Over the summer, the PHA received a $500,000 CNI Grant to plan for the revitalization of Yorktown, and a $50 million grant to add more than 800 housing units to Southwest Philly

 

Media Contact:

Nichole Tillman, 215-888-2869

(Philadelphia, PA – Sept 18, 2023) – The Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA) has received yet another grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Choice Neighborhoods Initiatives (CNI). This is a $500,000 Choice Neighborhood Planning Grant to plan for the revitalization of Yorktown/Harrison Plaza low rises. PHA recently received a $50 million Choice Neighborhood Implementation Grant for Bartram/Kingsessing in Southwest Philadelphia.

PHA is the only Housing Authority in the country to receive three CNI Implementation Grant. Thus far, the Choice Neighborhoods collaboration has brought a total of $112.3 million into the City, including three planning grants, totaling $2.3 million; and $110 million in CNI Implementation grants for North Central, Sharswood and Bartram that create momentum by repairing, rehabbing and building housing units; strengthening and expanding business corridors, and connecting long-time residents with the same opportunities already available to resource-rich areas.

“I’d like to thank HUD Secretary Fudge for these grants, which are helping us transform Philadelphia into a city of choice. The Philadelphia Housing Authority is now the leader of creating equitable communities, business corridors and award-winning housing, where anyone would choose to live,” said Kelvin A. Jeremiah, President and CEO of PHA.  “Many are asking for our formula of transforming communities. The secret to our success is simple: Residents are our partners. We value their input and listen to them closely as we plan for change. With their help, we are developing neighborhoods that are resilient and a benefit to newcomers and the long-time residents. I want to also thank them, Mayor Kenney, Council President Clarke and all of our elected officials for their support.  We are excited to undertake another transformative neighborhood revitalization initiative.”

“I am thrilled to learn that our federal partners have awarded this substantial revitalization grant for Yorktown,” said Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney. “This funding through HUD’s Choice Neighborhood Planning Grants Program will have a positive impact on this community, particularly for the Harrison Plaza Low-Rise. Quality affordable housing and improved amenities are the keystones to building stronger and more equitable communities in Philadelphia.”

“This $500,000 planning grant from the federal government to PHA to continue developing and improving affordable housing options is very welcome news for the people of North Philadelphia,” said City Council President Darrell L. Clarke, whose 5^th District includes the Harrison low-rise public housing development. “We need more affordable housing throughout North Philadelphia – and the entire city – and this HUD planning grant will enable PHA, under the strong leadership of President & CEO Kelvin Jeremiah, to continue with plans to revitalize existing affording housing and to plan new units as well. This is tremendous news and we thank our federal partners, including HUD, Sens. Casey and Fetterman, and Congressman Boyle for their work on this funding initiative.”

In addition to new housing, commercial corridors are getting crucial investments, and modern community infrastructures are being put in place including transportation hubs, high-tech community centers, a workforce development center, shady streets and parks, a full-service bank, and grocery stores.

The Choice Neighborhoods program has a three-pronged “Housing, People, and Neighborhood” approach that includes the redevelopment of distressed properties and supportive services related to the residents’ health, education, and income while investing in economic development and neighborhood improvement projects. A two-year Planning Grant will allow the new awardees to create and build support for a comprehensive “Transformation Plan” that addresses the program’s Housing, People, and Neighborhood goals.

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The Philadelphia Housing Authority is the nation’s 4th largest housing authority, serving nearly 80,000 residents.  PHA is also a major real estate developer.  Learn more at www.pha.phila.gov.

 

Questions have arisen in the news as to whether PHA is, and has been, actively recruiting and certifying landlords for its Housing Choice Voucher Program.

