Tour stop highlights transformative impact of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding in Lancaster City

Tour stop highlights transformative impact of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding in Lancaster City

LANCASTER, Pa., July 19, 2024 - Today, Mayor Danene Sorace joined Tom Perez, Senior Advisor to the President and Director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs, to highlight the investments made by the Biden-Harris Administration's "Investing in America" agenda in Lancaster City.

The tour showcased significant advancements in affordable housing and community facilities in Lancaster City made possible through federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).

"Today is an opportunity to showcase the positive impacts of President Biden's agenda right here in Lancaster City," said Sorace. "It was a weight lifted when we understood that ARPA funds would come directly to our city, that we could use not only to support and maintain City services like police, fire and public safety, but also to invest in much-needed affordable housing and other community benefit projects."

With a total investment of $10 million in affordable housing, ARPA funds granted to the City of Lancaster are creating 187 new affordable housing units and preserving 445 units through renovations. Perez and Sorace visited the sites of Partners with Purpose and HDC MidAtlantic projects during the tour.

"We are so thankful to the Biden-Harris administration for understanding the critical need for affordable housing and investing at the federal level through APRA," said Tammie Fitzpatrick, Chief Operating Officer at HDC MidAtlantic, while speaking at the construction site of The Apartments at College Avenue, located at 213 College Ave.

HDC MidAtlantic received $1.8 mil in ARPA funds from the City of Lancaster, whose three-phase project is adding 139 new affordable housing units in Lancaster City.

Magda Miltenberger, a veteran and resident at an HDC MidAtlantic property, shared how she found herself in need of affordable housing after struggling to find adequate employment after her husband passed away at 49.

"Behind every statistic is a story," said Perez.

Partners with Purpose, a Lancaster City Housing Authority-affiliated non-profit, received $900,000 in ARPA funding to rehabilitate nearly 100 scattered site properties throughout Lancaster City.

"At the end of the day, we represent people who don't have a voice for themselves," said Barbara Wilson, Executive Director of the Lancaster City Housing Authority.

During a stop at a Church Street home recently rehabbed by Partners with Purpose, a resident living in another LCHA property in Chestnut Hill was able to tell her own story. A single mother, she told Perez how grateful she and her 17-year-old son are to have a home of their own.

The City of Lancaster also dedicated an additional $5 million from ARPA towards enhancing community facilities, improving public programs, and boosting the quality of life for residents. Perez visited Uni-Vision Childcare, one of the projects that received ARPA funding for community facilities.

Owner Champagne Domingo is using $250,000 in ARPA funds from the City of Lancaster to expand her Spanish language immersion daycare program. During a discussion with Perez, Domingo cited a current waiting list of over 300 students. Opening two new facilities will allow to her accommodate more than half of these students.

"This will enable more Lancaster families to access the childcare they need," said Perez.

For more information on City of Lancaster ARPA funding, visit cityoflancasterpa.gov/arpa.

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.