HARRISBURG — Gov. Tom Wolf on Thursday announced recipients of a new round of funding for housing programs made available through the Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement (PHARE) fund.

Northern Tier Community Action will receive $125,000 to reduce blight while increasing safety and the availability of affordable housing by purchasing two modular homes to be placed on abandoned and/or razed properties in Emporium. These homes will be sold or leased as rental units to residents with income below fifty percent area median income.

This funding is a portion of the Realty Transfer Tax earmarked through Act 58 of 2015 to support affordable housing statewide. The funding collected during the past fiscal year totals $12.03 million.

“When we fund affordable housing, we not only help families with this basic need, but we also promote economic development through the construction work that’s stimulated,” said Wolf. “The demand for affordable housing continues to outpace the housing stock that’s available, so the funding made available today will help address this critical unmet need.”