Since the acquisition of 25 blighted properties on Onofrio Street in 1998 the following housing and infrastructure improvements have been accomplished:

• Two new subdivisions were prepared and approved for re-sale of the renovated homes. Additionally, the street was re-zoned from a restrictive R-6 to R-4 to allow for the construction of new garages for the homes. Two houses were demolished to accomplish the desired lot size for the remaining homes.

• Infrastructure improvements include:

• Installation of 2,159 linear feet of 24' drainage pipe, headwalls and inlets on the west side of the street.
• Removed 25 large trees from the street. Plans call for the removal of five additional trees.
• Widened the street four feet from a width of 20' to 24'. Closed the street to West Washington Street and extended Barbour Street to connect with Onofrio Street. Installed 110 l.f. of stormwater drainage pipe; 2,800 linear feet of new concrete curbing and paved the entire length of Onofrio Street and the new Barbour Street extension.

• All fifteen homes have been completely rehabilitated and sold (see streetscape photos). The fifteen homes have sold for a total of $1,069,000 and are now generating over $40,000 in new taxes annually.

The City of Bradford has secured $750,000 in federal and state grant funding to be used with $300,000 in local Tax Incremental Financing (TIF) and a $600,000 line of credit from Northwest Savings Bank to construct thirteen new homes on a three-acre parcel of vacant land on the north end of Onofrio Street near West Washington Street. The City of Bradford will act as the developer for the project and oversee the construction of new infrastructure including new drainage, sewer & water, underground gas & electric utilities and a new 24' wide road that will end in a cul-de-sac near West Washington Street. Plans call for the new lots to be from 60' to 100' in width and 100' or more in depth. The rear of the lots on West Washington Street will have a combination of a natural landscaping/fencing barrier.

The new houses will be constructed of a similar style as those on Onofrio Street with a "Kraft" or cottage style appearance. The new homes will have a "super-sized" one-car garage with a rear deck and landscaping. Most of the homes will be approximately 1,300 square feet in size with three bedrooms and one and one-half bathrooms. The homes will be sold at an affordable price to enable moderate-income homebuyers with an opportunity to purchase a new home in an excellent location near City amenities. The staff of the City's Office of Economic and Community Development will work with each homebuyer to assist them with obtaining mortgage financing through various sources including local banks, PHFA and Rural Development. Eleven of the thirteen homes will be sold to those who have household incomes that fall below Section 8 Income Limits. Qualified homebuyers will receive assistance for the purchase of the homes. This assistance may be in the form of purchase of mortgage interest points, downpayment assistance and closing costs. Two of the homes will be sold to homebuyers that have incomes above Section 8 Income limits. The City may elect to sell two of the lots to interested buyers or developers who will construct a home complimentary to the City's housing construction.

Bids for the construction of the infrastructure improvements are scheduled to begin in April 2007. The City plans to begin construction of the new homes in May or June 2007.