Smith-Wade-El help secure over $2M for Lancaster County housing assistance, homelessness prevention, home modification programs
Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus June 18, 2025 | 12:35 PM
LANCASTER, June 18 – State Rep. Ismail Smith-Wade-El, D-Lancaster, helped secure grants totaling $2,035,000 from the Pennsylvania Housing and Finance Agency to provide low-income and unhoused Lancastrians secure, permanent housing and give existing homeowners the resources needed to repair their aging homes.
“Housing is basic human right,” Smith-Wade-El said. “But for many people due to the affordable housing crisis, it feels like an out-of-reach luxury. These PHARE grants will provide critical funding to ensure that vulnerable populations, such as individuals and families who have experienced homelessness, can find stable housing like at Dinah’s Hill Apartments, or low-income homeowners living in aging homes can make the necessary repairs to make them safe and inhabitable, as Partners with Purpose is doing.
“Too often the poor are not treated with the respect they deserve as human beings, and one of the things they are forced to make do with is living in substandard public housing,” Smith-Wade-El said. “So, I am particularly thrilled that the Lancaster City’s Farnum Street East project has received $300,000 in funding to rehabilitate the public housing structure. This money will help ensure that its 169 units will be comfortable homes for some of our city's most vulnerable residents. It's what they merit as members of our community."
The successful applicants receiving funding are:
- $35,000 for Good Neighbors Home Repair to provide critical home repairs for 10 low-income families in Lancaster and Chester counties.
- $300,000 for the Lancaster City Housing Authority to rehabilitate Farnum Street East, public housing with 169 units, serving Lancaster's most vulnerable populations.
- $200,000 for Partners with Purpose to rehabilitate 15-33 aging homes in Lancaster County.
- $100,000 PHARE/Realty Transfer Tax for Community Basics Inc. to develop and manage nine (furnished) affordable housing units at Manor Youth House for youth aging out of foster care/homeless youth ages 18 to 24.
- $150,000 for Lancaster County Redevelopment Authority to provide crisis housing support for Lancaster’s growing population of homeless individuals and families. The program will operate nine crisis shelter units to provide dignified housing, intensive case management, and supportive services to chronically homeless residents.
- $100,000 for the United Disabilities Services Foundation to renovate 25 units across five apartment buildings, adding accessible features to promote independent living for low-income individuals with disabilities.
- $150,000 for the OZ Fund, Inc. to rehabilitate the vacant and underutilized property at 800 South Queen Street, transforming it into 52 working family rental apartments and a 6,707 square feet convenience/grocery store.
- $200,000 for Chestnut Housing to redevelop three historic, adjoining properties in Lancaster's SoWe neighborhood into Dinah's Hill Apartments, consisting of 11 affordable apartments to serve households that have experienced homelessness, as well as office and meeting space.
- $250,000 for SACA Development to acquire and renovate at least five single-family homes located in the southeast and southwest neighborhoods of Lancaster City. These homes will be sold to first-time home buyers identified through SACA Development's outreach efforts.
- $225,000 for Lancaster County Redevelopment Authority to strengthen the homeless response system in Lancaster County by investing in prevention and diversion programming, connecting homeless individuals with resources and by providing fair compensation for lived experience to improve new and existing programs and services.
- $125,000 for BASE, INC.’s Home Ownership Made Equal Program to close the homeownership disparity between the disadvantaged populations (Latino, African American, Asian, and other disadvantaged groups) and the general population in Lancaster County.
- $100,000 for Lancaster County Redevelopment Authority’s Housing Opportunity for Lancaster County Program to remove barriers, increase opportunity and improve outcomes to housing access for low-income households across Lancaster County.
- $100,000 for Tenfold's Centralized Intake for housing counseling, fair housing and financial empowerment services.
Some of the grant recipients shared how the funding would positively impact their mission:
“Stable housing is the foundation that allows families to thrive, and access to housing that is affordable is becoming increasingly difficult. We are grateful for this investment in our work assisting the community with financial and housing stability services,” said Shelby Nauman, CEO of Tenfold.
“The Lancaster City Housing Authority is deeply grateful to PHFA for their continued investment in Lancaster’s affordable housing through the PHARE program. The Lancaster City Housing Authority is proud to receive $300,000 in PHARE funding to begin critical structural and architectural improvements to the façade of Farnum Street Tower,” said Barb Wilson, executive director of the Lancaster City Housing Authority. “Additionally, our nonprofit affiliate, Partners with Purpose, will steward $200,000 in PHARE funding for the ongoing preservation and rehabilitation of up to 33 single-family affordable homes throughout the city.
“Since 2021, PHARE has awarded over $1 million to support essential upgrades across our housing portfolio from ADA accessibility improvements and bathroom conversions for seniors, to modern HVAC systems and full-home renovations. These investments allow us to continue providing safe, dignified, and affordable housing to Lancaster’s residents.”
“The team at the Office for the Homelessness Coalition is deeply appreciative of PHFA’s support of the Pathways to Housing Stability and Crisis Housing programs,” said Deb Jones, director of human services of the Lancaster County Housing and Redevelopment. “The grants awarded through the PHARE program will allow the Lancaster County Homelessness Coalition to strengthen existing homelessness response programming, connecting individuals and families experiencing homelessness with critical resources they need to address housing instability or move forward into stable, permanent housing that meets their needs.”
“This funding represents a step forward in addressing a variety of critical housing needs across Lancaster County,” said Justin Eby, Executive Director of the Lancaster County Housing and Redevelopment. “On behalf of LCHRA I would like to thank PHFA for their continued commitment to funding affordable housing programs, and to all the providers and partners across Lancaster County involved in making these initiatives a reality.”
“On behalf of UDS Foundation, we commend this administration’s commitment to addressing Pennsylvania’s housing crisis. As an organization that has leveraged PHARE funds several times in the past with local housing providers to create vital accessible housing within existing affordable housing buildings across Lancaster County, we see firsthand the transformative impact of these investments,” said Mason Smelzer, senior vice president of program operations at United Disability Services Foundation. “There is a critical and growing shortage of accessible affordable housing statewide, disproportionately affecting individuals with disabilities and older adults seeking to age in place. The continued and increased allocation of PHARE funds is not just about building or rehabilitating structures; it’s about providing dignity, independence and a stable foundation for thousands of Pennsylvanians, ensuring that our communities are truly inclusive for everyone.”
"Base’s goal through its H.O.M.E. program (Home Ownership Made Equal) is to strengthen the economic fabric of the disadvantaged populations in Lancaster County,” said Cobbie Burns, President of Base, Inc. “Thus, this sets the state for wealth creation through homeownership and subsequent generational wealth passed on to one’s heirs, ensuring economic viability for future generations.”
“Community Basics, Inc. is honored to have been awarded PHARE resources to facilitate the construction of Manor Youth House,” said Lisa Greener, executive director of Community Basics, Inc. “The unique project will give youth transitioning out of foster care and homeless youth ages 18 to 24 the supportive services they need in a stable, safe, and comfortable home so they can become self-sufficient and independent members of the community. The new construction project, located at 759 Manor Street in Lancaster, should break ground by the end of June.”
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 help 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 use 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 Pennsylvania 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.