Habitat for Humanity of Chester County will be able to provide more affordable homes thanks to the expansion of Pennsylvania’s Neighborhood Assistance Program, writes Michaelle Bond for the Philadelphia Inquirer.

This gives tax credits to businesses that make donations to community projects in economically distressed areas.

Currently, Habitat is working with Meridian Bank, which pledged $250,000 in donations over five years. Thanks to the initiative, the organization has already built 28 homes in Coatesville.

Businesses have donated more than $300 million to projects across Pennsylvania over the last six years. The funds are for constructing affordable homes, teaching job skills, preventing crime, and doing other things to improve neighborhoods. In return, they received more than $100 million in tax credits.

These numbers will likely grow, as the annual tax credit cap of $18 million has now been doubled to $36 million by state legislators and Gov. Tom Wolf.

According to State Rep. Bernie O’Neill, “the value of this program is what it does for the neighborhoods and what these neighborhoods bring back to the commonwealth and to local governments.”

Read more about the state’s Neighborhood Assistance Program in the Philadelphia Inquirer here.

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