Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Community Housing topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Land Bank approves up to $5,000 reimbursement to Habitat for Humanity for Linwood demolition
Summary
Habitat for Humanity asked the Erie Land Bank for demolition assistance at 2414 Linwood Avenue; the board approved assistance up to $5,000 on a reimbursement basis tied to a certificate of occupancy.
The Erie Land Bank voted May 19 to provide up to $5,000 in demolition assistance to Habitat for Humanity for a property at 2414 Linwood Avenue, subject to reimbursement when a certificate of occupancy is issued.
Dr. Roche Berg, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Erie, told the board the organization has built homes in the city for decades and typically sells houses to low- and moderate-income families with 0% interest loans structured over 25 years. "Our goal is to redevelop properties that were empty and vacant and once [the deed restriction] expires, it becomes part of the tax base for the city and the county," she said.
Habitat asked the Land Bank for help removing a deteriorated slab-on-grade structure it acquired in 2018 so the lot can be prepared for new construction. Land Bank staff estimated demolition and clearing would likely cost about $5,000 to $6,000, and told the board the Land Bank budgeted $25,000 this year as a contingency for demolition needs.
Board members discussed structuring assistance to encourage timely construction. Board Chair Chris proposed reimbursing Habitat up to $5,000 once a certificate of occupancy is issued for the new structure. A board member moved the reimbursement condition and a second followed; the motion passed on a voice vote with "Aye" from members recorded in the transcript.
At the meeting Habitat described its program: houses are sold to qualifying families who provide "sweat equity" (Habitat requires 300 hours of homeowner participation, the speaker said) and the mortgage principal does not change, which Habitat presents as a pathway to homeownership and generational equity. Dr. Roche Berg gave a proposed construction timeline: if the Land Bank conveys the property this year, Habitat planned to start building in October and expected to complete the second of two houses by May–June 2026.
The board capped its assistance at $5,000, to be reimbursed to Habitat after issuance of a certificate of occupancy, and said staff will document the reimbursement condition in a motion and follow up with a formal agreement.
The motion’s recorded outcome in the transcript was a voice vote in favor; the board did not record individual roll-call tallies in the public transcript.
