A workshop in Berkeley Springs on Friday, Feb. 5 from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. will provide information for communities looking to access funding to demolish or acquire dilapidated buildings. Although abandoned buildings are a serious problem in almost every community in West Virginia, enterprising local investors or potential developers have often found it difficult to raise the capital needed to rehab or remove these blighted structures. Until now. The creation of the Property Rescue Initiative (PRI) in 2015 provided a revolving loan fund of $1 million per year over the next five years, for municipalities and counties to acquire and/or remove dilapidated properties in their communities.

During the workshop in Berkeley Springs, staff from the West Virginia Housing Development Fund (WVHDF), Northern West Virginia Brownfields Assistance Center, WVU Land Use Law Clinic and the West Virginia Community Development Hub will provide technical advice on how to secure a PRI loan, and assistance for executing an abandoned/dilapidated building program. The focus of the workshop will be on the Eastern Panhandle region, and municipal staff and community members from these areas are especially encouraged to attend. Registration is $15. The workshop will be held at Cacapon State Park, 818 Cacapon Lodge Drive.