The Community Services Program is committed to supporting programs and initiatives that serve economically disadvantaged citizens of Beaver County and to providing programs and services that aid in removing barriers that prevent low-income persons from developing to their fullest potential.

Our goals are to:

• Ensure equal opportunity in providing services.

• Advocate for the needs of low-income persons.
  
• Promote programs and services assisting low-income persons in achieving self-suffciency.

• Promote programs that recognize and support the value and importance of the family as a unit.

• Foster a holistic approach to serving the disadvantaged.
  
• Encourage community partnerships in addressing the causes of poverty.

To achieve its purpose and meet its goals, the Community Services Program will provide programs and services designed to:

• Improve parenting skills and enhance the family as the primary social unit.
  
• Improve basic life skills that will assist families in dealing with issues related to the causes of poverty.

• Provide job training and related educational services that will improve the opportunity for low-income persons to obtain gainful employment.

• Promote and develop childcare services for low-income parents in their effort to achieve self-sufficiency.

• Assist in the development of transportation services that meet the variety of needs of low-income persons.

• Assist in the development of organizational partnerships that will establish a network of services to address the needs of all low-income persons.

• Promote and develop ancillary services designed to alleviate specific problems or needs that affect a person's economic status.
  
  

The Community Services Program of Beaver County is part of the nationwide Community Services Network. The Community Services Network is made up of more than 1,150 local, private, nonprofit and public agencies that work to eliminate poverty and empower low-income families in communities throughout the United States. These agencies are known as Community Action Agencies,which were created through the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964.

The Community Services Program of Beaver County is one such agency and is therefore committed to providing the funding necessary to assist low-income individuals and families in Beaver County in becoming self-sufficient.

The Program is governed by the County of Beaver's Board of Commissioners and is led by a fifteen (15) member volunteer advisory board. The advisory board consisting of the low income community, and appointed tri-partite board structure is fundamental to the community Action concept.

The Community Services Program of Beaver County receives funding through allocations made to the State of Pennsylvania, Departments of Community and Economic Development and Public Welfare.

The Community Services Block Grant Program (CSBG) is a federal program whose funds are allocated to the local level where Community Action Agencies have the responsibility of tailoring their activities to meet local needs. The Community Services Program Advisory Board reviews applications submitted by social service agencies that provide services to the low-income population. The Board, with the approval of the Beaver County Board of Commissioners, selects the agencies whose services best reflect the goals of the Program and the needs of Beaver County.
The types of activities that are funded through CSBG Program include employment, family case management, transportation, education, income management, homemaker services, outreach and referral, legal services, emergency services and youth development.

The Supported Work Program (SWP) is an initiative that was created as a part of welfare reform. The State of Pennsylvania provides funding for employment training and job placement for individuals who receive public assistance. This program is designed to reduce the welfare roles by enabling individuals to support themselves and their families. The Community Services Program of Beaver County operates this program through a subcontract with a local agency.

HOMELESS HELPLINE

CONTACT Beaver Valley

(724) 728-3650

The Homeless Assistance Program (HAP) makes available a continuum of services to persons who are at risk of becoming homeless or who are currently homeless. The Community Services Program administers the Program by establishing subcontract agreements with local social service agencies. These agencies provide the necessary supports to homeless individuals, including emergency shelter, case management, bridge housing, rental assistance and information and referral.

Individuals or families are homeless if they:

• Are residing in a group shelter, domestic violence shelter, hotel or motel paid for with public or charitable funds, a mental health, drug or alcohol facility, jail, hospital, or living in a home, but due to domestic violence, are in need of a safe place to reside

• Have received verification that they are facing foster care placement of their children solely because of lack of adequate housing, or need housing to allow reunification with children who are in foster care placement

• Are living in a "doubled-up" arrangement for six months or less on a temporary basis

• Are living in a condemned building

• Are living in housing in which the physical plant presents life and/or health threatening conditions, e.g. having dangerous structural defects or lacking plumbing, heating or utilities

• Are living on the streets, in cars, doorways, etc.

(Definition of Homelessness established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)

Homeless students may be found in the following places or situations:

• Public or private shelters

• Public or private places not designated for or ordinarily used as regular sleeping accommodations for human beings, such as vehicles, parks, motels, campgrounds, etc.

