Senior Home Modifications, Safer Sidewalks, and a New Permitting Portal: Practical Township Updates for Rydal-Meadowbrook

Not every township update involves zoning hearings and development proposals. Some of the most impactful changes are the quiet, practical ones that make daily life a little easier, a little safer, and a little more accessible. This week, we are highlighting three new and ongoing Abington Township services that every Rydal-Meadowbrook resident should know about , whether you are planning home improvements, helping an aging parent stay in their home, or just trying to navigate the permitting process without a paper form.

01 Senior Home Modification Program , Helping Residents Age in Place

Last year, Abington Township was awarded 2025 PHARE (Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement) funding from the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency to launch a new program that helps income-qualified older adults stay in their homes safely. The Senior Home Modification Program covers the cost of installing mobility and safety modifications , grab bars in bathrooms, stair railings, accessible entryways, walk-in tubs, and other improvements that reduce fall risks and make daily life easier.

The township has partnered with Salus at Drexel University to provide clinical home assessments, ensuring that each modification is tailored to the resident's specific needs. It is a practical, thoughtful program that addresses one of the biggest challenges facing aging homeowners: how to remain independent in the home you love when the house itself starts to feel like an obstacle course.

The program is administered through the township's existing Owner-Occupied Housing Rehabilitation Program. To apply, residents must own and occupy a single-family home in Abington Township and meet income eligibility guidelines. Pre-applications are available on the township website at abingtonpa.gov, or you can call the Program Administrator, Community Grants Planning & Housing, at 609-642-4992 to learn more. Note that wait times of 12 to 18 months are typical once a pre-application is submitted, so there is no time like the present to get the process started.

02 Abington-Jenkintown Connections Project , Safer Sidewalks and Crosswalks

If you have noticed construction activity near the border of Abington and Jenkintown, you are seeing Phase 2B of the Abington-Jenkintown Connections Project in action. In July, the Board of Commissioners awarded the Phase 2B contract to G and B Construction for $440,139.62. The work includes new sidewalk sections, curb replacements, stormwater management improvements, and a lighted pedestrian crosswalk on Greenwood Avenue.

This multi-phase project has been in the works for several years, and its goal is straightforward: improve pedestrian safety and transit-stop accessibility along the Washington Lane, Jenkintown Road, Greenwood Avenue, and Meetinghouse Road corridor. For Rydal-Meadowbrook residents who walk to the train, to the Abington Free Library, or to the shops and restaurants along the Jenkintown border, these improvements will be noticeable and welcome.

Separately, the township's Trail Construction Phase 2 project, awarded to ThinkGreen, LLC for $296,252.59, is also underway and expected to be completed by fall. This project adds trail and landscape connections that will further improve walkability in the area. Both projects are part of Abington's broader push to make the township more pedestrian-friendly , a goal that directly benefits our neighborhood.

03 Permitting Goes Digital , No More Paper Forms

If you have tackled a home improvement project in Abington Township in the past year, you already know this one. But for anyone planning a deck, a fence, a new roof, or a basement renovation: the township's Fire and Code Services Department transitioned to a fully digital permitting process in July 2025, and it is now the standard way to submit applications.

The system uses the OpenGov online portal, accessible at abingtonpa.gov/onlinepermits. You can create an account, save your progress on applications, upload plans and documents, and receive notifications when permits are approved or when additional information is needed. For commercial projects, plans must be reviewed by a third party before submission. And if a contractor is performing the work, a signed contract must be uploaded with the application.

For residents who are not comfortable with online forms, the township still offers assistance. But the shift to digital has streamlined a process that used to require an in-person trip to the municipal building with paper plans in hand. It is one of those behind-the-scenes upgrades that saves time and frustration , and makes it easier to get your project done right.