The city is aiming to create and preserve new housing to increase its housing supply during an ongoing crisis.
Mayor Cherelle Parker signed an executive order on Feb. 19 called Housing Opportunities Made Easy, or “H.O.M.E.,” during a news conference, surrounded by city and housing officials. The executive order and new initiative, which are now in effect, represent the second phase of the Parker administration’s plan to create and preserve 30,000 units of new and existing housing.
“Today, I am proud to reaffirm my commitment to addressing Philadelphia’s housing crisis by streamlining processes and eliminating barriers that are essential to creating a sustainable path forward through our H.O.M.E. Initiative,” said Parker. “Philadelphia is striving for a future in which there is an abundance of new housing construction and the preservation of existing housing throughout our city. The goal is to give residents a diverse supply of high-quality, affordable luxury and accessible housing options. Through our public-private partnerships, we are identifying hurdles in our housing policies, so we can create and preserve more affordable units, ensuring that everyone has access to safe and stable housing.”
Parker and Director of Planning and Development Jessie Lawrence were joined by community development stakeholders, public officials and labor leaders.
The H.O.M.E. Initiative will be overseen by Angela Brooks, who was appointed as the city’s new Chief Housing and Urban Development Officer. It is geared to service the housing needs of the city’s low-wage workers, under-employed or unemployed, municipal and union workers, veterans, individuals with disabilities and domestic violence survivors, among other city residents. The initiative will also support transitional, supportive and recovery housing.
“Housing is the key to ensuring that our city is the most competitive, quality place for our people of today and tomorrow,” Lawrence said. “My 20 years of experience in public, private and nonprofit real estate development has shown me that each sector is rich in its own expertise, insight and perspective. That’s why it’s inspiring to me that the mayor’s executive order and the H.O.M.E. Initiative are grounded in the power of collaboration. I’m particularly looking forward to working with colleagues across city government to eliminate barriers, discover synergies and bring affordable luxury to housing everywhere.”
Parker said Philadelphia would partner with all available local, state and federal partners to develop and implement the new initiative.
“By addressing affordable housing, Mayor Parker’s H.O.M.E. initiative will tackle a root cause of poverty and open doors to opportunity for thousands of Philadelphians,” said Kelvin Jeremiah, president and CEO, Philadelphia Housing Authority. “PHA’s own ongoing efforts to preserve our portfolio of nearly 13,000 units, and to expand our stock by 7,000 through an acquisition strategy, will complement the mayor’s program. PHA is proud to be a partner in this crucial effort, and we applaud the mayor for her vision.”
According to officials, “the H.O.M.E. Initiative provides that all relevant stakeholders, internal and external, will convene to review existing development review and approval processes and policies and provide concrete, data-driven recommendations for reform.”
Internal reports will be delivered to the mayor after 30 days and subsequent reports on tracking progress on implementing recommendations will be submitted every six months. Goals of the initiative include shrinking the “time tax” on development imposed by government processes; incentivizing the creation and preservation of safe, healthy, quality housing for buyers and renters; and promoting “affordable luxury” at all levels of cost.
“There is no more pressing need in our state, and in Philadelphia, right now than housing,” said Robin Wiessmann, executive director and CEO, Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency. “We are delighted that Mayor Parker is taking this comprehensive approach to addressing housing needs in Philadelphia, and PHFA is supportive of her efforts. The timing could not be better as the mayor’s initiative, and Gov. (Josh) Shapiro’s Housing Action Plan that is underway now, have similar objectives of building cross-collaboration and stimulating housing growth as efficiently as possible. With everyone pulling in the same direction, we should all be able to accomplish our shared goal of expanding affordable housing options for Philadelphia families, and for people around the state.”
The city estimates about 41,500 full-time construction and trade jobs will be created. It will also partner with reputable financial institutions to develop a range of mortgage products that serve homebuyers with limited access to funds through solutions like loan loss reserve funds.
“Notwithstanding the plethora of homes built in some sections of Philadelphia, many parts of the city and many people of modest means are unable to find housing opportunities of the types they wish and neighborhoods they desire,” said Ira Goldstein, Senior Advisor of Policy Solutions, Reinvestment Fund. “It is great to see that the city has affirmed its goal to meet an array of needs for new and preserved housing for people who choose to own or rent the homes in which they live. And it is doubly great to see that there is now somebody whose sole priority is ensuring that the city’s organizational, physical and capital resources are coordinated in service of this most worthy goal.”
