Upper Darby Township, Pennsylvania, is located in Delaware County, adjacent to Philadelphia.

Action Plan

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.

Citizen Participation

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.

Community Development Needs

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.

Housing and Community Development Objectives and Priorities

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.

Non-Housing Community Development Priorities

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:

• Conserve and expand its housing stock.

• Expand and improve the quality and quantity of community services, especially for low- and moderate-income residents.

• Promote economic and racial desegregation in neighborhoods by providing greater housing opportunities for lower income residents and by revitalizing deteriorated neighborhoods to attract higher income residents.

• Restore and preserve properties of historic or architectural value.

• Alleviate physical and economic distress by stimulating private investment and community revitalization in areas that have declining populations and/or tax bases.

Housing and Community Development Resources

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.

Coordination of the Strategic Plan

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.

Description of Key Projects

During Fiscal Year 1995, Upper Darby Township will allocate funds to the following key projects:

• Progressive team patrol, which will use $370,000 in CDBG funds to mitigate and prevent crime in high-crime areas of the township.

• Renovation and restoration of the Collenbrook property, which will use $100,000 in CDBG funds for residential historic preservation to prevent blighting influences in the neighborhood.

• Curb ramp construction, which will use $600,000 in CDBG funds to create curb cuts at intersections for residents with physical disabilities.

• Owner-Occupied Rehabilitation Program, which will use $600,000 in CDBG funds and $222,447 in HOME Investment Partnership Program (HOME) funds to rehabilitate single-family dwelling units and to provide financial assistance through grants and loans to lower income homeowners. This activity will benefit 125 households.

• Domestic violence outreach, which will use $13,000 in CDBG funds to provide services for victims of domestic violence.

• Security at Life Center for Eastern Delaware County, which will use $53,000 in ESG funds for security personnel who will monitor the flow of traffic through the shelter, defuse potentially dangerous situations, and summon emergency assistance when necessary.

Maps

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).