Strengthening Communities: Shapiro Administration Invests Nearly $27 Million to Help Prevent Homelessness for Pennsylvanians in 38 Counties

Harrisburg, PA – Today, Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Secretary Rick Siger announced nearly $27 million in investments to provide supportive services that will help prevent and address homelessness for individuals and families in 38 counties.

DCED approved $12.3 million in funding through the HOME-American Rescue Plan Supportive Services Program (HOME-ARP SS) and $14.6 million through the HOME-American Rescue Plan Non-Congregate Shelter Program (HOME-ARP NCS).

Governor Josh Shapiro and his Administration are committed to ensuring everyone in the Commonwealth has access to safe, affordable housing. Governor Shapiro’s 2025-26 budget proposal calls for significant investments to restore and modernize Pennsylvania’s aging housing stock, help first-time home buyers cover closing costs, and more.

“The Shapiro Administration is committed to ensuring Pennsylvanians have more housing options,” said Secretary Siger. “The funding approved today is just one tool that will allow more individuals and their families to maintain a roof over their heads that they can afford. The funding in the Governor’s proposed budget — coupled with the development of Pennsylvania’s first ever Housing Action plan — will make it even easier for families to stay in their homes or achieve homeownership.”

HOME-ARP SS provides eligible individuals and families with supportive services including housing search and counseling, transportation, case management, financial assistance costs, and short- and medium-term financial assistance for rent.

HOME-ARP NCS provides funding for local governments to acquire and develop non-congregate emergency shelter for individuals and families.

A full list of the investments is available on the DCED website. The awards include:

• $6,110,000 to the Bucks County Commissioners to renovate a vacant structure into a non-congregate shelter with 10 units for domestic violence victims in Bucks County.
• $4,523,176 to Lawrence County Social Services to contract with additional agencies and provide services to residents of Armstrong, Cameron, Clarion, Crawford, Elk, Jefferson, Lawrence, McKean, Potter, and Westmoreland counties.
• $3,223,881 to the Columbia County Commissioners to develop an 18-bed non-congregate shelter consisting of single-, two-, and three-bedroom units in Columbia County.
• $2,058,128 to the Center for Community Action to provide services to residents of Bedford, Blair, Fulton, Huntingdon, Mifflin, and Juniata counties.
• $1,063,408 to Family Promise of the Poconos to provide services to residents of Monroe and Pike counties.

Making housing more affordable and accessible has been one of the top priorities of the Shapiro Administration. Last September, the Governor signed an Executive Order to create Pennsylvania’s first ever Housing Action Plan. Since then, the Shapiro Administration has collected feedback from thousands of Pennsylvanians and worked directly with developers, nonprofits, local governments, and labor leaders to create a comprehensive, coordinated, statewide housing solution.

The final housing plan will be coming in the next few months, but the Administration has identified six key steps we can take immediately to begin to solve this problem that are included in the Governor’s 2025-26 budget proposal including:

• Investing $50 million to create a new statewide housing repair fund to help homeowners struggling to make needed repairs to their aging homes.
• Investing $10 million to help first-time home buyers cover closing costs — putting a roof over their head and giving them a real chance to build generational wealth here in the Commonwealth.
• Staffing up the State Planning Board, so it can help local communities fix their permitting, zoning, and code enforcement issues and build more homes.
• Creating an Interagency Council on Homelessness to improve support and coordination for the unhoused in Pennsylvania.
• Continuing the progress we made last year by increasing Pennsylvania’s largest and most flexible affordable housing tool — the PA Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement Fund (PHARE) — by an additional $10 million to reach $110 million by the end of 2028. In the last two years, these tax credits have been used to begin construction on 2,000 new homes and apartments and repair another 3,200.
• Sealing eviction records for people who were not actually evicted to help increase housing security and improve access to affordable housing and employment opportunities.

For more information about HOME-ARP programs or Department of Community and Economic Development, visit DCED website, and be sure to stay up-to-date with all of our agency news on Facebook, X, and LinkedIn.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Justin Backover, dcedpress@pa.gov or 717.418.4014

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