The city announced grant money for homeowners on Erie’s east side.

They’re expanding their Love Your Block program to residents who live between East 6th and 12th Streets.

More homeowners on Erie’s east side can apply for grant funding to improve the outside of their properties.

It’s a City of Erie effort called the Love Your Block program.

This year they’re expanding their efforts to the east bayfront neighborhood between East 6th and 12th, and Holland to Wayne Streets.

The application requires neighbors to come together to apply for the funding. Amanda Bender and other east side residents said this could benefit the city.

“You need your neighbors if you want everything to look good, and to get along with everybody, so yeah, I think that would be something good to talk to your neighbors, get to know different people and what they would want done to their houses,” said Amanda Bender, City of Erie resident.

It’d be beautiful for this neighborhood and help fellow neighbors fixing up their property and cleaning up their property and making it look nice for yourself and fellow neighbors,” said William Paul Johnson, another City of Erie resident.

In 2022 the Love Your Block program provided 31 mini grants for home repairs that saved residents about $26,000.

In addition to the east bayfront, this year’s neighborhoods include East Avenue, Marvintown and Lakeside.

“There are a lot of city resources that are available, large item pickup, citizen response center, and Love Your Block now is a new resource, so our goal is to make sure that everyone is aware of all of the great things that are already happening in the city,” said Erin Carey, neighborhood planner for the City of Erie.

One homeowner said if utilized, this program could uplift east side communities.

“It will really allow people to express themselves and make the outside reflect the in, and just how beautiful the neighborhood actually is,” said Randall Sutter, an Erie resident.

“They think down this way that it’s bad, but there’s actually good people in this neighborhood, and I think if we fix it up a little bit more, it’ll dawn on them a little bit better that we are good people down here,” Amanda Bender went on to say.