Housing Options

Individuals and families secure and maintain safe, affordable, and energy-efficient housing. The Housing Options Pathway leads to a safe and affordable home.

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	Housing Options (1:39)

Customer Impacts (fiscal year 2011-2012)

• 21 families were assisted through the Homes In Need - Flood Recovery Program and returned to their homes.
• 18 families were provided with rental assistance while their flood-damaged homes were repaired.
• 172 families  were assisted through the Financial Management Counseling Program.
• 88 families enrolled in the Foreclosure Prevention Program were able to make strides toward keeping their homes.
• 453 individuals in the Homelessness Prevention & Rapid Re-Housing Program were able to secure  housing during the program, which ran from January 2010 to August 2012.
• 41 low-income families realized an increase in the value of their homes and/or greater accessibility as a result of renovations to remove handicapped-accessible barriers or rectify structural code compliance deficiencies and safety issues.
• 817 households significantly reduced their energy-related costs as a result of weatherization services.
• 1,288 families decreased their utility debt, paid bills on time, and/or avoided eviction or utility termination.
• 184 households were assisted through emergency fuel assistance
   

Community Impacts (fiscal year 2011-2012)

• $320,000 in funds were secured specific to the September 2011 flood recovery efforts and were injected back into the community to assist flood survivors.
• 817 homeowners saved $3,691,471 in energy-related costs.  An additional savings of $2,798,763 was realized in social benefits, such as increased employment, economic stimulation, reduced uncollected bills, improved health and safety, and an increase in the value of neighboring homes.
• $134,248 in subsidized utility payments was distributed to PPL and UGI.
• $78,585 in emergency fuel assistance was paid to local fuel and utility companies to assist 184 households in crisis, arranged by STEP and provided by PPL and UGI.
• Landlords received $458,999  through rental assistance for tenants, which could be used to potentially preserve and improve rental properties and neighborhoods
• 172 families who received financial management training accumulated $27,176 in personal savings and reduced their debt by $37,152.
• $919,512 in homeowner property values and $3,678,048 in neighboring property values were preserved as a result of foreclosure counseling.
• Lending institutions saved $6.8 million in foreclosure-related expenses.
• 10 first-time homebuyers added $19,000 in tax dollars to the local economy.  With a stable home environment, they maintained their jobs, which saved their employers an estimated $59,700 in turnover costs.
• Housing rehabilitation programs addressed accessibility, code deficiencies, and safety issues in 41 homes at an average cost of $14,608 with a total investment of $598,928 for stabilizing homes and neighborhoods.
   

Success Story

Nicole L. recently purchased her first home for her family. After two years of participation in the Family Savings Program, in which she participated in the pre-purchase workshops and budget counseling, she leveraged matched funds of $2000 to increase her buying ability.