PENNSYLVANIA — The Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency has issued a Request for Proposals soliciting applications from organizations for projects to improve the availability and affordability of housing across the commonwealth. Funding for this RFP is being provided through the Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement (PHARE) Fund. The total PHARE funding available this year exceeds $65 million.
PHARE receives its funding from the impact fee levied on natural gas drilling companies and a portion of the Realty Transfer Tax. Funding is available for housing initiatives in all of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties. PHFA is charged with administering the allocation of PHARE dollars.
“Now in its eleventh year, it’s gratifying to see the many ways this funding has been put to work expanding affordable housing options and preserving existing housing,” said PHFA Executive Director and CEO Robin Wiessmann. “The local organizations that apply for PHARE funding have done a terrific job of targeting the dollars to their most pressing housing needs.”
PHARE applications are completed and submitted entirely online, eliminating the need for paper submissions and simplifying the process for applicants. The RFP is located on PHFA’s website at https://www.phfa.org/legislation/act105.aspx. The online application is accessible on the PHARE website at https://phare.phfa.org/. This website will be open to accept applications starting Monday, Sept. 18. The deadline for application submission is 2 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 17.
PHFA is hosting a 90-minute informational webinar at 10 a.m. on Sept. 19 for organizations interested in applying for PHARE funds. The webinar will be recorded and made available online after the live event.
A link has been posted at https://www.phfa.org/legislation/act105.aspx for webinar registration. Questions may be directed to Clay Lambert at PHFA via email at clambert@phfa.org.
The PHARE fund has been allocating money for local housing initiatives since 2012. These funds are producing significant housing benefits that include:
- More than 1,200 housing initiatives funded in all 67 counties
- More than 7,200 individuals and families have received rental or utility assistance or other financial/housing counseling or education
- More than 6,500 homes have been rehabilitated and preserved for continued use
- More than 2,600 new rental units have been created
- 180 new single-family homes have been constructed
- 480 future home sites have been prepared through site acquisition and demolition
- More than 310 new residents have received assistance to purchase their first home
- PHARE funds have been used to leverage more than $1 billion of investments in housing across Pennsylvania
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