LSR Grants Archives

Senator Steve Santarsiero and Bucks County State Representatives Announce $1,800,000 in Grants for Housing and Education Projects

September 15, 2026

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.

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Senator Steve Santarsiero and Representative Perry Warren Announce Almost $1,500,000 in Grants

September 15, 2026

BUCKS COUNTY – September 15, 2026 − Senator Steve Santarsiero (D-10) along with Representative Perry Warren (D-31) announced today $1,490,000 in state funding:

$200,000 for Lower Makefield Township for the 9/11 Garden of Reflection Renewal Project
$940,000 for Newtown Fire Association for a ladder truck
$350,000 for Yardley Borough for the restoration of Yardley Borough Hall

The Garden of Reflection 9/11 Memorial serves as a local space for reflection to remember and honor the 2,977 lives lost on 9/11, including 18 residents of Bucks County. After its dedication nearly 20 years ago, the Memorial needs accessibility upgrades and visual improvements. The renovations will include lighting replacements, repairs of uneven walkways and benches, signage and landscaping enhancements, and the restoration of the stonework and fountain pump, which is the focal point of the Memorial.

“This September marks 25 years since the tragic events of 9/11,” said Senator Santarsiero. “These improvements to the Garden of Reflection 9/11 Memorial are crucial to honor the many lives lost, including 18 from Bucks County, and provide the community with a place to reflect on that day and remember our loved ones. This investment will ensure the Memorial remains a beautiful space for the community to gather and remember that fateful day.”

“Last week people from throughout our communities, Bucks County, Pennsylvania and beyond gathered at the 9/11 Garden of Reflection on the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks,” said Representative Warren. “Today, we announce the state local share account funding for restoration and improvement of The Official Pennsylvania Memorial to the Victims of the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks. This grant will help ensure that this treasured memorial and park continues to be a place of rest, recreation and remembrance for many years to come.”

The Newtown Fire Company will receive funding to purchase a new ladder truck for use across Newtown Township and Newtown Borough. This apparatus includes updated technology and safety features to enhance both services and firefighter safety to best serve the community.

“Our firefighters shouldn’t need to face unnecessary dangers to their health and safety when they already put their lives on the line to protect our community,” said Senator Santarsiero. “Our firefighters are frontline heroes, and I am proud that this investment will prioritize their safety when responding to emergency situations.”

“The Newtown Fire Association traces its history of service to Newtown to over 200 years ago,” said Representative Warren. “This state local share account grant will help NFA move ahead well into the 21^st Century with a new, modern, state-of-the-art ladder truck, to continue to protect and serve our community.”

Yardley Borough is receiving funds for the restoration of the borough hall located in Yardley Borough, Bucks County. The borough hall building was built in 1916, and in 1972 when the fire department moved out, the first floor was retrofitted into office spaces for the staff, police, and elected officials. Due to the age of the building, structural repairs, accessibility upgrades, HVAC replacement, and interior modernization improvements are needed for the integrity and structure of the building. Those improvements include waterproofing the basement wall, replacing the windows and doors, installing lighting along walking paths, roof drainage extensions, full depth restoration and grading in the parking lot, replacing the HVAC system, and interior modernization.

“Our local municipalities are hard at work doing the day-to-day work of maintaining our communities, and it’s important that they can do that in a safe and up-to-date facility,” said Senator Santarsiero.” Yardley Borough Hall has served the community for more than a century, and these improvements will help ensure the building remains an accessible and functional home for borough government for years to come. I’m proud to support this investment in Yardley and help our local officials continue providing the services their residents rely on.”

“Local government serves as the grass roots foundation of our democratic system of government, and our borough hall and township buildings are not only the seats of government, but also are gathering places and symbols of our boroughs and towns,” said Representative Warren. “This state local share account grant helps fund the improvement of Yardley Borough Hall, which sits at the center of Yardley Borough, both physically and metaphorically, and serves as a symbol of Yardley Borough and the home of representative government in Yardley.”

Additional information about the Local Share Account- Statewide program can be found on the DCED website.

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