• Living with parents(s) in a domestic violence shelter

• Individuals and/or families living out of necessity with friends or relatives due to a lack of housing

• Runaway children (under 18 years of age) and children and youth who have been abandoned or forced out of home by parents or other caretakers, and:

• May be in temporary shelters awaiting assistance from social service agencies
• Live alone on the street or move from place to place among family members, friends or acquaintances
• This also includes such youth from 18 through 21 years of age who may still be eligible for educational services in regular or special education

  OR

• Children of migrant families who lack adequate housing.

(Definition from the Stewart B. McKinney Act of 1987, as amended, and the Pennsylvania Homeless Student State Plan)

• In 1999, there were an estimated 25,000 homeless children in Pennsylvania.

• More than 3,000 of those Pennsylvania children could be found in Pittsburgh and surrounding Allegheny County.

• Families make up the fastest growing segment among the homeless.

• 50% of homeless women and children in America are fleeing abuse.

• The average age of a homeless individual is 9 years old.

• The Stewart B. McKinney Act of 1987, as amended, permits homeless children to stay in their home school.

• There is a Pennsylvania Department of Education State Homeless Coordinator in Harrisburg and can be contacted for information at (717)772-2813.

• You can order a variety of publications and materials on homelessness by calling (800)770-4822 (Ext. 1361)

• You can access the PA Homeless Children's Initiative on The Internet at http://www.pde.state.pa.us/homeless
  click "K-12 Schools"

       ( http://www.homelessfund.org/resources/resources.html)

Funding for this project was made available through a grant from the Pennsylvania Department
of Welfare, Homeless Assistance Program, which is administered locally by the
Community Services Program of Beaver County.

For more information regarding homeless and social service resources, please visit:
www.bccan.org

The HOME Program, created by the National Affordable Housing Act of 1990 (NAHA), provides decent affordable housing to lower income persons. HOME funds are received from the Department of Housing and Urban Development and are administered by the Beaver County Community Development Program. These funds can be used to address many local affordable housing needs whether for property purchase or development.

Each year, the Community Development Program solicits proposals from housing development organizations, (both for-profit and not-for-profit) to develop, sponsor or own rental housing projects for low income persons.

The selection of a proposal is based on the qualifications of the developer and whether the project is advantageous to the County of Beaver’s affordable housing efforts.

Eligible activities to be funded under the HOME Program include:
 

• Acquisition of property for both rental and owner occupied housing

• Rehabilitation of existing rental or owner occupied housing

• New housing construction

• Tenant based rental assistance

• Payment of related housing development costs including site improvements, demolition, financing costs, and relocation costs of any displaced persons

• Operating expenses for Community Housing Development Organizations-CHDO's

HOME REQUIREMENTS

• HOME assisted units are strictly controlled and tenants must be low income ( 50% - 60% of median family income).
  
• Rents for HOME assisted units cannot exceed HUD prescribed standards known as HOME rents.
  
• Rents and income requirements must be maintained and monitored for a minimum of 5 and a maximum of 20 years, depending on the amount of HOME funds provided per unit and whether the project consists of new construction or rehabilitation.

• All HOME assisted units must, at a minimum, conform to Section 8 Housing Quality Standards (HQS) once construction is complete. If a project is substantially rehabilitated or newly constructed, the units also must meet local codes, zoning ordinances, and specific energy and rehabilitation standards.

MATCHING FUND REQUIREMENTS

• HOME funds must be matched with non-Federal funds. The amount of match required is 25% of the project cost. Matching funds can be obtained in various ways and the Community Development Program can provide further information regarding this issue.

HOW TO APPLY FOR HOME FUNDS

• Applications are available at the Community Development Program of Beaver County office. Project selection for HOME funding is done through a Request for Proposals (RFP) process. An RFP can be obtained from the Community Development Program office.

• Proposals are submitted for review and underwriting analysis. A determination is then made concerning the project’s eligibility for HOME funds.

