PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Philadelphia Housing Authority became part of the Work and Dignity Coalition on Friday — a group formed by the Trump administration’s Housing Secretary to promote new rules for public housing residents.
Assistant Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Hobbs beamed as PHA President Kelvin Jeremiah signed the Work and Dignity pledge, a document created to promote new rules that will allow housing authorities to require able-bodied tenants to work and limit them to two years of renting. PHA is the largest housing authority in the country to join the Work and Dignity Coalition.
Jeremiah said moving tenants to careers and independence has always been a goal.
“We welcome initiatives that promote self-sufficiency, economic opportunity and the dignity that comes with meaningful work.”
Underscoring the point, Jeremiah and Hobbs stood in a mock drug store where PHA residents receive training and are guaranteed jobs afterward. But there is a difference between providing these opportunities and requiring them.
Housing advocates fear thousands of tenants could lose their housing if the rule takes effect.
Jeremiah did not agree to adopt the rule, but he has a lot at stake in dealing with HUD. He’s trying to increase the number of public housing units here and needs federal grants.
HUD has already dealt the plan a blow by eliminating the Restore-Rebuild program, which would have allowed him to buy units and convert them into subsidized housing.
City Council passed a resolution Thursday calling for the program to be reinstated.
