BUCKS COUNTY – September 15, 2026 − Senator Steve Santarsiero (D-10) along with Representatives Jim Prokopiak (D-140), Tina Davis (D-141), Brian Munroe (D-144), and Perry Warren (D-29) announced today $ 1,800,000 in state funding:
- $1,000,000 for Habitat for Humanity of Bucks County for the Bucks County Blight Abatement Project
- $800,000 for Bucks County Technical School Authority for Technical High School Welding and Machining Program Expansion
Habitat for Humanity of Bucks County, Inc. and the Bucks County Redevelopment Authority will use the grant to acquire, remediate, and redevelop 7–12 vacant or blighted properties in Bristol Borough, Bristol Township, Morrisville, and Warminster to create permanently affordable homes through the Habitat Bucks Land Trust model. Using a three-tier acquisition strategy, condemnation, tax/judicial/repository sales, and private or developer partnerships, the project targets both blight removal and expansion of affordable housing. Grant funds will be used exclusively for property acquisition, guided by certified appraisals and strategic selection to grow the Land Trust pipeline. Habitat Bucks will rehabilitate or build homes that meet safety and affordability standards, ensuring long term, equity building ownership opportunities for low and moderate income families.
“Habitat for Humanity of Bucks County has helped change the lives of so many families in our area by making homeownership possible,” said Senator Santarsiero. “All of the properties remediated through this grant will also enter the Habitat Bucks Land Trust model. Each family that buys one of these new homes leases the land from Habitat for Humanity and then later can resell their home to another income qualified buyer while still realizing part of the appreciation from when they originally purchased the home. This creates a permanent stock of affordable housing in our area, turning once blighted properties into community assets.”
“Expanding access to affordable housing and strengthening the welding and machining programs at Bucks County Technical High School will help ensure that more residents have access to the stable housing and skilled-trade opportunities that are critical to our local economy,” said Representative Davis.
“The LSA grants that were awarded today help secure access to affordable housing and skilled-trade pathways here in Bucks County,” said Representative Prokopiak. “These investments are not only essential, but also the right thing to do.”
“I am incredibly proud to support this effort towards expanding affordable housing in Bucks County,” said Representative Munroe. “It is our responsibility to ensure Pennsylvania families aren’t priced out of their own communities and have the opportunity to put down roots and build a future here.”
The Bucks County Technical School Authority will use state funds for welding lab expansion and a retrofit project to modernize their welding and machining program in the Bucks County Technical High School located in Bristol Township, Bucks County. Their Welding and Machining programs are two high-demand, skilled-trade pathways that are essential to students every year. The school receives over 800 total applications annually but only have space to admit 400 students across all programs. To address these shortages, this project will expand capacity by 100 students per year. This will include 50 additional welding students and 50 additional machining students annually. Improvements will include conversion of existing machining area into a second, fully outfitted welding lab, installation of compliant ventilation and fume-extraction systems, the purchase of modern machining and welding equipment and supplies and associated electrical upgrades, wiring, painting and drilling to retrofit both lab areas.
“Learning trades like welding and machining can set our students up for success in good paying and in demand sectors,” said Senator Santarsiero. “I’m proud to support funding for the expansion of these in-demand programs at Bucks County Technical High School, which does an incredible job preparing our students to succeed in the workforce.”
“For many years applications have exceeded the supply of seats at the Bucks County Technical School, while locally and nationally demand also has exceeded the supply of trained technical workers,” said Representative Warren. “This state local share account grant will help BCTSA address the supply and demand on both ends, by opening up 100 more seats in the welding and machining programs and educating and training 100 more students a year for these in-demand professions.”
Administered through the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, the Local Share Account (LSA)- Statewide program allocates gaming revenue through the Commonwealth Financing Authority to support projects that improve the quality of life of citizens in the Commonwealth.
Additional information about the Local Share Account- Statewide program can be found on the DCED website.
###