The Philadelphia Association of Community Development Corporations (PACDC) welcomes Mayor Cherelle Parker’s proposed housing plan that seeks to chart a course for historic housing investments over the next 5 years. As the Mayor said: “The people of Philadelphia need more housing, and they need it now.” 

“Mayor Parker’s prioritization of housing is encouraging,” said Rick Sauer, Executive Director at PACDC. “At a time of grave uncertainty at the federal level, we need strong local leadership to preserve and expand affordable housing opportunities in Philadelphia and we applaud Mayor Parker for coming to the table with a plan.” 

PACDC believes that safe and affordable homes are a key to the stabilization and revitalization of communities, and it is the setting in which Philadelphians can build lives of health, success, and meaning. Yet for too many families, this housing is out of reach.  

While PACDC applauds the Administration for developing a comprehensive approach that considers housing needs at all parts of the income spectrum, we recognize that the greatest needs are faced by our poorest residents. Experts estimate that Philadelphia needs 60,000 more units of affordable housing while 76% of households making below $50,000 are housing cost burdened. “Too many of our neighbors must choose between food or medicine and paying the rent – or they lack a roof over their head at all. These most vulnerable and at-risk residents are where our approach must reflect appropriate urgency,” said Jamila Harris-Morrison, PACDC Board President. While the Mayor did not indicate how funding would be allocated across the variety of housing challenges she raised, it is our hope that the needs of those most harmed by inaction will be appropriately prioritized.  

PACDC also shares the administration’s belief that homeownership is an essential component of building family and community wealth – particularly for communities of color. The gap between White homeownership rates and Black homeownership rates have widened: in 1990 there was a 10% difference between White and Black homeownership rates, while today it is 29%. “We need to invest in the future by working to close this gap while ensuring that we do so in a way that creates real opportunities for existing neighborhood residents,” Sauer said. The Mayor laid out several new programs focused on creating and preserving opportunities for homeownership and we are excited to learn more about the details as they emerge.  

We share the Mayor’s desire to act with urgency, and we need to make sure we get this right – both in terms of how funds are allocated and how land is developed. We all know that in communities with little publicly owned land, when we choose housing of any kind over affordable housing, we often foreclose on affordability for good. “Any plan and any budget represent choices that we make with limited resources,” said Garrett O’Dwyer, PACDC’s Associate Policy Director, “and we need to make sure the plan that is ultimately adopted by City Council is one that reflects our values.” 

Contact: 

Rick Sauer 
Executive Director 
Philadelphia Association of Community Development Corporations (PACDC) 
Phone: 215-732-5829, #105 

Email: rsauer@pacdc.org 

Or 

Garrett O’Dwyer 
Associate Policy Director 
Philadelphia Association of Community Development Corporations (PACDC) 
Phone: 215-732-5829, #104 

Email: godwyer@pacdc.org 

For a PDF of this statement click here.
For the draft release of the H.O.M.E. Initiative click here.