Wheatland officials want to help residents bring their homes up to code, so they are planning to apply for $500,000 in state money to do so.

The borough received a $250,000 grant in 2001 to rehabilitate 15 homes, and that work was completed in the spring.

Chris Conti, senior planner for Mercer County Regional Planning Commission, said this round, officials hope to upgrade 21 or 22 homes.

"We're taking a shot," he said, "but budgets are tight everywhere," he said.

This time around, officials plan to apply for funds from the HOME program, Conti said, because state officials plan to use CDBG funds for sewer and water projects.

Conti said when the first application was submitted in 2001, there were five homes that were put on a waiting list. Those households will go to the top of the new list and about 18 new ones will be added.