HRS Applying For $2.5 Million To Continue Master Plan

Highlands Residential Services applying for $2.5 million in state funding to construct more housing units.

Director of Operations Chris Cassetty said if approved, the grant would help continue the housing authority’s master plan for 20 units at Buffalo Valley Road.

“It looks to target people that are about to be homeless. People that maybe can’t afford their market rent anymore,” Cassetty said. “People that are victims of domestic violence, so in many ways, it’s a grant that are similar to our current tenants.”

Cassetty said the housing authority will be ranked for the funding based on the county’s overall need determined by the state. Cassetty said feedback on the competitive grant should come back early next year.

“This grant is for construction purposes only and the $2.5 million we are applying for is only about half of what we need,” Cassetty said. “There will be some over grants we go for and maybe some local money we can put in. This project has a long way to go, but this is the first step.”

Cassetty said about five or six grants statewide will be awarded. Cassetty said the grant opportunity is a new one provided by the state’s Federal COVID money.