February 2025 | Message from Our Executive Director
| State Policy Happenings The Housing Alliance continues to focus our efforts on state level funding and public policy on housing, homelessness, and community development. We have a full policy agenda and I want to highlight just two of our priorities with a request for action. 1. Sign on to support our campaign to secure a state investment in preventing homelessness by preventing eviction…. if you haven’t already. The goal is to reduce the likelihood of at-risk tenants ever coming into contact with the homelessness service system by expanding programs that assist both landlords and tenants to resolve disputes due to non-payment of rent. The proposed program would include landlord tenant dispute interventions, resource navigation, and direct assistance. We all learned a lot through the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) available during the COVID19 pandemic and now largely gone in communities across the state. We mainly learned that eviction is a lose-lose for the tenant AND landlord alike, and we can work in partnership with landlords to secure resources to help address the immediate concern (nonpayment of rent) and put the tenant on a stronger path to stability. 2. Stay tuned for a special day in Harrisburg to advocate for home repair funding. We seek those that deliver home repair programs across the state, those that have been assisted through available programs, and those that care about addressing the deplorable housing conditions faced by too many Pennsylvanians. How To Stay Informed on Federal Level Actions There are several national organizations that are tracking and analyzing federal level actions for how they impact low-income households and the federal funding available to the housing and community sector. They are also providing suggestions for advocacy with Members of Congress when needed. If you are not already, we strongly encourage you to sign up for electronic communications from one or more of these national groups. National groups in alphabetical order (any omissions of national organizations from this list are accidental) Affordable Housing Tax Credit Coalition Center on Budget and Policy Priorities Enterprise Community Partners Housing Advisory Group Housing Assistance Council National Alliance to End Homelessness National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO) National Association of Realtors National Coalition for the Homeless National Homelessness Law Center National Housing Conference National Housing Trust National Low Income Housing Coalition Public Housing Authorities Directors Association (PHADA) We recognize the confusion and uncertainty that these federal actions have created. We strongly encourage you to respond to advocacy requests from these national groups. We are doing the same. In partnership, Phyllis Chamberlain Executive Director |