WEST CHESTER, PA (June 9th, 2023) – Chester County organizations working to promote affordable housing and address housing insecurity within the community have been awarded over $2.7 million in grant funding, state Senator Carolyn Comitta announced today.
“A thriving Chester County is dependent on every resident having a safe, healthy place to call home,” Comitta said. “This funding is vital to the organizations working tirelessly to address housing insecurity, prevent homelessness, and create affordable and safe housing across our community.”
The funding awarded from the Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement (PHARE) through the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA) is as follows:
- $50,000 for the Home of the Sparrow – Pennsylvania for apartment subleases and re-entry case management for women transitioning from the criminal justice system.
- $200,000 for the Friends Association for Care and Protection of Children for their Eviction Prevention Court program.
- $200,000 for Brandywine Valley Active Aging for their case management program supporting individuals who are homeless, at-risk for homelessness or housing insecurity, or have survived disasters.
- $200,000 for the Housing Partnership of Chester County to support their Conservatorship Blighted Property Pilot Program to rehabilitate abandoned properties to be sold to first time home buyers.
- $200,000 to DMPA Investment Group for the construction of new container homes in the City of Coatesville.
- $100,000 for the Habitat for Humanity of Chester County for the purchase and renovation of two homes in the City of Coatesville.
- $100,000 for the Domestic Violence Center of Chester County to support homelessness prevention services for domestic violence survivors.
- $60,000 for Kennett Area Community Services (KACS) to support homelessness prevention for individuals and families experiencing housing insecurity in Southern Chester County.
- $50,000 to the Housing Partnership of Chester County for housing counseling, financial literacy, and credit counseling programs.
- $350,000 for the Housing Authority of Chester County for their Housing Locator Program to assist lower-income residents who need assistance with securing housing based on their specific needs.
- $150,000 to the W.C. Atkinson Memorial Community Service Center, Inc. for their Individualized Intensive Case Management program to help identify and find solutions to the root causes of housing instability for men in the community.
- $150,000 for the Friends Association for Care and Protection of Children for the NIA House, a transitional housing program for women that were previously incarcerated.
- $200,000 to Human Services Inc. to rehabilitate a vacant garage to provide housing support services to Coatesville area community members.
- $150,000 to Safe Harbor of Chester County for their emergency shelter and case management program.
- $375,000 for the Chester County Department of Community Development to increase the capacity for their street outreach and data team.
- $110,000 to Open Hearth Inc. for their Targeted Homelessness Resource Coordination (THRC) program and creating and maintaining a list of those experiencing homelessness in the County and working with all housing providers to prioritize those on this list for permanent housing.
- $100,000 to Good Neighbors Home Repair Inc. for home rehabilitation programs for lower income residents in Southern Chester County.
The PHARE Fund was established by Act 105 of 2010 to assist with the creation, rehabilitation, and support of affordable housing throughout Pennsylvania. The program is funded through Realty Transfer Tax Fund and the Marcellus Shale Impact Fee Fund.
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