Ciresi: Over $3.8 million secured for Montgomery County housing assistance, homelessness prevention, home modification programs
Rep. Joseph Ciresi July 14, 2025 | 2:35 PM
ROYERSFORD, June 13 – Grants totaling $3.85 million assist Montgomery County residents with secure, permanent housing and give existing homeowners the resources needed to repair their aging homes were announced today by state Rep. Joe Ciresi, D-Montgomery.
“Montgomery County residents all have a right to housing, and this funding will make sure that residents of modest means and the unhoused have a safe and secure place in which to live,” Ciresi said, “Stable housing is the foundation for job opportunities, a secure family environment, and access to the network of support that goes with being part of a community.
“As the issue of attainable, affordable housing continues to gain attention, this funding will help more people break free from chronic homelessness, help new prospective homeowners become more financially savvy and allow homeowners to make needed modifications and repairs so they can stay safe at home.”
The successful applicants receiving funding are:
Regional grant awardees:
- $50,000 for Tri-County HDC Ltd.’s Tri-County Homebuyer Counseling Program to help low-income families and individuals improve their housing conditions and learn about the responsibilities of homeownership.
- $100,000 for the Housing Equality Center of Pennsylvania to provide fair housing counseling.
- $200,000 for the Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania to expand community approaches to homelessness and eviction prevention models.
- $800,000 for Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network, Inc. to provide legal advice and assistance to low-income households and families across the state to preserve housing and prevent homelessness.
County funding awardees
- $200,000 for Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery and Delaware counties to build and rehabilitate homes.
- $200,000 for Access Services to expand their rapid rehousing program to provide housing assistance to Category 1 individuals with substance use disorder.
- $200,000 to Family Promise Montco PA for rental assistance to prevent homelessness and maintain housing stability.
- $400,000 to Your Way Home for the Montgomery County Your Way Home Emergency Shelter Project, which will help fund Emergency Shelter operations and services for at least 100 eligible households.
- $400,000 for the Montgomery County Office of Housing and Community Development and Your Way Home’s Your Way Home Rapid Rehousing program, which will provide permanent housing subsidies for up to 100 eligible households.
- $400,000 to the Montgomery County Your Way Home Supportive Services Project to help end and/or prevent homelessness for up to 100 individuals and families and to provide emergency street outreach.
- $250,000 to Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery and Delaware counties’ Critical Home Repair Program.
- $250,000 to Eternal Life Christian Center for the Home Sweet Home project to rehabilitate properties that currently provide housing to 29 low-income people/households.
- $150,000 to Preservation Pottstown Inc. for the Preservation Pottstown program to provide single system rehabilitations for seven units.
- $200,000 to INC Public Benefit Corp.’s Live and Work Initiative.
- $300,000 for MCHA to replace the roof at Golden Age Manor.
PHARE was established by Act 105 of 2010 (the "PHARE Act") to provide the mechanism by which certain allocated state or federal funds, as well as funds from other outside sources, would be used to assist with the creation, rehabilitation and support of affordable housing throughout the Commonwealth. The PHARE Act did not allocate any funding but did outline specific requirements that include preferences, considerations, match funding options and obligations to utilize a percentage of the funds to assist households below 50% of the median area income.
PHARE’s main funding source is the Realty Transfer Tax, a 1% tax on real estate transactions. In 2015, the Legislature dedicated a portion of the RTT to fund PHARE, expanding the program to all Pennsylvania counties. Money to fund this round of PHARE applications also came from Marcellus Shale Impact Fees.