A home repair program once passed as a landmark bipartisan initiative failed to receive funding in the new Pennsylvania budget, disappointing county officials and housing and energy advocates. The commonwealth’s Whole-Home Repairs program, championed by state Sen. Nikil Saval (D-1), of Philadelphia, originally received $125 million in funding in 2022 to help property owners repair and weatherize their homes and support training and pre-apprenticeship programs. The bipartisan legislation quickly garnered attention and applications began to pile up from residents and property owners seeking grants and forgivable loans to repair and modernize their properties. Gov. Josh Shapiro was a supporter of the program, proposing another $50 million investment in the program in his budget address. Despite its popularity, the future of the program remains uncertain. Both Shapiro’s office and state Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman (R-41) recognized lawmakers’ focus on education funding and human service programs without directly addressing the possibility of further funding Whole-Home Repairs. Read more here.
Source: City and State PA; 7/17/2024