Event in Hill District Focuses on Housing Grants, Affordable Housing

Pittsburgh, PA, April 3, 2008 – U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA), Congressmen Jason Altmire (PA-4) and Mike Doyle (PA-14), along with Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl and Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato, will gather in the city’s Hill District next Monday to award $3.3 million for eleven low-income housing projects and to discuss the ongoing need for affordable housing in the region.

The affordable housing grants, from the Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLBank) of Pittsburgh, will help fund the construction or rehabilitation of 604 units of much-needed affordable housing. Sen. Specter is also expected to discuss his proposal to allow Bankruptcy Courts to adjust the terms of residential mortgages to stave off foreclosures.

The five elected officials will join Eric Mann, president and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh as well as dozens of project sponsors and affordable housing advocates at 11 a.m. Monday, April 7 in the gymnasium of the Centre Avenue YMCA, 2621 Centre Avenue. The 85-year-old Centre Avenue YMCA, one of the projects receiving funding, is adding 20 rooms for low-income area residents and renovating 77 existing units of transitional housing.

The eleven projects being funded are being pursued by sponsors working in different parts of the region. They will assist a wide variety of clients including the homeless, the elderly, other very-low and low-income individuals and those with mental and physical disabilities.

Parking: Ample street parking exists on and around Centre Avenue.