvements for Callahan) and scattered demolitions of blighted housing. Oschman noted that none of these activities would displace any residents.
Work throughout the entire city is eligible to qualify for the CDBG, explained Oschman, due to the number of low to moderate income residents. In order to qualify, more than 51% of residents within a city must receive a low to moderate income — Bradford falls at 58.3.
Funds from the 2021 CDBG were divided among six main projects: the rehabilitation of 14 owner-occupied units; the demolition of 30 blighted properties; repayment a demolition loan; streetscape improvements on Tibbitts Avenue, Elm Street, Park Street, Leland Avenue, Jefferson Street and Thompson Avenue; historic downtown streetscape improvements on Main Street, Congress Street, Pine Street and Veterans Square; and design services for planned improvements to Callahan Park.
“We are very committed to focusing on the Callahan Park project for the next three years,” explained Oschman. “I’d like to also mention that the Kiwanis Club has graciously donated $50,000 to replace playground equipment at Callahan.”
He also mentioned that the survey for the Callahan Barcroft Pool and Pool House Feasibility Study is still being conducted, encouraging residents to take ten minutes from their day to go online to complete the survey.
“So far we have received well over 300 responses from the survey, but our goal is to receive 1,000 returned surveys,” said Oschman.
To complete the survey, visit https://us14.list-manage.com/survey?u=98f2f02c06a219b795fccf68d&id=8c1bb37cf2&attribution=false.
Comments are currently being accepted. To submit a comment or to ask questions email Oschman at soschman@bradfordpa.org or Elaina Lucca at elucco@bradfordpa.org.
The second scheduled meeting to discuss the 2022 Community Development Block Grant in greater depth and detail is scheduled for Sept. 27. At this meeting more specific recommendations, as well as a budget will be discussed.
