PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker has sent City Council an initial budget for her HOME initiative to build or preserve 30,000 units of affordable housing.
The plan includes about $90 million for various preservation programs, such as basic systems repair, $20 million for affordable housing production, and about $40 million for home purchase assistance. There is $4 million earmarked for homeless prevention and another $4 million for rent assistance. Parker says it addresses housing needs holistically, not by neighborhood or income bracket.
“I’m excited about it. I think it’s extremely inclusive,” Parker said. “It’s a comprehensive approach and I won’t allow anybody to wage war pitting the have-nots against those who have just a little bit.”
Councilman Curtis Jones says there’s a lot to like in the plan, though he expects some changes.
“There are little details and the devil’s always in them that we need to tighten up, but I’m optimistic and I think the mayor’s vision deserves some support,” Jones said.
Council’s Housing Committee Chair Jaime Gauthier likes the emphasis on preservation but thinks a larger share of the money needs to be directed to low-income households.
“My goal is to make sure we have the resources to really support those people who are only one emergency away from being homeless,” Gauthier said. “One of my big priorities is making sure that we are supporting the most vulnerable people, and that would be the 200,000 households earning under $30,000 a year.”
Council now has 60 days to pass the budget so the city can issue bonds for the program.