Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Chester County praised for increasing affordable housing
Chester County’s efforts to aid the homeless and to promote affordable housing in the county, where median housing prices have risen from $350,000 to more than $450,000 in the last three years, have drawn praise from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The department recently lauded the county’s House America efforts to rehouse individuals experiencing homelessness by providing stable housing options, and increasing the county’s affordable home options. Since becoming a House America partner in June 2022, Chester County has rehoused 149 homeless households and added 111 affordable housing units, with more housing initiatives set for 2023 and beyond.
Affordable housing options that opened in 2022 in the county include 111 new units in West Chester and Kennett Square. The Willows at Valley Run in Caln will see 120 new affordable rental units, funded partly by $1.9 million from the county. Also in Caln, Habitat for Humanity is acquiring land to build 25 to 30 affordable single-family homes for firsttime homebuyers, made possible through a $640,000 county grant. Habitat for Humanity has also received $500,000 in COVID-related funds from the county to complete 100 housing rehabilitation projects within Coatesville over the next three years.
In November of last year, ground was broken on Phoenixville Commons, a senior housing development of 51 units located in the center of Phoenixville. The Villas of West Whiteland —
35 affordable units — has been awarded Low Income Housing Tax Credits and county HUD funding.
“We are committed to ensuring that everyone who wants to live in this county has affordable housing options available to them,” said commissioners Chairwoman Marian Moskowitz in a press release. “As a House America partner, we are effectively using federal funds, including American Rescue Plan Act funds, plus state and local resources, to expand the number of homes that are available to all.
“Housing insecurity affects too many in our community, and HUD’s House America initiative is helping us address this problem,” she said.
Even though the county has seen growth in the development of multi-family housing in areas such as West Chester, Frazer,
Exton and Downingtown, those units tend to be “luxury apartments” that rent for more than $1,000 or $2,000 a month, putting them out of range for low and moderate-income families or single persons. Meanwhile, the average price of a single family home on the market in the county was estimated at $456,000 in January, according to an internet site, compared with $260,000 in neighboring Delaware County and $237,000 in Berks County.
“Think about this,” said Commissioner Josh Maxwell. “On any given night, approximately 400 people are experiencing homelessness here in Chester County, and beyond that, many others are struggling to afford rent, let alone buy a place to live. This explains the importance of our commitment to the House America initiative and our focus
on finding ways to provide homes for everyone.”
Added Commissioner Michelle Kichline: “We pledge to continue planning and partnering with our municipalities, developers, and our state and federal governments to help those who want to live in Chester County. Making housing that is safe and affordable for more people isn’t just the smart thing to do — it is the right thing to do.”
“Chester County is proud to have joined the House America initiative, and as noted, we pledge to respond with urgency to homelessness and housing insecurities in our community by setting and achieving ambitious rehousing and housing creation goals,” said Dolores Colligan, director of the Chester County Department of Community Development, which administers the program for the county. “Our commitment remains strong with an additional 206 approved affordable units in active development, and 105 pending units in the pipeline for Chester County.”
House America — a nationwide partnership with HUD, the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH), states, counties, and local leaders — was created in September 2021 to respond to the urgent homelessness crisis.