Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia recently received two awards totaling $400,000 from the Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement Fund (PHARE) to support 35 home health and stabilization repair projects and necessary predevelopment work for the eventual construction of 13 new affordable homes. In total, $64.8 million will fund 322 housing initiatives throughout all 67 counties in Pennsylvania.
“As our programs grow, we are grateful for programs like PHARE that provide opportunities for Habitat Philadelphia to increase the scope and impact of our work,” says Corinne O’Connell, CEO of Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia. “We are committed to the work of affordable housing so that every Philadelphian has a safe and stable place to call home.”
“A special thank you to House Representative Donna Bullock and State Senator Sharif Street for their continued championing of our work,” expresses O’Connell.
Strawberry Mansion homeowner and military veteran Eric, his partner Kia and their son Eli, wash dishes together in their newly repaired kitchen. | Photo by Cary Porter
Habitat Philadelphia’s Home Repair Program recently surpassed 950 total home repairs since the program’s inception, with 125 of those repairs completed in the last year. This means over 950 families served, maintaining their homes to pass on to the next generation. Habitat plans to go even further by reaching 150 home repairs by June 2025 and up to 200 repairs completed per year by 2026.
Lot to be developed at 1801-1807 North 19th Street and 1857 West Montgomery Avenue. | Photo by Cary Porter
This funding will also support predevelopment work for the eventual construction of 13 new affordable homes at the corner of 19th and Montgomery Streets, which was recently remediated to remove previously contaminated soil.
PHARE was established in 2010 to provide a way to allocate state or federal funds, as well as funds from other outside sources, to assist with the creation, rehabilitation, and support of affordable housing throughout the Commonwealth. The program receives funding from portions of Pennsylvania’s Realty Transfer Tax and Marcellus Shale Impact Fees.
For more information on PHARE funding, see: