June 12, 2026 – Senator Miller (D-Lehigh/Northampton) today announced $1.45 million in PHARE funding for 10 regional programs aimed at expanding housing stability and affordability in the Lehigh Valley. Administered by the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency, the funding is part of a $93.4 million statewide investment supporting 432 housing and community development initiatives across all 67 counties to increase affordable housing opportunities for Pennsylvanians.
The following programs will be locally awarded:
Lehigh County
- $100,000 – 228 Ridge Avenue Homeownership (Allentown Housing Authority): Funds construction of a prototype accessible homeownership unit on a vacant Allentown parcel, serving households up to 80% AMI and intended as a replicable model across the city.
- $200,000 – 928 W. Chew St. Subdivision & Construction: Supports creation of an additional affordable unit on a subdivided lot already hosting a three-bedroom affordable home; project also received $50,000 from the county’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund.
- $100,000 – Faith & Home (Lehigh Conference of Churches): Advances adaptive reuse of underutilized faith-based properties in Allentown, supporting design and construction for 6–12 new affordable units amid the city’s severe housing shortage.
- $50,000 – Family Promise Homelessness Prevention Program Expansion: Expands a proven intervention that keeps families housed through landlord mediation, case management, and short-term financial coaching and assistance.
- $100,000 – Phoebe Apartments Exterior Wall Repair (Phoebe Devitt Homes): Reconstructs the failing fourth floor exterior wall of a 131unit senior affordable housing complex, addressing structural issues, waterproofing failures, and long-term safety needs.
Lehigh/Northampton Counties
- $200,000 – Habitat for Humanity Home Repair Program: Provides free critical interior and exterior home repairs for low to moderate-income homeowners in both counties, supporting aging in place, accessibility, and safety.
- $50,000 – Community Action Lehigh Valley Housing Counseling Program: Funds housing counseling services including first-time homebuyer education, financial coaching, and foreclosure mitigation for low to moderate-income households.
- $200,000 – UWGLV Eviction Prevention & Rental Assistance: Expands eviction prevention, mediation, legal access, and rental assistance to reduce housing disparities and support stability for marginalized families.
- $200,000 – Sixth Street Shelter Housing Sustainability Initiative: Provides one‑time financial assistance for families transitioning from shelter to permanent housing, paired with six months of case management and support.
- $250,000 – Northampton County Rental Housing Stability Program: Supports repairs to more than 200 century old rental units serving voucher holders, helping landlords maintain safe, stable affordable housing stock.
“This funding is an important step toward strengthening housing opportunities and affordability throughout the Lehigh Valley,” said Senator Miller. “Access to safe, affordable housing is the foundation of strong communities, and strategic investments like these help ensure residents have stable places to call home while preserving and improving the housing stock our neighborhoods already rely on. I am proud to support projects like these year-round because they expand homeownership opportunities, maintain and rehabilitate existing housing, provide critical repairs, and connect individuals and families with the resources they need to remain securely housed.”
The Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency works to provide affordable homeownership and rental housing options for older adults, low- and moderate-income families, and people with special housing needs.