PHA Receives $250K Grant for New Cameras and Monitoring System to Support TraumaInformed Approach to Public Safety
(Philadelphia – April 15, 2021) —The Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA) has been awarded a $250,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to purchase and install a security camera monitoring system at the Raymond Rosen Apartments.
The award is part of a broader $13.7 million award to public housing authorities throughout the country to make needed capital improvements that serve to enhance safety and security for residents.
“Keeping families who live in public housing safe in their homes is important to their health and everyday well-being,” said HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge. “These grants go a long way to ensure that public housing residents are protected and have peace of mind as they go about their lives.”
Kelvin Jeremiah, President and CEO of PHA, said the cameras are part of a new strategy that integrates trauma-informed interventions into public safety policies and practices.
PHA is developing a new Department of Public Safety, which will take a more proactive problem-solving approach in ensuring residents’ quality of life and safety.
As part of this mission, PHA is hiring a Community Engagement Manager and Community Engagement Associates (CEAs) who will be assigned to a number of PHA housing developments as part of a new pilot. CEAs will establish a rapport with residents that allows for an open dialogue on community issues and challenges. They will coordinate with PHA Police when enforcement action is required and review repeat calls for police service to identify underlying causes and situations.
