SMETHPORT — The second round of blight grant applications are being accepted through the McKean County Act 152 Blight Demolition program.

Applications are due by 4 p.m. May 31. The applications will be reviewed in early June with a goal of rewarding grants in late June. Grant guidelines and applications for both the municipal and private landowner programs are available at www.mckeancounty.gov or by contacting Ann Robinson, economic development liaison, or Rick Fry, planning director.

McKean County launched the blight program in 2021 to provide grants to demolish blighted structures and is funded through a fee collected by the Recorder of Deeds Office when deeds and mortgages are recorded. To date, the program has demolished a total of 21 buildings. The total cost of these projects was $228,518.43 including $161,417.20 in Act 152 grant funding and $67,101.23 in local match provided by the property owner or local municipality.

The program continued success in 2023 and has provided much needed funding to aid in the removal of blighted properties throughout McKean County. There were a total of seven buildings demolished this past year, including three projects in the City of Bradford, two projects in Port Allegany Borough, one project in Keating Township, and one project in Smethport Borough.