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Allentown, PA (November 18, 2022)—Today Senators Nikil Saval (D–Philadelphia) and Pat Browne (R–Lehigh) joined local elected officials and members of the Allentown community to announce the publication of the Whole-Home Repairs program guidelines.
“The Whole-Home Repairs Program was born from the notion that no one should be denied a home that is safe, a home that is healthy, simply because they don’t have the resources they need to fix them,” said Senator Saval. “The publication of the program guidelines is a monumental step toward delivering Whole-Home Repairs Program funds to those who need them. Our work continues until applications for residents open this coming spring. And our work continues after that, too—we’re not finished until all Pennsylvanians have what we need to make our homes whole.”
“The Whole-Home Repairs Program is a $125-million commitment, the largest investment the General Assembly has made in recent history, to improving the quality of our existing housing stock,” said Senator Browne. “By giving hardworking families the resources necessary to improve their homes and complete needed repairs and energy saving projects, we are directly investing in our neighborhoods and communities. I am proud to have worked with Senator Saval and my colleagues in the General Assembly to enact this vital new program.”
The Whole-Home Repairs Program is the first of its kind in the nation, creating a one-stop shop for Pennsylvanians to repair, adapt, and weatherize their homes. This program works by providing up to $50,000 for habitability repairs, accessibility measures, and energy efficiency upgrades; allocating support staff to ensure applicants receive the help they need in the order they need it; and funding pre-apprenticeship and training programs to build a skilled local workforce capable of meeting the growing statewide demand.
“A home is one of the most fundamental human rights any of us have for our basic human dignity,” said Michael Handzo, Housing Manager at Community Action Lehigh Valley. “The timing of the announcement of the program guidelines couldn’t be any better. This is the season of thanks, and I’m so grateful for the partnership that brought the Whole-Home Repairs Program into existence and the partnership that is emerging for us to support our communities.”
“I want to thank Senators Browne and Saval for helping to create and move this program through the General Assembly,” said Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk. “Unquestionably, this program will directly impact the lives of Allentown residents, helping them to make vital repairs and improvements to their homes and our community.”
The Whole-Home Repairs Program is administered statewide by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, and locally at the county level by designated County Administrators that will:
- Administer the program, hire staff, and implement systems and data management tools designed to maximize enrollment in all existing home repair programs administered by nonprofit organizations, government entities and public utilities;
- Invest in workforce development programs that will connect trainees to jobs through committed employer partnerships related to improving the habitability and performance of homes, including cash stipends for trainees and costs related to the design and implementation of pre-apprenticeship, apprenticeships and publicly funded on the job training programs; and
- Work directly with eligible homeowners and small landlords on the application process.
Administrators from every county in the Commonwealth are invited to apply. Applications from County Administrators will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis between December 12, 2022 and January 31, 2023. All applications and required supplemental information must be received by 5pm on January 31, 2023.
An overview of the program is available on the Department of Community and Economic Development’s website: https://dced.pa.gov/programs/covid-19-arpa-whole-home-repairs-program/.
Complete program guidelines for County Administrators are available for download: https://dced.pa.gov/download/whole-home-repairs-program-guidelines/?wpdmdl=117114.
Additional information on how the Whole-Home Repairs Program will help Pennsylvanians and the campaign to bring it across the finish line are available at https://www.pasenatorsaval.com/wholehomerepairs.
Program inquiries should be directed to: PA Department of Community and Economic Development, Community Affairs and Development, Whole-Home Repairs Program (phone: 1-866-466-3972; e-mail: ra-dcwholhomerepprog@pa.gov).
Information provided to TVL by:
Matt Szuchyt
Deputy Director of Policy & Communications
Senator Pat Browne
Majority Appropriations Chairman
PA 16th Senatorial District
www.senatorbrowne.com
