The Mayor of Harrisburg wrote to the Dauphin County Commissioners requesting $1 million in CDBG-DR funds to address infrastructure issues caused by sinkholes that affected 52 homes. The County had previously told the City that such funds were available for infrastructure and economic development projects, but recently said the funds were likely unavailable. The Mayor expressed disappointment in the inconsistent communications and asked the Commissioners to award the funds based on merit rather than political motivations.

1. Office of Mayor Eric Papenfuse
MLK Government Center
10 N. Second St.
Harrisburg, PA 17101
March 24, 2015
Dauphin County Commissioner Hartwick
Dauphin County Commissioner Haste
Dauphin County Commissioner Pries
Dauphin County Administration Building
2 South Second Street, 4th Floor
Harrisburg, PA 17108
RE: CDBG –DR Funding
Dear Commissioners Hartwick, Haste, and Pries:
As you are aware, the City of Harrisburg has suffered a catastrophic event in the 1400 Block of South 14th Street.
Fifty-two homes have been affected by sink hole openings and fissures, which have caused great health and
safety concerns, as well as emotional and financial stresses on the families that live in that neighborhood. This is
of significant concern to the City of Harrisburg and should be equally concerning to Dauphin County.
In September 2014, Tri-County Regional Planning announced that Dauphin County was actively seeking
projects for the remainder of the County’s CDBG-DR fund balance.
On November 12, 2014, Wayne Martin, City Engineer, and Jackie Parker, Executive Director of Community and
Economic Development, met with George Conner, Dauphin County Community Development Director, to
discuss CDBG-DR funding. The City was invited to apply for CDBG-DR funds, and we were told that there
were funds remaining.
After further discussions between the City and the County, the City submitted an application for $1,000,000 to
cover the cost of design and infrastructure work. At that time the County requested support letters from our local
legislators, Representative Patty Kim and Senator Teplitz, which they provided.
As recently as January 29th
, in conversations with Commissioner Pries and Director Conner, I was informed that
the CDBG –DR funds were still available. Since then, the City has been working closely with the County, and
we continue to await official word on our application.
Separately, the City asked the County if there were CDBG-DR funds available for economic development. Once
again, we were assured that such were funds available, and we submitted an additional application.

2. Imagine our surprise then when we were informed at a meeting with the County, the City, and the Department of
Community and Economic Development held on March 23, 2015, that CDBG-DR funds were “most likely” no
longer available. In fact, we were told that there would probably be no funding for either infrastructure or
economic development.
We are very disappointed in the lack of consistency in the communications between the City and the County
regarding current CDBG-DR funding. According to the County’s CDBG-NDR application, there is
$ 994,760.28 remaining in Round I funds and $ 1,124,777 remaining in Round II funds for a total of $ 2,119,537.
We are asking that the County demonstrate a higher level of concern for the City of Harrisburg and its residents
by allowing us access to the CDBG-DR funds, as we were initially told. These funds should be awarded on merit
and not be subjected to the politicized whims of individual Commissioners running for re-election.
Please provide us the status of our grant application as well as the use of the remaining CDBG –DR funds.
We would appreciate your attention and immediate resolution of this issue.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Mayor Eric Papenfuse
cc: Representative Patty Kim, 103rd
District
cc: Senator Rob Teplitz, 15th
Senatorial District
cc: Congressman Scott Perry, 4th
Congressional District
cc: Congressman Lou Barletta, 11th
Congressional District
cc: U. S. Senator Pat Toomey
cc: U. S. Senator Robert P. Casey, Jr.