State Rep. Joe Ciresi Introduces Legislation For Sustainable Community Safehouses

HARRISBURG — A state lawmaker from Montgomery County is introducing legislation that is designed to provide grant dollars to counties and municipalities for the construction of sustainable safehouses that could be used by communities in the event of a natural disaster or other emergency.

State Rep. Joe Ciresi, D-146, says that his proposed measure was spawned by serious recent storms like Hurricane Ida back in September.

"Our residents need to have somewhere to go when their homes have been damaged by floods, wind or other types of natural disasters that we're increasingly seeing in Pennsylvania," Ciresi said in a statement provided by his office.

The proposed legislation, House Bill 2321, would allow counties, municipalities and local governing bodies to apply for grants and maintain community buildings powered by, and storing, green energy.

The grants, which would be awarded up to $250,000, would be provided to assist localities with the construction of sustainable emergency systems and centers utilizing renewable energy.

Money for the grants would be appropriated to the existing State Sustainable Energy Fund to help get the projects up and running, according to Ciresi's office.

"As they would be powered by renewable energy backup systems, Ciresi said these sustainable community safe houses would remain operational even when the power in the community goes out," reads a news release from Ciresi's office. "Volunteers would be able to plug in refrigerators and fans, residents could charge their cell phones, and all sorts of other needs could continue to be met."

Hurricane Ida came through southeastern Pennsylvania early last September, causing widespread damage and destruction to communities across Montgomery County and beyond.