Bucks Co. Homeowners Get $200K To Help With Ida Recovery

DOYLESTOWN, PA — The Bucks County Board of Commissioners held their bi-monthy public meeting yesterday, where one of the agendas involved a funding increase for the Bucks County Opportunity Council, who have been providing interim sheltering for those with house that were damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Ida.

The increase is specifically for a 2020 contract for CDBG funding, which the Council has been using for efforts in aiding those who were displaced by flooding across Bucks County. The funding will also be used to aid the homeless and medically frail populations in the area.

Jeff Fields, Director of Housing & Community Development, gave an overview of some recent cases the Council took one before Ida took place to emphasize the need for the extra funding.

"Right now, we have four homeowners that are still being assisted from a July 12 flooding. Since January, we have served 31 homeless clients (...)". He mentioned that they are also housing 35 families from other situations from July 12 and Hurricane Ida, but that their cases are being handled outside of the funding.

Vice Chair Robert J. Harvie, Jr. thanked Fields for his and the Councils work.

"(...) I think it's important to make people aware that the help is ongoing. [The] Opportunity Council has Keenan invaluable partner over the last two years, really, not just with the flooding, but with the COVID pandemic."