Commissioners Take Downtown Tour to See Where Community Development Funding Will Be Used

(Edwardsville)-The Luzerne County Commissioners along with Edwardsville Borough Officials toured Main Street in Edwardsville on Wednesday, February 21, 2007, to hear how the borough will use funds provided through the County from the Department of Housing and Urban Development to spur revitalization in its downtown.  Main Street, which is located in Edwardsville and part of Kingston, has been designated a Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy Area, a special designation which allows communitees to develop comprehensive approaches to address economic development needs in a particular neighborhood.

 In 2005 the County solicited proposals from boroughs and townships to outline concepts for an NRSA.  After reviewing several worthwhile proposals the County selected the Main Street neighborhood of Edwardsville and Kingston.  Edwardsville is currently soliciting  public input as itand compiles a comprehensive plan to address the needs of the community.  The plan will then be submitted to HUD for approval. 

Luzerne County's Community Development office has allocated $10,000 in the 2006 Action Plan for planning to develop the NRSA and $100,000 in the 2007 Action Plan to begin to carry-out the plan once it is approved.  Luzerne County  anticipates allocating more funds as the plan begins to be implemented and hopefully the County funding will attract additional public investment as well as private capital.