Upper Darby Township, Pennsylvania, is located in Delaware County, adjacent to Philadelphia.
The Consolidated Plan for Upper Darby Township describes only the non-housing priority needs. The township's housing component is included in the Delaware County HOME Consortium Consolidated Plan. For Fiscal Year 1995, Upper Darby Township has received $2.5 million in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds and $90,000 in Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG) funds. Furthermore, Upper Darby Township expects to generate $30,000 in program income, which will be allocated for use in other CDBG activities.
The township implemented a three-pronged strategy to engage residents in the Consolidated Plan process. This strategy included a citizen participation plan, a minority outreach strategy, and an implementation schedule.
The citizen participation plan provided citizens, local government agencies, and social service agencies with an opportunity to participate in the planning process in an advisory role. A public hearing was held on May 4, 1995. In addition to being advertised in three newspapers, the meeting was publicized on the local cable television access channel and announced in posters distributed to public libraries, religious organizations, minority groups, township facilities, retail establishments, and all schools. Placing posters in low- and moderate-income areas and advertising in newspapers read primarily by minority residents were parts of the township's minority outreach strategy.
On June 6, 1995, Upper Darby Township sent letters to housing, health,
social service, and local government agencies, requesting that they review the
proposed Consolidated Plan and action plan. The township also published both
plans in local newspapers to solicit general comments. A second public hearing
was held on June 8, 1995.
Upper Darby is part of the Delaware County, PA Consortium. For more information on Housing and Community Development Needs and Conditions, please refer to that Summary.
Upper Darby Township has identified needs for numerous public facilities, including senior citizen centers, parks, and recreation facilities. The township must remove asbestos from some buildings and make infrastructure improvements to flood drainage (storm) sewers, street sewers, streets, and sidewalks. The township needs to increase domestic violence prevention efforts and to upgrade emergency and fire equipment.
In Pennsylvania county governments provide the bulk of social services for
senior citizens, persons with mental and physical disabilities, and youth.
Counties also provide transportation, employment training, and economic
development assistance.
Upper Darby Township has identified 10 specific non-housing needs that have been assigned high or medium priority. Infrastructure improvements are given the highest priority. Improvements to the flood drains are expected to cost $500,000, while street sewer improvements are estimated to cost $2 million. Street improvements are estimated to cost $500,000, and asbestos removal is estimated at $100,000.
Improving accessibility for persons with physical disabilities also is assigned high priority and is estimated to cost $800,000.
Of the medium priority needs, an estimated $200,000 is required to address the needs of the township's senior citizen centers, and $500,000 is required to address the needs of parks and recreation facilities. Non-residential historic preservation needs are estimated at $500,000, and planning costs are estimated at $100,000.
Upper Darby Township's long-term objectives are to eliminate slums and to prevent the blighting influences that lead to the deterioration of neighborhoods, particularly in low- and moderate-income areas. The township plans to accomplish these objectives through code enforcement, demolition, interim rehabilitation assistance, and related activities.
To facilitate these objectives, the township will:
Upper Darby Township has received funding from the State Department of Community Affairs for various housing and community development activities. Most of the funding has been allocated to the Owner-Occupied Home Improvement Program and to an economic development program designed to revitalize 69th Street. The township expects to receive between $100,000 and $300,000 in State funding, and it will use this money to complement its CDBG-funded projects. During the 5-year Federal program period, the township will seek additional sources of funding to complement its Federal funds.
The Upper Darby Township Department of Community Development is the lead
agency responsible for overseeing the development of the township's Consolidated
Plan. The township maintains an in-house document, Monitoring Procedures and
Policies, to ensure that those programs receiving Federal funds maintain the
standards and procedures established by Federal and township rules.
During Fiscal Year 1995, Upper Darby Township will allocate funds to the following key projects:
MAP 2 depicts points of interest and low-moderate income areas.
MAP 3 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, and minority concentration levels.
MAP 4 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, and unemployment levels.
MAP 5 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, unemployment levels, and proposed HUD funded projects.
TABLE (without associated map) provides information about the project(s).