2020 PHARE Award Project Summaries County: Adams Proposal Name: Project New Start Organization: Pennsylvania Interfaith Community Programs Funding Reserved: $125,000 PHARE/Realty Transfer Tax Proposal Description: Project New Start is a homeless diversion program allowing families/individuals to obtain housing or to remain in their current housing. Eligible households can receive up to $750 to help with: security deposits, past due rent, mortgages, or utilities, car repairs, or emergency home repairs. County: Adams/York Proposal Name: Females Achieving Independence and Recovery (FAIR) Organization: TrueNorth Wellness Services, Inc. Funding Reserved: $100,000 PHARE/Realty Transfer Tax Proposal Description: The proposed project will serve women re-entering the community from York County Prison, who have a diagnosis of substance use disorder, but are not eligible for Social Security Income or Social Security Disability Income.
The program will include indicated components for success: transitional housing and gainful employment, while offering an array of support services to positively impact each individual's long-term success and quality of life transformation. County: Allegheny Proposal Name: Homewood Phase II Organization: Habitat for Humanity of Greater Pittsburgh Funding Reserved: $100,000 PHARE/Realty Transfer Tax Proposal Description: PHARE funds will be used to construct three new North Braddock Avenue homes that will be sold to three qualified families who have completed Habitat Pittsburgh’s Homeownership Program. Families are selected for Habitat Pittsburgh’s Homeownership Program through an application process, ensuring they meet specific criteria. County: Allegheny Proposal Name: Housing Stabilization Program 2020 PHARE Award Project Summaries Organization: Urban Redevelopment Authority Funding Reserved: $250,000 PHARE/Realty Transfer Tax Proposal Description: The Housing Stabilization Program (HSP) is a housing crisis prevention program designed to promote the economic independence of renters experiencing a temporary, non-recurring crisis by providing limited, short-term financial assistance to help them access and/or maintain safe, stable, and affordable permanent housing.
County: Allegheny Proposal Name: Allegheny County Save Your Home Program Organization: Allegheny County Economic Development Funding Reserved: $200,000 PHARE/Marcellus Shale Proposal Description: The goal of the Save Your Home Program is to help homeowners avert foreclosure and save their homes by providing housing counseling services. The program is a collaboration between the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas, County Sheriff's Department, County Dept. of Economic Development, and ACTION-Housing, Inc. It is coordinated by the Allegheny County Dept.
of Economic Development. County: Allegheny Proposal Name: Hazelwood Affordable Rental Preservation Project (HARPP) Phase II Organization: Hazelwood Initiative Funding Reserved: $150,000 PHARE/Realty Transfer Tax Proposal Description: Hazelwood Initiative (HI) is aggressively working to preserve affordable rental housing before housing values rise from development on the adjacent 170-acre Hazelwood Green site. We have site control over 63 scattered sites of affordable rentals. This is Phase 2 of the project.
HI will acquire the 22 units, perform moderate renovations on the units that require it (most are in very livable and low-maintenance condition). HI will then deed restrict (deed covenant) the units for 35 years' affordability. County: Allegheny Proposal Name: Allegheny County Mobility Counseling Program Organization: Allegheny County Department of Human Services Funding Reserved: $300,000 PHARE/Realty Transfer Tax 2020 PHARE Award Project Summaries Proposal Description: The Mobility Counseling Program will assist households that have at least one child under 18 (with a focus on families with children under 12) to move to high opportunity, low poverty neighborhoods. The project consists of: landlord outreach and recruitment, pre-move mobility counseling, post-move case management and service coordination, and client assistance with security deposits and moving expenses.
County: Allegheny Proposal Name: Wilkinsburg Vacant Property Recovery Initiative Organization: Oakland Planning & Development Corporation Funding Reserved: $100,000 PHARE/Realty Transfer Tax Proposal Description: The Wilkinsburg Community Development Corporation (WCDC) seeks to expand its Vacant Property Recovery Initiative, an effort to bring blighted and underutilized parcels back to productive use. Wilkinsburg has the highest percentage of blighted property in Allegheny County. The WCDC's strategy to address this issue involves minimizing the displacement of low-income renters and homeowners as market pressures increase; on-the-ground technical assistance; and targeted acquisition. County: Allegheny Proposal Name: Housing Connector Organization: United Way of Southern Pennsylvania Funding Reserved: $200,000 PHARE/Realty Transfer Tax Proposal Description: The Housing Connector helps people with disabilities search for and locate affordable, accessible housing.
