The City of Pittston Redevelopment Authority focuses on projects to revitalize commercial and residential properties to spur investment in the city, create jobs, and attract and retain residents. Projects are financed by City appropriations, federal and state grants and public-private partnerships. The Redevelopment Authority is established pursuant to Section 18-1 of the Pittston City Code and is governed by a 5 member board appointed by the City Council, with support for daily operations provided by an executive director and professional staff. The Redevelopment Authority offices are located on the second floor of Pittston City Hall, 35 Broad Street, and can be telephoned at 570-654-4601. Visit the full RDA site by visiting https://www.pittstonrda.com/ today!
ATTENTION CITY OF PITTSTON HOMEOWNERS
The City and Redevelopment Authority are seeking to assist homeowners with home improvements.
Funding is available to qualified homeowners of single-family homes to address home rehabilitation needs, bringing the home up to current code and remediating hazards, such as lead-based paint and radon.
An eligible applicant with a family of four may not exceed $48,300 in annual income. Different sized household income limits are available.
Interested homeowners should contact the Redevelopment Authority at 570-654-4601 to obtain additional information and an application.
Funding is made available through the Community Development Block Grant and HOME Investment Partnership funds. Funding is limited and will be awarded on a first come – first serve basis to eligible applicants and projects.
NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING INITIATIVE
The City of Pittston, like many older industrial communities, is faced with significant challenges in its neighborhoods. The following factors have been identified as contributing to the neighborhood decline:
- Population loss.
- Older housing stock (64.18% of housing built before 1939 making housing stock in Pittston some of the oldest in the nation).
- Aging infrastructure.
- Narrow lot size.
- Street crowding (0ver 80% of housing units do not include driveways).
- Vacant houses.
- Abandoned houses.
The City and its Redevelopment Authority have developed a plan and implementation strategy designed to reduce the number of code deficient, vacant and abandoned houses in the City of Pittston’s neighborhoods: The Neighborhood Housing Initiative. The goal is to improve the overall appearance of the neighborhoods creating: attractive, livable, safe and desired housing.
The initial strategy is to acquire vacant and/or abandoned homes and demolish the properties that are unable to be saved. An early example is 58 Mill Street. The property was acquired by the Authority in a tax sale and was demolished with CDBG funding in November 2013.
Redevelopment Authority Board
Joseph Chernouskas, Chairman
William Gladish
Anthony Guariglia
Frank Serino
Leo Sperrazza
Samuel A. Falcone, Jr., Esq., Solicitor
Joseph Chacke, Executive Director
Office telephone 570.654.4601