|
|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
|
State
Rep. Bob Freeman D-Northampton |
|
Freeman Elm Street bill signed into law
HARRISBURG, Oct. 10 – State Rep. Bob Freeman's bill to revise the Elm Street Program was signed into law yesterday by Gov. Ed Rendell.
The governor signed the Northampton County legislator's bill, H.B. 2233, which will allow the Elm Street Program to continue beyond its current sunset date of 2011. The program is an urban residential enhancement initiative that targets older established neighborhoods for revitalization. Freeman authored the original legislation creating the Elm Street Program, which was signed into law by the governor at a ceremony in Easton in 2004. Like H.B. 2233, that measure had passed the House and Senate unanimously.
Freeman said since original enactment of the program more than two dozen neighborhoods, including Easton's West Ward, have been designated as Elm Street communities, and more than 100 municipalities have been eligible for similar improvements in their neighborhoods through Elm Street residential reinvestment grants.
"I’m very pleased that my bill to enhance the Elm Street Program has been signed into law by Governor Rendell," Freeman said. "The revisions made by my bill will allow this successful urban revitalization initiative to continue to stabilize older urban residential neighborhoods, breathing new life, vitality and opportunity into them."
Currently, the program provides up to five years of financial assistance for municipalities to hire an Elm Street manager to work with local officials and community groups to establish and implement a plan for revitalizing targeted neighborhoods. The new law will allow Elm Street managers to continue for up to an additional five years, if necessary.
The law will also have Elm Street managers work to promote the establishment of consumer services, such as banks, grocery stores and pharmacies, in older urban residential neighborhoods.
Grants are used for administrative costs, and infrastructure and structural improvements such as sidewalk repairs, tree plantings and building façade work. The Elm Street manager also focuses on marketing plans; promoting home ownership and other housing options; addressing social and economic concerns in the targeted neighborhoods; and assessing current zoning codes and comprehensive plans to ensure their compatibility with revitalization efforts.
The Elm Street Program is administered by the Department of Community and Economic Development, and is similar to the existing Main Street Program. Main Street focuses on revitalizing downtown commercial districts while Elm Street targets residential districts close to those commercial districts.
###jma/2008/agh
l:'print'releases'elmsigned.136