1. Housing Advocacy in Chester County

2. Goals For Today
Create understanding of budget proposal and its implications in Chester County
Discuss advocacy strategy for Chester County
Recruit members for Systems Change Advocacy and Awareness Committee & ongoing involvement in advocacy efforts

3. Budget Background
Federal budget proposal of $54 billion reductions in non-defense discretionary spending
Proposed $6.2 billion decrease (13.2%) in HUD
Proposed $15.1 billion decrease (17.9%) in HHS Four programs proposed to be fully eliminated:
Community Development Block Grant
Home Investment Partnership
Community Services Block Grant
Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program

4. Tom # 1

5. Community Development Block Grant
Provides funds for housing and facility rehabilitation, public services, infrastructure development, and city-planning
$2,285,262 in Chester County for 2017
Serves 5877 households
Phoenixville Main Street Trestle
Safe Haven Improvement Project
Coatesville Blocks Improvement
Domestic Violence of CC Shelter Rehab
KACS Homeless Prevention, Diversion, & Rapid Rehousing
Fair Housing Rights Center
Legal Aid
ConnectPoints
GAP/FSP/FIRM Programs
Housing Locator Program
Manor Road Sewer Installation and Road Rehab
Housing Rehabilitation Program
Sucker Run Stream Bank Stabilization
Credit Counseling Program

6. Home Investment Partnerships (HOME)
Provides formula grants to States and localities that communities use to fund a wide range of activities including building, buying, and/or rehabilitating affordable housing for rent or homeownership or providing direct rental assistance to low-income people
$827,333 in Chester County for 2017
Serves 59 households
First Time Homebuyer Program

7. Community Services Block Grant
Provides funds to alleviate causes and conditions of poverty in communities and support community revitalization
$635, 320 in Chester County for 2017
Serves 2194 households
CYWA
Interfaith Housing Homeless Prevention
HOPWA
Good Samaritan Shelter Transitional Housing
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance
GAP/FSP/FIRM Programs
Handi-Crafters, Inc.
Open Hearth Rental Assistance
Housing Locator Program
Home of the Sparrow Shared Housing
Rapid Re-Housing (HSI & HACC)
S.O.A.R. Program
Safe Harbor

8. Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
Helps low-income families pay their heating bills. Offers assistance in the form of a cash grant, sent directly to the utility company, or a crisis grant for households in immediate danger of being without heat
6,406 households supported
$1,075,583 in financial support in 2017
Average payment $168

9. Implications
$1.75 billion of HUD budget is proposed to be cut without identification
Other housing programs at stake (2017):
$180,489 in Emergency Solutions Grant
$459,604 in Housing Trust Program
$1,600,000 in Continuum of Care
1625 households with Housing Choice Vouchers
800 households in Public Housing
Low Income Housing Tax Credit

10. Tom #2

12. The Strategy: Create call scripts for citizens
Write a sign-on letter for distribution
Create a plan for district office visits
Recruit public involvement

13. How can we get YOU involved?

14. How do we get the general public involved?

15. How can YOU help us get the general public involved?

16. What are we missing?

17. What you can do today Sign up for emails from Find your legislator
National Alliance to End Homelessness
Pennsylvania Housing Alliance
Low Income Housing Coalition
Find your legislator
ourlegislator/
Take a talking-points sheet and start talking
Join the Systems Change Advocacy and Awareness Committee
Next Meeting Thursday 4/27 at 8:30 a.m. in Government Services Center Room 250