NeighborWorks NEPA 2024 Beautiful Blocks Program

NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania is pleased to partner with the City of Scranton, City of Carbondale, and City of Pittston to announce the block groups selected for funding in the 2024 Beautiful Blocks program cycle.

Our 2024 cycle will see a total of 155 properties in Scranton, 34 properties in Carbondale, and 44 properties in Pittston being awarded grant funding., NeighborWorks staff and local officials expect to see a significant positive impact in neighborhoods where projects are set to take place. A full list of groups receiving funding is attached to this release.

Beautiful Blocks is a home improvement program which provides matching grants of up to $1,000 per property to groups of residents to help them make exterior improvements to their homes. 2024 represents the debut of the Beautiful Blocks program in the City of Pittston, as well as the sixth consecutive program cycle in the City of Scranton, and the fourth consecutive cycle in the City of Carbondale.

Members of selected groups have until November 1 to complete their individual exterior home improvement projects, with all participating properties being eligible for up to $1,000 in matching grant funding. Participating properties in the City of Scranton that are completing sidewalk repair and replacement projects are also eligible for up to $4,000 in funding for their projects, in an effort to increase walkability in the Electric City. Resident groups are also eligible for a $500 stipend to conduct a community celebration or service project.
For our 2024 cycle, NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania anticipates awarding $335,000 to projects in Scranton, $73,000 for projects in Carbondale, and $38,000 for projects in Pittston. The total of $446,000 awarded is the most in any year since the Beautiful Blocks program was launched in 2019.

According to NeighborWorks President & CEO Shane Powers, “Beautiful Blocks continues to be a powerful catalyst for community transformation, bringing residents together to enhance their neighborhoods. We are excited to announce our expansion into Pittston, adding to our existing communities in Scranton and Carbondale. This year, we saw an unprecedented level of interest in the program, resulting in the highest number of applicants ever for Beautiful Blocks. We deeply appreciate the support from our funding partners who make this growth possible and look forward to fostering even more physical improvements to homes and stronger connections between neighbors in all three communities.”

“Neighborhoods within the City of Carbondale continue to thrive!” Carbondale Mayor Michele Bannon said of the impact of Beautiful Blocks. “We have a record number of teams in our 2024 Beautiful Blocks program thanks to the incredible staff at NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania. We are excited to have multi-year teams returning and new teams forming relationships to make an impact on their neighborhoods together. Our neighborhoods formed because we need each other to succeed, and we enjoy building our lives within our communities together.”
“Thriving, United, Safe and Joyful…. that’s the City of Carbondale’s goal for our Neighborhoods!”

Beautiful Blocks in Carbondale is made possible with support from Coterra Energy, First National Bank, Wayne Bank, Honesdale National Bank, FNCB, NBT Bank, Gentex, and the Carbondale Lackawanna Industrial Development Corporation (CLIDCO).
“We are grateful for the positive impact NeighborWorks NEPA has on our neighborhoods through the Beautiful Blocks program,” Scranton Mayor Paige G. Cognetti said of the program’s impact. “This program brings residents together for a common goal, improves residences, and increases property values.”

Beautiful Blocks in Scranton is made possible with support from the City of Scranton, with additional support from the Regional Foundation, First National Bank, PS Bank, Coterra Energy, M&T Bank, Peoples Security Bank, and Community Bank, NA.
“I am extremely excited about our new partnership with NeighborWorks,” Pittston Mayor Michael A. Lombardo said of the program’s launch in his city. “Our initial phase of the beautiful blacks program has already proven to yield significant success. 44 total projects were approved and organized into five block groups. This program gives us another tool toward neighborhood revitalization. Congratulations to all participants.”
Beautiful Blocks in Pittston is made possible with support from Coterra Energy.

Over the first five cycles of Beautiful Blocks in the City of Scranton, more than 420 individual projects have been completed by Scranton residents, grouped into 57 block groups. More than $353,000 in grant funding has been distributed to as part of these projects, with participating residents contributing more than $923,000 in matching funds to improving their neighborhoods.

In the first three years of the Beautiful Blocks program operating in Carbondale, 12 groups of neighbors have participated by completing 73 exterior improvement projects, with more than $62,000 in grant funding awarded. This grant funding helped to leverage more than $140,000 in funds invested from participating homeowners.

Residents of Scranton, Carbondale and Pittston who are interested in participating in future cycles of the Beautiful Blocks program are encouraged to access more information by visiting the program homepage at https:// www.nwnepa.org/programs/beautiful-blocks.html. More information is also available by contacting Gerard Hetman, NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania Community Development Specialist, at (570) 558-2490 or ghetman@nwnepa.org.