Lawrence County OKs resolution to support Arise’s FAIR grant application for homeless-prevention

The Lawrence County Board of Commissioners on Nov. 18 approved a resolution authorizing county staff to submit a FAIR (Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Fund) application on behalf of Arise, a local victim-services organization.

Erin Brand, Arise’s director of residential services, told the board that Arise operates a 40-bed emergency shelter and a suite of rental-assistance programs that together served about 283 survivors last year in homeless-prevention work. Brand said the agency is applying for funds from the FAIR program—including components tied to realty-transfer tax revenue and the National Housing Trust Fund—to create a flexible funding pool for families, make safety-related shelter repairs (notably lighting), and add a case-management position to bridge gaps between the shelter and permanent housing.

Rebecca Schafer of the county planning office said the planning office is prepared to act as a pass-through for the award if Arise is successful and that no county match is required. Schafer described the FAIR application as competitive but noted the county and Arise have been successful on similar projects in the past.

Commissioners said the request addressed a clear need in the county. After confirming that signatures and the resolution were needed before the Thursday application deadline, the board voted to approve Resolution 374 to submit the application on Arise’s behalf. The motion passed by roll call and the chair directed staff to prepare the signed documents immediately.

Arise’s request, as described to the board, would fund a combination of direct client flex assistance (replacement items, short-term utilities, document acquisition), shelter safety improvements identified in a recent assessment, and an additional staff position to support case management and health advocacy. Brand said the requested FAIR funding would cover an 18-month period of support and that Arise is also pursuing other federal grant sources where appropriate.

The county’s approval is procedural — allowing the application to be filed and, if awarded, for the county to sign pass-through documents — and does not commit county matching funds. The commissioners noted they would review any subsequent award documents and notify the public if the grant is received.