People Inc. receives grant for housing project

Rep. Thomas Reynolds, R-Amherst, has secured funding that he says will help People Inc. provide comfortable and affordable living for more Western New York seniors.

Based in Amherst, People Inc. will receive $399,251 to help the agency develop a rental housing project for elderly residents. The federal funding was secured through the Section 202 Demonstration Planning Grant Program, a program run by the Department of Housing and Urban Development .

"Providing quality and affordable living opportunities for the elderly must be a top priority in Western New York," Reynolds said. "This funding will help People Inc. in its important efforts to do just that and assist the elderly in our community who are most in need."

The funding will allow People Inc. to defray the startup costs in getting the senior complexes to the construction phase and allow for completion of various

predevelopment activities such as architectural and engineering work, site control, and other expenses. Without the grant funding, such costs would not be reimbursable until closing. Construction is expected to begin in spring 2007.

"These funds will allow People Inc. to move forward quickly with its housing initiative and avoid the funding complications that so often go along with the early stages of these projects," Reynolds said.