Out of a $64.8 million funding round through the Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement (PHARE) fund, $250,000 is being directed to a project in Lebanon County.
The funds were awarded to the Lebanon County Redevelopment Authority for the Share Park project, currently being planned for Palmyra in partnership with Caring Cupboard under the auspices of the nonprofit’s ongoing BEYOND HUNGER, BUILDING HOPE capital campaign. The redevelopment authority will serve as project developer. The grant was approved at 25% of a requested $1 million allocation.
Also known as the Housing Trust Fund, PHARE funding originates from Marcellus Shale impact fees (for counties that have producing wells, which Lebanon County does not) and the state’s realty transfer tax. The fund targets locally-planned projects that preserve and expand the availability of affordable housing.
The Share Park project will be located on the 800 block of East Broad Street in Palmyra. The 21,000-square-foot project will feature a Caring Cupboard food pantry, a multi-purpose community space, and a dozen one-bedroom apartments.
Caring Cupboard is a Palmyra-based nonprofit with a mission “to transform the lives of individuals and families through access to quality food, health and wellness education, and a dedicated space to build community connections in order to improve the well-being of our community.”
“There aren’t a whole lot of projects that look like this,” said Caring Cupboard executive director Shila Ulrich in a release. “We’re excited to be at the forefront of innovation to meet the needs of our neighbors.”
According to the PHARE application, Caring Cupboard has aided more than 3,600 individuals through its feeding program to date, or roughly 10% of the residents in its service area. However, the organization says that research shows closer to 14% of county residents are food insecure, representing room for growth.
“It is clear there is untapped need that is not being met,” said the organization in its project narrative for the PHARE funding. “The Caring Cupboard desires to meet those needs but requires more space in order to do so.”
The urgency of the project was echoed by state Rep. Russ Diamond.
“We’ve experienced ever-increasing demand for services in Lebanon County,” said Diamond in a press release announcing the funding.
“This grant will go a long way toward bolstering those resources,” Diamond said. “I look forward to seeing the completed project and all of the good it will do for area residents who need a helping hand.”
The expanded food pantry planned for the site will feature a full-service loading dock, capable of handling 18-wheel trucks, along with storage capacity.
“We look forward to having the ability to offer more options to an increased number of people who will find our new location a bit more off the beaten path, therefore allowing for a more discreet shopping experience,” reads the application.
The 1,750-square-foot multi-purpose community space will feature a kitchenette and the ability to host up to three groups at once.
“Space to gather as a community is something Palmyra is sorely lacking, and The Caring Cupboard envisions filling that need by being a place for all people and providing space where people can come together,” reads the project narrative. “Boy Scouts could meet in one area, a support group in another, while a birthday party happens in yet another area.”
“The Caring Cupboard firmly believes that social infrastructure leads to social capital – the building of networks, mutual support, and collaboration—and it is our hope, a stronger community.”
The rent for the units is projected to be $838 per month, according to the PHARE application. The redevelopment authority said in the application that it expected the housing units to be occupied by Section 8 voucher holders, with a focus on Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, or BIPOC, participants. (PHARE applicants are required to designate at least one historically marginalized community that will be directly impacted by the funding.) However, Ulrich noted in a followup email that absolute plans have not yet been made on how/what type of voucher will be taken in the units.
“It could be a mixture of vouchers but all units will be designated for low income individuals,” said Ulrich.
According to the PHARE application, the project is estimated at $5.5 million in total, including site acquisition. The land for the project, valued at $650,000, was donated by currently anonymous community supporters of the initiative.
Other funding sources are expected to include the county’s Local Affordable Housing Trust Fund, the Commonwealth Financing Authority’s Local Share Account program, and the Department of Community & Economic Development’s HOME program, but the bulk of funding – about $2.5 million – is expected to come from private donations.
“The Caring Cupboard is excited to bring a community asset that will include so much more than food pantry services with this building,” said Ulrich in a statement to LebTown. “We’ve been humbled and encouraged by the support of local philanthropists, businesses, and state and local officials.”
Ulrich noted that the Caring Cupboard has seen an alarming increase in need over the last several months.
“This building comes at a crucial time to continue to meet the needs of our friends and neighbors,” said Ulrich.
You can learn more about donating to the Caring Cupboard here.
The project application notes that the focus on affordable housing is consistent with a recently completed countywide housing study that identified this as a critical shortage.
Read More: Report: Housing availability, affordability adversely impacts county’s economy
“Nationally, the need for affordable housing is crippling communities,” explains the application. “Locally, there is a shortage of units which 12 new units will only scratch the surface; but to the 12 renters, the 764 square feet of space will be life‐changing and meaningful.”
Diamond noted that particularly during this time of volatility in the rental market, individuals and families are seeking safe housing that they won’t be immediately priced out of.
“This additional housing will be much appreciated by those with established ties to the community,” said Diamond.
According to the PHARE application, the project could break ground this year and potentially see the Caring Cupboard open at its new location in the summer of 2025.
In January, the project received a use variance from the Palmyra Borough Zoning Hearing Board. The board noted in its findings of fact that the property, which is located in a light industrial zone, has existed as a vacant lot since before 1955 and that minimal traffic is expected to be created by the development.
Along with the variance, the redevelopment authority through its Share Park LLC negotiated a restrictive covenant on the property with a neighbor to limit the location and number of driveways for the property in exchange for waiving and not pursuing an appeal of the zoning board’s decision.
A preliminary land development plan was introduced to the Palmyra Borough Planning Commission last week and will be reviewed at an upcoming meeting.
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