These houses in Uptown Harrisburg are looking for buyers.
Attention renters: Two new programs were announced today to encourage homeownership in Harrisburg for people who work in the city.
PinnacleHealth announced “Home in Harrisburg,” which will provide up to $5,000 in financial assistance to encourage its employees to purchase homes in the city. Funds would be payable at settlement on the home purchase.
“The program was launched to our employees earlier this month, and we’ve already had several employees interested in participating,” said Michael Young, PinnacleHealth’s president and CEO.
In addition, the Papenfuse administration presented its “Walk to Work” initiative, which will offer $2,000 to municipal employees to help with a down payment or with closing costs for home purchases. Under the program, the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency will provide up to an additional $8,000 in 10-year, no-interest loans to city workers.
Mayor Eric Papenfuse said the city had enough money budgeted to allow as many as 50 of its employees to participate in the program.
The programs are limited to workers who don’t already own houses in Harrisburg. Papenfuse said he hopes other businesses will offer their employees financial help to buy homes in the city.
At the same press conference, PinnacleHealth presented Papenfuse with a PILOT (Payment in Lieu of Taxes) check of $300,000, about double its annual contribution in recent years. PILOTs are paid on a voluntary basis by nonprofits that are not required to pay property taxes.
