FEMA gives Harrisburg $1.6 million for sinkhole work
(Harrisburg) — Harrisburg is getting more than $1.6 million in federal money to demolish homes in a neighborhood that has experienced sinkholes in recent years.
The money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency will go towards buying and demolishing some two dozen homes on the 1400 block of South 14th street in Harrisburg.
Once the homes are knocked down, the area will be filled with more dirt, and permanently made into open greenspace.
The federal grant requires the use of local matching dollars, which the city is hoping to get from Dauphin County.
The area has been unsafe since March 2014, when sinkholes opened up, leading to unsafe homes and a water main break.
FEMA initially rejected the city’s application, but re-considered after engineers argued the damage came from Tropical Storm Lee.
Another two dozen homes aren’t covered by the award, but are still eligible for federal money in the future.
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