New Program Adds Convenience, Security For Residents
Allentown, PA – The Allentown Housing Authority (AHA) will initiate electronic rent payments for residents starting Sept. 1, providing increased convenience and security for participants throughout the city’s public housing system.
AHA Executive Director Daniel Farrell said the authority created the new system in tandem with Wells Fargo’s “E-Bill” program but residents do not have to be Wells Fargo customers to access the program. The program is optional so residents do not have to participate.
“Residents can go in through the AHA website and make their payment through their checking/savings account or debit card,” Farrell said. “The new system will accept most MasterCard and Visa-type debit cards. Many of our residents now receive their public assistance funds through allocations to their debit cards, which are then used for the individual’s or family expenses.”
The program is available to all residents in the AHA system, including family sites, senior buildings, Housing Choice Voucher Act apartments and scattered site properties. Information and instructions on how to participate will be distributed to residents in their monthly rent bills, through the AHA newsletter and through the Property Managers.
Currently, only checks or money orders are accepted for rent payments. In recent months, however, some residents have reported that their rent checks or money orders were taken from mailboxes and cashed. Once the checks or money orders are cashed it is difficult for the residents to obtain reimbursement for the loss, Farrell said.
“That’s one of the reasons we decided to implement this, but not the only one. We have had requests for a couple years for something like this, but it has only been recently that the technology is available to allow us to introduce it on a secure basis,” he said.
“It is also an effort on our part to expand the conveniences for our residents,” Farrell said.
The mission of the Allentown Housing Authority is to develop and manage quality affordable housing for low income households, provide fair housing opportunities, and positively impact the quality of life for residents in our community. We have been providing, safe, decent and affordable housing for low-income families, senior citizens and disabled residents of the Allentown region since 1937. To learn more about the Allentown Housing Authority, its programs and its properties, please go to www.allentownhousing.org/
For More Information:
Daniel Farrell
Executive Director
Allentown Housing Authority
1339 W. Allen St.
Allentown, Pa. 18102
dfarrell@allentownhousing.org
