State awards $400,000 to rehabilitate Union County owner occupied homes

The Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development announced on December 6, 2025 that Union County and the Union County Housing Authority received $400,000 in HOME program grants and loans aimed at rehabilitating roughly seven owner occupied residences. The award was part of a larger statewide HOME investment of $6,077,776 distributed across 12 counties.

Union County officials will administer the funds with the Union County Housing Authority and local program partners to carry out repairs and rehabilitation work on eligible homes. The funding package combines grants and low interest loans to address deferred maintenance, improve safety and habitability, and support homeowners who might otherwise struggle to afford necessary work.

For local residents the allocation can mean tangible improvements to aging houses, safer living conditions, and a reduction in long term repair costs. By targeting owner occupied properties the program seeks to keep long term residents in their homes while preserving the county's affordable housing stock. Local contractors and tradespeople stand to benefit from the work, producing a modest economic boost in the short term and helping maintain the county tax base in the long term.

The statewide HOME investment underscores a broader policy focus on rehabilitating existing housing as a complement to new construction efforts. For Union County that focus is practical. Many rural and small town communities face older housing inventories and limited access to capital for repairs. State assistance through the HOME program provides a mechanism to address those gaps while coordinating with local agencies that have direct relationships with homeowners.

Residents with questions about eligibility or the application process should contact the Union County Housing Authority or county offices for guidance. The award is scheduled to be implemented through agreements between the county, the housing authority, and the locally designated partners, with projects proceeding as homeowners are approved and scopes of work are finalized.