Approving the Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation as the City's applicant to receive funding from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development under the Whole Home Program.

WHEREAS, Pursuant to Section 3002(1) of the act of July 8, 2022 (Act No. 1A of 2022), known as the General Appropriation Act of 2022, the General Assembly of the Commonwealth appropriated federal funds from the COVID-19 Response Restricted Account to the Department of Community and Economic Development for COVID Relief - ARPA - Whole Home Repairs Program; and

WHEREAS, Pursuant to Section 135-C of the act of July 11, 2022 (Act No. 54 of 2022), known as the Fiscal Code, the Department of Community and Economic Development is authorized to establish the Whole-Home Repairs Program, issue guidelines and award grants in accordance with the Statement of Purpose set forth above; and

WHEREAS, The Whole-Home Repairs Program will provide funding for county-wide agencies to address habitability and safety concerns, provide measures to improve energy or water efficiency and make units accessible for individuals with disabilities. Additionally, this program provides funding to the counties for construction-related workforce development; and

WHEREAS, The Whole-Home Repairs Program addresses housing insecurity and the climate crisis by providing funding to county programs supporting up to $50,000 per unit in repairs for qualified homeowners and small landlords to support upkeep and weatherization; and

WHEREAS, An eligible applicant for direct funding from the Department of Community and Economic Development under the Whole-Home Repairs Program shall be a county government, or a nonprofit organization or municipal authority authorized via an adopted resolution by the county government selected by the Mayor and approved by the City’s Council in a county of the first class; and

WHEREAS, the Mayor has proposed that the Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation (PHDC) serve as the applicant for such funding for the City; and

WHEREAS, the PHDC functions as the primary administrator and implementor of most of the City’s housing programs and has for more than 30 years operated the Basic Systems Repair program and has the demonstrated capacity to receive, administer and implement the Whole Home Program; and

WHEREAS, the PHDC has in the last five years alone has provided home repairs to over 22,000 low-income homeowner’s houses allowing them to continue to live in the most affordable unit for them, their own home; and

WHEREAS, the Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation will partner with the Philadelphia Energy Authority to complete Phase 2 of its Built to Last program to further refine the Built to Last delivery model and expand the program to additional low-income homeowners; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the Mayor’s selection of the Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation to be the City’s applicant under the Department of Community and Economic Development’s Whole Home Program is hereby approved.

End