On Tuesday, Bradford City officials held the first of two public hearings on how it will use its next round of Community Development Block Grant funding.
The meeting featured the results of a Family Income Survey conducted last fall with city residents.
The survey’s results reversed changes to how the grant could be used locally.
Sara Andrews, executive director of the local Office of Economic and Community Development, explained that the survey was conducted in an attempt to counter a change in how the city was allowed to use its CDBG funds.
She said the results of the 2010 Census precluded the city from using the money for projects with a community-wide benefit.
The 2000 Census reported a low to moderate income population of 52 percent in Bradford; in 2010, the Census reported a low to moderate income population of 49 percent.
It was due to this change that the city lost the ability to use CDBG funds for community-wide benefit projects, according to Andrews.
She described the results of the Family Income Survey.
Of the 502 addresses where the survey was mailed, 348 returned the surveys.
Andrews explained that 348 was the amount required in order for it to be considered a valid survey. Forty-eight of the addresses were vacant, and 106 did not respond.
“I think it’s reflective of what we have in community,” said Andrews, explaining that many people here rent rather than buy housing.
According to the survey, 54.31 percent of city residents rent.
The survey further indicated that 70.98 percent were families that are low to moderate income, versus 29.02 who were not low to moderate income.
“This is a very accurate survey,” said Andrews.
She referred to a map displaying the results.
“There are no concentrated areas,” Andrews said, noting there are “equal numbers of low-to-moderate income in all our neighborhoods, or close to that.”
She emphasized that the survey was looking at low-to-moderate income — not just low income — which she said was a noteworthy difference.
“That doesn’t mean we are a community of people who don’t work; we are a community of people who don’t have a high wage,” she said, explaining the difference.
Included in the low-to-moderate group is any household that makes less than $31,500 for a one-person household or up to $59,350 for an eight-person household.
According to Andrews, the city is anticipating an allotment of $269,615.
The current focus of CDBG funding is the downtown core — such as the Main Street streetscape project, according to Andrews.
She noted that projects over the past three or four years have focused more on targeted area projects.
Andrews outlined work the city has been able to do over the past five years with CDBG funds.
This includes rehabilitating 22 owner-occupied units, demolishing 32 blighted structures and doing “much-needed infrastructure work on 10 streets.” Work also included new signage and landscaping, engineering costs for streetscape improvements that the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation funded, the pedestrian bridge and parking on Pine Street, streetscape improvements and computer equipment for the new property maintenance department.
The group also discussed a road project that has been pending on Davis Street, which is currently down to one lane at its intersection with Main Street; it is normally three lanes in that spot.
According to officials, it’s not a city project, but rather a project of PennDOT. Andrews said PennDOT has been waiting on light poles to continue the project, and Penelec had an electric problem that she believes is now fixed.
Andrews said the second CDBG hearing will be held on Oct. 10. At that time, she will have a list of proposed activities for the funding.
