Local providers win county backing for WellSpan Imagine housing grant application

A coalition of local housing and social‑services partners has secured the Lebanon County Board of Commissioners’ support for an invite‑only WellSpan Imagine grant application that would fund a county housing director and related housing‑stability work.

Brian Smith, speaking for Lebanon County Christian Ministries and a coalition of partners, told commissioners the request is for a WellSpan Imagine grant of up to $750,000 over three years to fund a director and program activities focused on housing affordability, preservation, eviction prevention and emergency housing supports. The board voted to provide a letter of support for the application.

Why it matters: Coalition members said local data show high housing need. Representatives told the board that more than 40% of those seeking assistance through Lebanon County Christian Ministries’ Uplift Light program are “severely housing burdened” (paying more than half of income for housing) and that 71% of clients seeking help were behind on utility bills. The county’s 2023 housing needs assessment was cited at the meeting; presenters said it identified roughly 2,000 occupied units considered substandard and an extremely tight rental market with an available rental stock of about 0.4% at the time of that analysis.

What the grant would fund: The coalition described a plan to form a Lebanon County Housing Collaborative, hire a director (a proposed county housing champion), and coordinate multi‑sector partners — private developers, nonprofit homeless‑services providers, eviction‑prevention programs, financial institutions and government entities. The proposed 10‑year sustainability goal relies on braiding front‑loaded grant funds with county affordable‑housing dollars, city contributions and philanthropic or foundation support if the WellSpan award is received.

Timing and next steps: The WellSpan Imagine grant is a three‑year award; the coalition asked only for the county letter of support at this meeting. Commissioners approved the motion to provide the letter by voice vote; county staff said the letter will be drafted and transmitted to the lead applicant ahead of WellSpan’s deadline. Coalition representatives said the invite‑only application process had been coordinated by WellSpan and that the partners intend to use the award to seed a longer‑term, braided funding model if successful.

Clarifying details read at the meeting included the coalition’s project budget components: salary and benefits for the director, a modest administrative fee, an emergency housing allocation for crisis needs and a small amount of capital investment toward a planned transitional‑housing project that local partners are developing.

No county funding commitment for a 10‑year continuation of the position was made at the meeting; coalition speakers said sustaining the position beyond the three‑year grant term was a future budget conversation that would involve county and municipal partners if WellSpan funding were awarded.

A motion to provide the letter of support was moved and seconded and passed by voice vote.

Ending: County administration will draft the letter of support and coordinate submission with the lead applicant; partners said they will continue planning and outreach while awaiting the grant decision.