Two expert housing navigators will offer one-on-one assistance using a custom database created in collaboration with a host of partners, including the United Way of Southwestern PA, ACTION- Housing, and Allegheny County Department of Human Services. The goal is to level the playing field for people with disabilities and their families by connecting them with affordable, accessible housing. County: Allegheny Proposal Name: HEARTH: A Safe Place Matters Organization: HEARTH Funding Reserved: $150,000 PHARE/Realty Transfer Tax Proposal Description: 2020 PHARE Award Project Summaries HEARTH will utilize PHARE funds to provide safe affordable housing and supportive services solutions to vulnerable populations, including transitional and affordable housing. Funds will be used primarily for women with children who are working to become economically self-sufficient after surviving domestic violence or other trauma.
Last year, HEARTH served 82 program participants. HEARTH anticipates that over 80 program participants will benefit from our program in 2019/2020. County: Allegheny Proposal Name: Home2020 Organization: Allegheny County Department of Human Services Funding Reserved: $1,000,000 PHARE/Realty Transfer Tax Proposal Description: Allegheny County DHS and Continuum of Care will serve the most vulnerable, extremely low-income street and long-term homeless population, including an estimated 50% that struggle with opioid use disorder. The intent is to connect this target group to permanent housing over the course of the year with a whatever it takes attitude.
Funding will support single-room occupancy and other affordable units paired with skilled case management to stabilize and connect individuals to permanent housing. County: Allegheny* Proposal Name: Fifth and Dinwiddie Development Organization: BTG Development Funding Reserved: $1,000,000 PHARE/Realty Transfer Tax Proposal Description: Fifth & Dinwiddie (the “Project”) is an exciting, sustainable, and transformative development project at the nexus of Uptown and the Hill District. Uptown is located directly between Pittsburgh’s two major economic hubs, it has great connectivity (with plans on getting even better with new multi-modal investments) and a great plan developed in partnership with an engaged community. The Project will include 4 LIHTC units targeted to households with incomes below 20% of the Area Median Income (“AMI”), 7 LIHTC units targeted to households with incomes below 30% of AMI, and 23 LIHTC units targeted to households with incomes below 50% of AMI.
County: Allegheny* Proposal Name: Bethlehem Haven Organization: New Burgh Real Estate Funding Reserved: $1,000,000 PHARE/Realty Transfer Tax 2020 PHARE Award Project Summaries Proposal Description: Bethlehem Haven presently owns a 26-bed residential supportive services facility at 1410 Fifth Avenue and four adjacent properties (1408, 1406, 1404 and 1402 Fifth Avenue) in the rapidly gentrifying Uptown neighborhood of Pittsburgh. A final property at 1400 Fifth Avenue will be purchased from a 3rd party to complete the site for this development. This application is to receive tax exempt bond capacity and LIHTC in order to renovate the current building and fund the construction of a 33-unit addition to 1410 Fifth Avenue on the adjacent properties. County: Allegheny/Beaver Proposal Name: WAVE Housing Services Organization: Willissae’s Agency for Vision and Empowerment Funding Reserved: $40,000 PHARE/Realty Transfer Tax Proposal Description: The mission of WAVE is to empower individuals who face barriers to discover and reach their potential through education, counseling, social services, and long-term support.
We help participants become self- sufficient (stable housing, eviction/homelessness prevention, homeownership, wealth creation, employment, financial security, overall wellness, etc. A unique aspect of WAVE is our wholistic approach to our clients which helps them find and maintain safe housing and homeownership long-term. County: Allegheny/Philadelphia Proposal Name: Rehabilitation of Community Homes for People with Disabilities Organization: Community Options, Inc. Funding Reserved: $33,000 PHARE/Realty Transfer Tax Proposal Description: Community Options, Inc.
respectfully requests $33,865 in PHARE funds to rehabilitate three residential group homes that support people with disabilities located in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The homes are fully licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services to provide Community Home Services and are located in Pittsburgh (2) and Philadelphia (1). County: Armstrong Proposal Name: Armstrong County Emergency Shelter Program Organization: Armstrong County Community Action Agency Funding Reserved: $153,000 PHARE/Marcellus Shale 2020 PHARE Award Project Summaries Proposal Description: The Armstrong County Community Action Agency will use PHARE funds to assist those who are homeless who have been referred by one of our partner agencies in order to stabilize the family through emergency shelter services. Case managers who refer the homeless will assist the client in obtaining permanent housing & working through barriers toward self-sufficiency.
