State Rep. Dan Williams, D-Chester, announced today the funding of two community outreaches in Coatesville, totaling a near $100,000 investment:

• Coatesville 2nd Century Alliance was awarded $80,000
• Habitat for Humanity Chester County received $11,250

Both disbursements came from the state’s Neighborhood Assistance Program (NAP).

“I’m glad to see this funding coming to help downtown Coatesville’s revitalization efforts and to provide housing to those in need at a critical period in the city’s history,” Williams said.

“At a time when the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted economic life and made it more difficult for people to get by, Coatesville’s ongoing revitalization will be supported and housing-insecure residents given shelter thanks to the innovative NAP’s public-private partnerships,” he continued.

The Coatesville 2nd Century Alliance will use the funding to continue its revitalization plan for the downtown commercial district of the city of Coatesville. It will award three façade improvement grants to enhance the existing building stock and entice new businesses to the district. Further, it plans to establish a systemized, reliable, and regular cleanup program to mitigate the weeds and litter that line the streets.

Habitat for Humanity Chester County will use the funding to complete an affordable housing development in the city of Coatesville.

NAP encourages private sector investment into projects that will help improve distressed communities by providing tax credits to businesses that donate capital to support projects that address neighborhood and community problems. NAP can be used for projects in categories including affordable housing, community services, crime prevention, education, job training, charitable food, blight, special population issues, veterans’ initiatives and long-term community revitalization.

The program has five main components:

1. The Neighborhood Assistance Program
2. Special Program Priorities
3. The Neighborhood Partnership Program
4. Charitable Food Program
5. Enterprise Zone Program

A description of each of these components is available in the NAP fact sheet.