For further information contact:

Community Development Program Of Beaver County
1013 Eighth Avenue

Beaver Falls, PA 15010
(724) 847-3889

The following activities qualify for fund:

• Renovations and rehabilitation of buildings for conversion to an emergency shelter

• Provision of essential services to care for persons in emergency shelters

• Payment of operating expenses for emergency shelters

• The provision of services and activities designed to prevent homelessness
  

Under the CDBG Program the following eligible activities have been carried out by the Community Development Program:

CDBG funds are requested yearly from Beaver County municipalities, organizations and other entities to address needed repairs, replacements, or construction of public facilities. Such requests include water lines, sewer lines, roadways, and sidewalks. Other activities in this category can include renovation or construction of a building/site for public use such as libraries, fire houses, and parks. Water lines, sewer lines, roadways, and sidewalks, all make up what is referred to as infrastructure, a necessary aspect of every community. CDBG funds are allocated to many towns and municipalities to meet the needs of the residents within those communities.

Over 300 properties have been demolished utilizing CDBG funds. This program provides for the elimination of havens for drug dealers, along with the elimination of unsafe, unhealthy areas in neighborhoods. The demolition program restores beauty to neighborhoods where there once was an eyesore. The owner of the property retains ownership after demolition. The municipalities in which the deteriorated properties are located provide the Community Development Program with required documentation in order to request the demolition of homes in their communities. Municipalities who have participated in the program include Aliquippa, Beaver Falls, Midland, Monaca, Rochester, and Freedom.

The Emergency Home Improvement Program focuses on addressing emergency needs of low income homeowners in an effort to eliminate code violations. Qualifying participants receive home repairs and/or improvements such as: furnace/water heater replacement; installation of water, gas, sewer lines; installation or repair of wells; removal of physical barriers for those with disabilities. Eligibility for support is evaluated on an individual basis of need for low income homeowners.

Rehabilitation of buildings such as public libraries and commercial buildings is an eligible CDBG activity that addresses the local needs of a community. Libraries in the towns of New Brighton, Freedom, Beaver Falls, Beaver, Midland, Aliquippa, Ambridge, and Monaca all have been the recipient of CDBG funding. Historic preservation of historic buildings and sites can also be funded with CDBG dollars. The Vicary House in Freedom has been awarded grant funding for the rehabilitation of the mansion. Two other projects that grant funds have been committed to include the development of a park at Buttermilk Falls and the preservation of the Legion Ville site in Ambridge. Old Economy in Ambridge has also been a recipient of CDBG funding for various rehabilitation activities, the most recent being the installation of replicated light posts along the sidewalks of the Village.

Activities which facilitate the creation or retention of jobs can be funded through the CDBG program. These activities can include the construction of a commercial or industrial building that will employ a percentage of low income persons. Several economic development activities that the Community Development Program is involved with includes funding a Business Development Fund administered by the Corporation for Economic Development. This loan program enables local businesses to expand their services and/or product line.

Planning activities are funded through the Community Development Program and include various planning services for municipalities such as codification, comprehensive plans, sewer mapping, and riverfront development.

CDBG funds are allocated to sub-grantees who in turn carry out an eligible activity such as economic development, riverfront development, educational services and housing improvements.

Some of the Current sub-grantees are:

Housing Authority of Beaver County: Countywide Home Improvement Program
Public Housing Improvement
Corporation of Owner-Operator Projects (CO-OP):
Business Investment Fund
OVR New Hire Program - Small Business Technical Assistance
Corporation for Economic Development
Geneva College: Educational After-School Program (Aliquippa, Beaver Falls, New Brighton, and Rochester)
Weatherization Program
Department of Public Works: Rodent Control
Housing Opportunities of Beaver County: Home buyers Assistance Program

The Community Development Program is committed to Downtown Revitalization. Ten (10) Beaver County Central Business Districts are eligible for the Financial Incentive Program and Streetscape activities. In concert with these programs, the Main Street Network, which was developed in 1995 with CDBG funds, organizes and strengthens the local revitalization organizations in each of the ten downtown areas. The main street communities involved in the revitalization effort include Aliquippa, Ambridge, Beaver, Beaver Falls, Bridgewater, Freedom, Midland, Monaca, New Brighton, and Rochester.

The Financial Incentive Program has had a dramatic impact on Beaver County's main streets. It provides grant money to building/business owners for renovation of storefronts.

The Streetscape Program has benefited many main streets, including those in Beaver Falls, Bridgewater, Freedom, Midland, Monaca, New Brighton, and Rochester.