County: Armstrong Proposal Name: McKean Street Housing Organization: TREK Development Funding Reserved: $250,000 PHARE/Realty Transfer Tax Proposal Description: McKean Street Housing consists of the new construction of 36 units of mixed income, senior (62+) housing. Currently a vacant lot where the former Kittanning Middle school resided, the new construction apartment building will provide 30 new affordable units (and 6 market rate) to a community that desperately needs senior housing and beautification to the streetscapes. The City is seeking revitalization to their downtown core and has been successful in recent years with funding awards. County: Beaver Proposal Name: The Cornerstone of Beaver County Building Equipment Upgrade Organization: The Cornerstone of Beaver County Funding Reserved: $55,000 PHARE/Marcellus Shale Proposal Description: The Cornerstone of Beaver County (TCBC), is the homeless services hub in Beaver County, that provides and coordinates local housing resources to prevent and end homelessness.
This project will allow TCBC to upgrade the HVAC system, roof, and hot water tank in its current location. These upgrades are vital to the operation of TCBC office space and will allow TCBC to continue its mission of serving the homeless and near homeless population in Beaver County. County: Beaver Proposal Name: Rental/Utility Assistance Organization: Community Development Program of Beaver County Funding Reserved: $50,000 PHARE/Marcellus Shale Proposal Description: 2020 PHARE Award Project Summaries The Community Development Program of Beaver County will utilize PHARE funds to enact homeless prevention efforts for households facing homelessness throughout the county. The funds will be used as a supplement to Home Improvement Program (HAP) funds for first month's rent, security deposits, rent arrearage and utility payments.
County: Beaver Proposal Name: Home Modification Program Organization: Community Development Program of Beaver County Funding Reserved: $100,000 PHARE/Realty Transfer Tax Proposal Description: The Community Development Program of Beaver County will utilize PHARE funds for home modifications for households with mobility and/or safety challenges. Work will include accessible ramps, door widening, bathroom modifications, and other modifications for adaptive equipment for visual and hearing impairments and installation of safety features for the protection of children or other persons with disabilities such as behavioral issues or autism. County: Beaver Proposal Name: The Haven Organization: Crossroads Shelter of Beaver County Funding Reserved: $100,000 PHARE/Realty Transfer Tax Proposal Description: Crossroads is proposing a solution to the last gap in Beaver County’s homeless services by opening a family shelter, The Haven, which would provide 24-hour supervision and intensive case management to approximately 24 homeless families in a 12-month period. The Haven will be operated by Crossroads Shelter of Beaver County, Inc.
It will be a single site, 6-bedroom unit. County: Bedford/Fulton Proposal Name: Landlord Mitigation & Rental Assistance Program Organization: Center for Community Action Funding Reserved: $150,000 PHARE/Realty Transfer Tax Proposal Description: Center for Community Action (CCA) will administer this PHARE Landlord Mitigation & Rental Assistance Program as a dual countywide program. CCA administers and has administered other rental assistance and landlord mitigation programs. Currently CCA has Continuum of Care, Continuum of Care 2020 PHARE Award Project Summaries SCRHAB, Home4Good, Emergency Solutions Grant, and Homeless Assistance Programs.
The Arizona Matrix will be utilized as a self-sufficiency measurement tool. CCA will offer case management, security deposit, rental assistance, etc. County: Berks Proposal Name: Affordable Housing Loan Fund Organization: Community First Fund Funding Reserved: $100,000 PHARE/Realty Transfer Tax Proposal Description: Community First will utilize PHARE dollars to create a revolving affordable housing development fund to provide nonprofit and for-profit developers with affordable loans to expand the availability of affordable housing in Berks County. County: Berks Proposal Name: “At-Risk” Tenant-Based Rental Assistance Organization: Service Access & Management, Inc.
