A total of almost $1.6 million has now been awarded to 413 residents since this program began in 2013.  Money for the scholarships comes from PHA’s operating budget and funds donated by program supporters and vendors.

A scholarship committee composed of PHA employees, student residents, and a resident leader reviewed the applications. The applicants’ essays, community service, extracurricular activities, internships, recommendation letters, and academic transcripts were considered by the committee.

The scholarship recipients represent PHA developments around the City, as well as the Housing Choice Voucher Program. Scholarship applications for next year will be made available in spring 2020.

PhillySEEDS, Inc. is an award-winning, 501(c) (3), charitable, non-profit corporation founded by PHA to promote the social and economic advancement of PHA-assisted residents through philanthropic activities, community-based partnerships, and special initiatives.

Since Mr. Jeremiah became President and CEO, PHA conducted four other public auctions consisting of 381 scattered site properties.  Many of these properties have since been renovated and reoccupied.

This latest auction brings to over 500 the number of properties made available to the public in an open and transparent process. Each property was auctioned individually rather than in groups, so that the smallest investor or prospective fixer-upper homeowner could competitively bid.
None of the properties up for auction was located in the Sharswood transformation area. This is an important distinction in that PHA obtained hundreds of parcels in that neighborhood to be developed, not to auction.

The sale of long-term vacant scattered properties by auction is just one part of PHA’s comprehensive plan for its scattered site portfolio.  Since 2013, in an effort to salvage as many derelict properties as possible PHA has rehabilitated over 1,000 vacant scattered sites for households on PHA’s waiting list. The agency has also partnered with other organizations to convert these properties into new units.

Most recently, PHA transferred two vacant scattered site properties near 12th & Wallace Streets to the Philadelphia Chinatown Community Development Corporation, which is now transforming the properties into 13 units of affordable housing.
The large majority of PHA’s scattered sites are occupied.  Families who live in those homes can be reassured, as those properties will remain in PHA’s inventory.

(PHILADELPHIA – June 20, 2019) – The Philadelphia Housing Authority Board of Commissioners today unanimously approved a new three-year labor agreement with the union representing most of the agency’s nearly 600 full-time maintenance staff.

The pact with the Building and Construction Trades Council of Philadelphia and Vicinity (BCTC) goes into effect immediately and runs through March 31, 2022, and includes a one dollar-per-hour increase in both the second and third years. In year one, the parties negotiated a one-time bonus payment that will vary depending on position. For example, a Laborer making the base rate of pay will receive a bonus of $3,120.00 in year one. In years two and three, in addition to salary increases, members will receive one-time across-the-board bonus payments of about $520.00.

“Our negotiations with BCTC remained amicable throughout the process,” said PHA President and CEO Kelvin Jeremiah. “Both sides recognized that changes to work rules were critical in keeping PHA flexible in our operations in the face of uncertainty around federal funding for affordable housing. We believe the new contract allows us together to serve residents well regardless of potential changes in ownership or property management structure.”

“On behalf of the nearly 600 members of the Philadelphia Building and Construction Trades Council and our sub-contractors who proudly work day in and day out for the Philadelphia Housing Authority, we thank the PHA Board of Commissioners and CEO Kelvin Jeremiah for reaching a new labor agreement with us that will keep this great partnership in place for at least the next three years,” said Philadelphia Building and Construction Trades Council Business Manager John J. Dougherty. “Through the unanimous approval of this new three-year agreement, the PHA has acknowledged the superior work product our members deliver every day of the week and for that we’re very grateful.

The parties agreed to revise language from the previous contract that recognizes the changing landscape housing authorities are facing. On the one hand, PHA gains flexibility to achieve operational efficiencies if it reduces the number of public housing units it owns and manages. On the other hand, the union secures the ability to offset the potential reduction in PHA jobs with similar jobs in the private sector. To accomplish that goal, PHA agreed that when it subcontracts BCTC work that any vendor selected will be required to use workers from one or more of the trades represented by a BCTC union (or another union agreed to by the BCTC).

Another change in the contract establishes a new classification for workers performing landscaping and grounds-keeping duties in order to pay them a different rate than maintenance workers. Currently those duties are either performed under the more costly Laborer classification or by an agreement with a vendor. PHA and BCTC hope to fill many of the new landscaping positions with PHA residents.

Laborers make up a large majority of the PHA maintenance workforce but also included are maintenance mechanics, painters and glaziers, electricians and plumbers among others. The starting hourly rate for a Laborer is $29.09 per hour for an annual rate of just over $60,000. By the end of the contract the hourly rate will be $31.09 for an annual rate of just under $65,000.
The contract stipulates there will be no lay-offs in the first year, except in the event of a reduction in federal funding to PHA.

The agency’s Resident Programs and Partnerships department (RPP) manages this critical and highly successful program. An estimated 45,000 meals will be served to youth ages 3 to 18 from public housing sites and the surrounding neighborhoods. The program will also provide 26 part-time jobs for PHA residents and local residents this year.

PHA is one of several large sponsors of the program in the City, which provides breakfast and lunch to youth.  Children who do not live near a participating PHA site can still go to a neighboring site or one of 150 sites operated by the City’s Department of Parks and Recreation, which will offer similar meals.

PHA sponsors the program with a contribution of its own funds to the program this year. The 2019 Summer Food Service Program total cost is estimated at $432, 830. PHA is expected to underwrite or contribute the balance of $288, 543 towards the program while the amount of reimbursement from the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) is estimated at $144, 287.
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 www.fns.usda.gov/summerfoodrocks to locate the Summer Food locations closest to them.

Residents can also look for the site nearest to them at www.phila.gov/youthprograms/meals/Pages/default.aspx, www.hungercoalition.org/summermeals, or by texting “FOOD” or “MEALPA” to 877-877, or calling 1-855-252-MEAL. For more information about participating in PHA’s Summer Food Service Program, call 215-684-3959.

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, call 215-684-3959.