Northhampton News

At an Aug. 12 event in Philadelphia, Gov. Tom Wolf, D-Pa., celebrated a $375 million investment to address the affordable housing crisis.

Joining Wolf were members of the General Assembly, housing advocates and stakeholders to celebrate the addition to the 2022-23 budget, according to an Office of the Governor news release. Creating new units, repairing existing units and home repairs are a few projects that will be made possible through the funds.

“Safe, affordable housing is essential for families, for our communities and for our commonwealth," Wolf said in the release. "That’s why my administration and the General Assembly worked so hard to fund programs that support safe, affordable housing in this year’s budget. We made a transformative investment in housing in Pennsylvania using federal American Rescue Plan Act funding which is exactly why that money was given to states – to help our neighbors – and that’s exactly what we are going to do.”

Part of the American Rescue Plan Act, the funds will be granted to awardees through a competitive bid process, the release reported.

“This past spring, we saw a groundswell of grassroots advocacy from communities across the commonwealth to demand that the General Assembly take action on our housing crisis,” Sen. Nikil Saval, D-Philadelphia, said in the release. “I’m proud to say that we heard these demands, securing historic funding to expand affordable housing and to keep Pennsylvanians warm, safe and dry in their homes by passing the groundbreaking Whole-Home Repairs program. The need is great, and we are ready for the fight. Pennsylvanians flourish when we invest in them.”

A $125 million for the Whole-Home Repair Program will help address loan forgiveness to small landlords and homeowners to make home repairs and address habitability concerns, or to make units accessible for individuals with disabilities, the release reported.

“Investments in housing, such as through the Whole-Home Repairs Program, are a direct investment in our communities and the future of the folks who live there,” Rep. Jordan Harris, D-Philadelphia, said in the release. “Quality and affordable housing is a right, and working families invest far too much time and energy into finding that housing to be denied it simply from a lack of access or the skyrocketing cost of home repairs. I’m proud to have worked with Governor Wolf and my colleagues in the legislature to make this affordable housing funding a reality.”

According to the release, other projects are $150 million toward the Developmental Cost Relief program to counteract higher development costs for affordable multifamily rental properties from the pandemic and $100 million in the Affordable Housing Construction. This program highlights the development of affordable housing units.