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$51 million committed to Affordable Housing in PA

Governor Wolf Announces 2019 PHARE Funding to Support Affordable Housing Across Pennsylvania
West Philadelphia Row Homes
West Philadelphia Row Homes

Governor Wolf announced $51.2 million was awarded to 68 programs and projects across 38 counties in Pennsylvania to expand the availability and support of affordable housing through the PA Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement Fund (PHARE). 

Funding for PHARE comes from three main sources including impact fees collected from natural gas companies, a portion of the realty transfer tax, and money from the National Housing Trust Fund. PHARE provides resources to build or rehabilitate affordable homes, help homeowners and small landlords repair their properties, provide rental assistance, address homelessness, and help communities address blighted and vacant properties.

LISC Philadelphia was especially pleased to receive $200K in PHARE funding for our Home Preservation Initiative (HPI) which supports home repair preservation activities for lower-income homeowners in West Philadelphia, PA.

As a collective work model, HPI improvements targets repairs for owner-occupied homes with children who suffer from asthma and older adults with mobility challenges to improve health outcomes. Long-term goals of HPI include combating the effects of displacement, advancing the connections between housing as a social determinant of health, and preserving existing housing stock and affordability in West Philadelphia neighborhoods.