In fact, over the past few years, PHA has been recruiting and certifying  landlords in record numbers. In an effort to meet the strong demand from  HCV (Section 8)  voucher holders, PHA decided to incentivize landlords who agreed to lease to Section 8 tenants. The program has been a success. PHA has recruited more over 800 new HCV landlords since 2021 when it first began offering HCV signing incentives and other perks. PHA recently extended the landlord recruitment campaign until September 30, 2023. There are over 5,200 active landlords under the HCV program, and 2,435 of them have qualified for these widely publicized financial incentives. Moreover, during 2022, about 500 new landlords rented a total of 2,000 apartments to voucher holders for the first time. The Authority has paid its landlords more than $1.5 million in incentives to help low-income tenants compete for private housing and compensate landlords for the time required to process a voucher and inspect units.

When COVID 19 shutdown PHA in mid-March 2020, PHA temporarily suspended the HCV Owner Briefings and HCV Owner Certifications class for three months.  PHA re-started both classes virtually in July 2020.    

The HCV Owner Briefings has been scheduled every Wednesday since July 2020 with the only cancellations the day before Thanksgiving.    The Owner Briefing was virtual from 2020 to 2022 and has been in person since January 2023, with an average of over 30 attendees per week, and a total of over 5,000 attendees have participated in these briefings since 2020.     

Additionally, PHA’s  HCV Owner Certification Class has been scheduled every Tuesday since July 2020 (PHA actually held two classes during 2021 due to the demand after the 2020 shutdowns).   Due its length of three hours has remained virtual since 2020. An average 35 attendees participated in the Certification Class per week, with over 5,000 registered and attended since 2020.   It is important to note that not every attendee is a landlord, many are agents, property managers, realtors who working directly with landlords and attend to understand the nuances of the HCV program and how to successfully conduct business with PHA’s HCV program. 

The $50 million Award for Bartram Village was made after a competitive review process by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

Media Contact:
Nichole Tillman, 215-888-2869

(Philadelphia, PA – July 27, 2023) –

For the third time, The Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA) and the City of Philadelphia have received a coveted Choice Neighborhoods Implementation (CNI) Grant, this one to transform Bartram Village in Southwest Philadelphia.  The $50 million grant  will be used to leverage more financing as the Authority rebuilds and invigorates the community.

“We are beyond thrilled,” PHA President and CEO Kelvin A. Jeremiah said. “This will provide high-quality affordable housing, along with expanded opportunities for economic mobility for lower-income families in Southwest Philadelphia. PHA believes that housing is an inalienable right. Every Philadelphian deserves stable housing in walkable neighborhoods with good schools and transportation, nearby shopping, and green space. The CNI grant enables us to build and maintain affordable housing, and simultaneously revitalize underserved communities so they emerge as our newest neighborhoods of choice.”

Jeremiah continued: “I’d like to thank HUD Secretary Fudge and her staff for this important grant that, when completed, will raise over $300 million for a once redlined and neglected neighborhood.”

PHA is the first Housing Authority in the country to receive three CNI Implementation Grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which are awarded after a highly competitive selection process. To date, PHA has been chosen to receive $110 million in implementation grants: In 2014, HUD awarded a $30 million Choice Neighborhoods grant to the City and its partners to implement the North Central Philadelphia Transformation Plan; PHA and the City of Philadelphia then received a $30 million CNI Grant in 2020 to implement the Sharswood-Blumberg Choice Neighborhoods Transformation Plan.

“The Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grant will have a transformative impact in southwest Philadelphia for generations to come,” said Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney. “The $50 million in federal funding, alongside millions of dollars additionally committed by PHA and the City of Philadelphia, will be used to realize the Transformation Plan developed with Bartram Village and Kingsessing residents.  We are excited to redevelop Bartram Village to better serve current residents and attract new households by expanding quality affordable housing and investing in programs, services, and enhanced public spaces to benefit the entire community.”

With the additional funds for Bartram Village, PHA can transform another strategically located neighborhood into a resource-rich area community that provides new housing, along with crucial supportive services like career training and enrichment programs that support mobility. While planning still is underway, the ultimate goal is to provide 608 new housing units including 500 affordable rent, 30 affordable homeownership and 78 market rate rentals.

This approach leverages community assets, engages neighborhood organizations and institutions, and gives lower-income residents a prominent voice in development plans. It has been referred nationally to as “The Philadelphia Model,” based in part on the successes so far in North Central and Sharswood.

“I’m pleased that this federal funding is coming to PHA to transform another Philadelphia neighborhood,” said Congressman Dwight Evans (D-PA-3). “I previously helped PHA to secure $30 million in federal funding, leveraging over $225 million in investment, to revitalize the Sharswood-Blumberg neighborhood. This is an important way that we can rebuild Philadelphia, block by block!”

“This $50 million investment in Bartram Village will not only add more than 200 additional housing units, but contribute to the rejuvenation of our entire community,” said Speaker of the Pennsylvania House Joanna McClinton (D-PA-191). “It will bring new parks, industry and community spaces that will improve the overall quality of life for our neighbors.”

“The Choice Neighborhoods Implementation grant will provide a crucial opportunity for the city of Philadelphia to revitalize our distressed housing and neighborhoods while prioritizing the well-being and potential of our residents,” said State Sen. Anthony H. Williams (D-PA-8). “With a commitment to community-driven collaboration, we will redevelop our neighborhoods and foster impactful changes that uplift our communities in need.”

“I am thrilled to see HUD make such a substantial investment toward the revitalization of Bartram Village,” State Rep. Regina Young (D-PA-185) said. “Replacing 500 old units at Bartram Village with more than 600 new mixed-income units will not only increase housing options; it will also bolster our local economy, increase our energy efficiency and climate resilience, and highlight the jewel that is Bartram Garden. We know here in Philadelphia that direct and considered investment is what it takes to grow a community without leaving anyone behind.”

“I am thrilled that a HUD Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grant is coming to Bartram Village! This is a big win for Southwest Philadelphia,” said Council Member Jamie R. Gauthier. “I know Bartram Village residents and the community have wondered how long it would take for improvements to come to this site. I’m so glad we can now definitively say that they are on the way! This grant is about equity, not just housing. This is a rapidly changing area of Southwest, with tens of millions of dollars being spent on new construction and public space improvements. Through this Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grant, we are showing existing residents that they deserve to remain in this community and that we are willing to invest in what they need to thrive here! I look forward to working with PHA and the City to actualize our vision for Bartram Village. Thank you to HUD and the Biden Administration for investing in Southwest Philadelphia!”

“We are honored to work with PHA on two transformative CNI developments, Sharswood and now Bartram Village,” said Mark Dambly, chief executive officer with Pennrose. “We look forward to collaborating with project partners and the local community to ensure plans for the site improve resident and neighborhood quality of life for many years to come.”

The CNI grant proposal is for the Kingsessing/Bartram Village neighborhood, which was previously the focus of a $1.6 million CNI Planning and Early Implementation Grant. The CNI Planning grant resulted in a Transformation Plan, developed in consultation with the community and accepted by HUD. The Early Implementation Action Activities are currently underway and will be finished by September of 2024. Of the $50 million grant, $30.9 million will fund Housing Plan activities, $7.5 million will fund Neighborhood Critical Community Improvements (CCI) and $10 million will fund People Plan activities. Approximately $1.6 million will be for grant evaluation and administrative costs.

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The Philadelphia Housing Authority is the nation’s 4th largest housing authority, serving nearly 80,000 residents.  PHA is also a major real estate developer.  Learn more at www.pha.phila.gov.

 

 

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Media Contact:

Nichole Tillman, 215-888-2869; [email protected]

 

 

Find Summer Food, Fun or a Purpose at a Nearby PHA Housing Location  

Healthy Eating and Healthy Living Are as Important for Youth as ever in 2023

 

 (Philadelphia, PA – June 12, 2023) – The Philadelphia Housing Authority’s (PHA) children and those in surrounding neighborhoods will have access to healthy breakfasts and lunches as well as fun, recreational activities this summer.

“Access to good, nutritional hot meals is critical to the overall development of young people, in addition to maintaining their health,” said PHA President and CEO Kelvin A. Jeremiah.  “PHA will offer free meals and free summer camps where youth can engage in educational and recreational enrichment activities. In addition, PHA again has youth entrepreneurship programs and career-readiness workshops planned to connect youth with their passions.”

The Summer Camps, which will run from July 26 to August 18 from 9 am to 3 pm, will operate Mondays – Fridays at the following 10 sites: Abbottsford Community Center, Richard Allen/Cambridge, Bartram Village, Johnson Homes, Mantua Community Center, Norris Apartments, Lucien E. Blackwell Center, Spring Garden Apartments, Wilson Park, and Vaux Big Picture High School. The camps are facilitated by the Boys and Girls Club of Philadelphia, PHA, Dream Inc. and Mighty Writers. Camp Activities include recreational, sports, literacy, arts and crafts. Programs are free and open to PHA residents ages 5-17.

The PHA Summer Food Service Program, which will be held June 26, 2023, offers breakfasts and lunches for youth until August 18, 2023. Hours of operation are 9:00 a.m. to 11 a.m. Mondays-Fridays for breakfast and 12-2 pm for lunch. There is no charge for the meals.

The food program is offered at 10 locations: Abbottsford Community Center, Bartram Village Community Center, Hill Creek Apartments Community Center, Johnson Homes Community Center, Norris Community Center, Lucien E. Blackwell Center, Raymond Rosen Community Center, John F. Street Community Center, Spring Garden Apartments and Wilson Park Community Center.

The PHA Summer food program is open to both youth in public housing and in the community. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will provide partial reimbursement to PHA.

Children who do not live near a participating PHA site can still go to a neighboring site or one of sites operated by the City’s Department of Parks and Recreation, which plans to offer similar meals. Residents, including those who were formerly served at sites that are not hosting the program this summer, can go online to the USDA website at

 https://www.fns.usda.gov/meals4kids to locate the Summer Food locations closest to them.

Residents can also look for the site nearest to them at http://www.hungercoalition.org/summermeals/map or call the coalition’s hotline at 1-855-252-MEAL. SFSP is a reimbursement-based grant program funded by the United States Department of Agriculture, through Pennsylvania’s Department of Education.  The intent of this program is to provide free breakfast, lunch, and/or snacks to children 18-years-old and under. For more information about participating in PHA’s Summer Food Service Program or summer camp program, PHA residents can email [email protected] or call: 215-684-8109

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The Philadelphia Housing Authority’s mission is to open doors to affordable housing, economic opportunity and safe, sustainable communities to benefit Philadelphia residents with low incomes. Learn more at www.pha.phila.gov.

To provide additional opportunities for public review and comment, the Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA) is extending the public comment period for the following until June 12, 2023 at 12 noon.

Click to read:

Proposed ACOP

Proposed Admin Plan

Proposed MTW Plan FY 2024

PHA residents, Housing Choice Voucher participants and the public may provide oral comments by attending the virtual public hearing described below and/or by submitting written comments during the comment period.    A public hearing will be conducted at the following time and location:

Wednesday, May 24, 2023 at 3:00 PM

Join by web by link: 

https://pha.webex.com/pha/j.php?MTID=mb11a56ef2418a7f4416d11882e1e466b

Join by web manually via WebEx:

Meeting number: 2343 283 2428/Password: MTW24

Call in: 

1-844-621-3956 – Access code: 2343 283 2428

 

 

The public comment period begins on May 3, 2023 at 12 noon

and ends on June 2, 2023 at 12 noon.

Comments must be received by the end of the comment period.

Please send written comments to:

The Philadelphia Housing Authority

Attention: Jennifer Ragen – Public Comments

Office of the General Counsel

2013 Ridge Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19121

or

[email protected]