SCRANTON — The city on Monday announced the award of a $125,000 city grant from federal funds to a nonprofit agency to convert a vacant, rundown house in North Scranton into two three-bedroom affordable-housing units for two families.
The grant comes from federal Housing and Urban Development money allocated to the city for the 2024 Home Investment Partnership Program (HOME) category of HUD funds.
The administration of Mayor Paige Gebhardt Cognetti gave the grant to the Scranton Lackawanna Resources Development Corporation, which is the affordable housing branch of the Agency for Community EmPOWERment (ACE), to create at 2009 Edna Ave. a pair of three-bedroom housing units equipped with energy-efficient appliances and heating/cooling systems.
The grant supports Cognetti’s ongoing effort to address the availability of affordable housing in Scranton, she said. The mayor, a Democrat, also noted how the federal HOME dollars under HUD are at risk of being eliminated under the administration of President Donald Trump, a Republican.
“What’s concerning is that our ability to do this (type of renovation) with the HOME dollars is in jeopardy because we learned last week the federal government is going to take back the HOME program,” Cognetti said during a media event at the Edna Avenue property.
ACE/SLRDC Executive Director Jim Wansacz also spoke of how his agencies use support from the city, county and state to cobble together funding to accomplish such projects.
“Without this funding, it doesn’t happen. This is a collaboration effort,” Wansacz said.
He estimated the project cost at about $400,000. ACE already replaced the roofs and gutters on the vacant house and its detached two-stall garage. ACE also will cooperate with Johnson College to use the site as a “living lab” where students can get hands-on training in the various trades.
Interior gutting also is underway and the building envelope also will get redone, he said. The entire project might take about 18 months to complete.
“We do require tenants to work, to become self-sufficient,” Wansacz said. “We want them to become part of the community and that’s our goal. We cannot do this without the city, without the state, without the county. Really, it’s a partnership with everybody.”
Tim Solsman, whose residence on William Street abuts the rear driveway of the vacant house at 2009 Edna Ave., was glad to see the new roofs installed and looks forward to having the neighborhood eyesore renovated.
“It’s been falling apart over the years,” Solsman said of the vacant house. “What I see so far, it’s looking great. It just needs some paint, some interior work, demolition and it will be a really nice house.”
Agency for Community EmPOWERment executive director Jim Wansacz, Mayor Paige Cognetti and project partners stand on the front porch of 2009 Edna Ave. in Scranton on Monday, July 21, 2025. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRPAHER)
A vacant house at 2009 Edna Ave. in North Scranton on Monday, July 21, 2025, will undergo renovation by the nonprofit Agency for Community EmPOWERment (ACE) into affordable housing for two families. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
Community members mingle on the front lawn of 2009 Edna Ave. in Scranton on Monday, July 21, 2025. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRPAHER)
Inside of 2009 Edna Ave. in Scranton on Monday, July 21, 2025. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRPAHER)
Inside of 2009 Edna Ave. in Scranton on Monday, July 21, 2025. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRPAHER)
Inside of 2009 Edna Ave. in Scranton on Monday, July 21, 2025. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRPAHER)
A stained glass window in 2009 Edna Ave. in Scranton on Monday, July 21, 2025. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRPAHER)
Community members gather outside of 2009 Edna Ave. in Scranton in preparation of a grant announcement from Mayor Paige Cognetti on Monday, July 21, 2025. Scranton Lackawanna Resources Development Corporation is receiving funding to help turn the house into apartments. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRPAHER)
Mayor Paige Cognetti talks with community members on the back lawn of 2009 Edna Ave. in Scranton on Monday, July 21, 2025. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRPAHER)
A vacant house at 2009 Edna Ave. in North Scranton on Monday, July 21, 2025, will undergo renovation by the nonprofit Agency for Community EmPOWERment (ACE) into affordable housing for two families. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
An interior view of a vacant house at 2009 Edna Ave. in North Scranton, shown on Monday, July 21, 2025, will undergo renovation by the nonprofit Agency for Community EmPOWERment (ACE) into affordable housing for two families. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
An interior view of a vacant house at 2009 Edna Ave. in North Scranton, shown on Monday, July 21, 2025, will undergo renovation by the nonprofit Agency for Community EmPOWERment (ACE) into affordable housing for two families. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
An interior view of a vacant house at 2009 Edna Ave. in North Scranton, shown on Monday, July 21, 2025, will undergo renovation by the nonprofit Agency for Community EmPOWERment (ACE) into affordable housing for two families. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
A vacant house at 2009 Edna Ave. in North Scranton on Monday, July 21, 2025, will undergo renovation by the nonprofit Agency for Community EmPOWERment (ACE) into affordable housing for two families. The photo shows the rear of the property and its detached two-car garage. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
Scranton resident Tim Solsman of William Street in North Scranton poses in front of the rear of a vacant house at 2009 Edna Ave. in North Scranton on Monday, July 21, 2025, which will undergo renovation by the nonprofit Agency for Community EmPOWERment (ACE) into affordable housing for two families. Solsman’s residnce abuts part of the rear of the vacant house and he’s glad to hear that it will get renovated and occupied. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
A vacant house at 2009 Edna Ave. in North Scranton on Monday, July 21, 2025, will undergo renovation by the nonprofit Agency for Community EmPOWERment (ACE) into affordable housing for two families. An announcement Monday included, from left, Scranton Mayor Paige Gebhardt Cognetti, ACE Executive Director Jim Wansacz, state Department of Community and Economic Development’s Northeast Regional Director Paul Macknosky and Scranton City Controller John Murray, who is an ACE board member. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
A vacant house at 2009 Edna Ave. in North Scranton on Monday, July 21, 2025, will undergo renovation by the nonprofit Agency for Community EmPOWERment (ACE) into affordable housing for two families. ACE Executive Director Jim Wansacz discusses the project. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
A vacant house at 2009 Edna Ave. in North Scranton on Monday, July 21, 2025, will undergo renovation by the nonprofit Agency for Community EmPOWERment (ACE) into affordable housing for two families. The poster shows new roof already recently installed. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
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Agency for Community EmPOWERment executive director Jim Wansacz, Mayor Paige Cognetti and project partners stand on the front porch of 2009 Edna Ave. in Scranton on Monday, July 21, 2025. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRPAHER)