This initiative is part of PHA's "6 in 5" program

(PHILADELPHIA-November 21, 2016) - The Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA) has found a way to accelerate the pace of developing and preserving homes for low-income families, seniors, and disabled citizens - working with partner organizations.  The agency is in the midst of a multi-year plan in which it is working with over 25 organizations to create and support over 2,300 affordable housing units.
  
"With Philadelphia's high poverty rate, the city has a continuous and urgent need to expand affordable housing opportunities," said PHA President and CEO Kelvin Jeremiah. "However, as an agency we know we can't build everything ourselves.  Instead, we are working collaboratively with like-minded organizations that share our mission and vision so we can build, preserve and support more homes for those who desperately need them at a faster pace."

When PHA launched its "6 in 5" Program in 2013, pledging to add 6,000 units over a five-year period, the agency began a concerted effort to generate partnership opportunities for the development and preservation of low-income homes.  Many of these partnership projects are now coming to fruition.  In addition, many of these developments are combined with supportive services provided on-site for the residents.

Partner organizations include the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, CATCH, Inc., Community Ventures, Gaudenzia Foundation, HELP USA, Hispanic Association of Contractors and Enterprises, Impact Veterans Services, Inglis, Intercommunity Action, Liberty Housing, Methodist Family Services, Mission First Housing Group, Mt. Vernon Manor, NewCourtland, Nueva Esperanza, People's Emergency Center, Presby's Inspired Life, Project HOME, Women's Community Revitalization Project and 1260 Housing Corporation.

The majority of PHA funding for these developments comes from the Housing Choice Voucher program formerly referred to as Section 8.

The homes being built, preserved and supported under these PHA partnerships are in addition to PHA's own development work, including the historic transformation of the Sharswood neighborhood in North Philadelphia where PHA and its partners are building 1,200 units over a period of several years. The first 57 of those homes will open later this month.

"We are using every tool available to us to meet the goal we have set for ourselves to create 6,000 housing opportunities.  That also means developing our own properties, rehabbing hundreds of homes that we own around the city and working hand-in-hand with our partners," Jeremiah said.