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Association News, Government AffairsHouse expected to vote on Housing Trust Fund next week
Legislation creating a PA Housing Trust Fund is expected to come up for a floor vote before the PA House of Representatives early next week.
PA Association of REALTORS® (PAR) supports the PA Housing Alliance’s effort to establish a housing trust fund. The fund would provide monies to build, rehabilitate and preserve homes for low- to moderate-income individuals and families, senior citizens and persons with disabilities.
“Now is the time to establish a Housing Trust Fund in Pennsylvania,” said Kimberly Skumanick, PAR’s Legislative Committee chair. “The Commonwealth needs to take advantage of federal stimulus funds that are available to start finding solutions to affordable housing issues without additional taxes.
“The Housing Trust Fund can be used to address affordable housing issues while helping to rebuild the state’s economy by putting properties back on the tax rolls and increasing property values,” Skumanick said.
The PA Housing Finance Agency would be charged with developing programs to build, rehab and preserve homes through the Housing Trust Fund.
“Everyone from young families just starting out to senior citizens on fixed incomes needs safe, affordable housing,” Skumanick added. “This isn’t a new problem but it’s been exacerbated by current economic conditions.”
PAR members will receive a Call-to-Action later this week asking them to send letters of support to their state representatives.
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Kim Shindle is the Manager of Media Relations at the Pennsylvania Association of Realtors®. |
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I fully support the concept of the Housing Trust Fund for Pennsylvania. Our Centre Co. Association of Realtors is also raising money to endow a first time home buyer fund with our county foundation which is entitled the American Dream Housing Fund. We raise money by asking Realtors to allocate a portion of their commission checks into the Fund and also conduct an annual auction.
PFHA has done a wonderful job with programs in the past, I am confident that it will happen again. I fully support this and am looking forward to helping people find an affordable solution to purchasing a home.
Have we heard any comment from PHFA; how they feel about being “charged” with developing programs? Are we trying to re-invent the wheel?
I fully support the Housing Trust Fund. As I stated when it first came up at PAR 2 years ago, I don’t support funding it by putting any additional fees on anything that homeowner’s have to pay (ie homeowner’s insurance which was being proposed at the time). There are over 500 organizations in PA (at least several yrs ago when I chaired the Affordable Housing Task Force). If they all polled their money there would be a housing trust fund!
Encouraging legislators who can’t/don’t read to pass laws we, who have something to gain, is ludicrous!
Let’s solve this financial debacle WITHOUT looking for more money from those who PAY TAXES! Leave the CHARITY to longstanding Charitable organizationa;a/k/a: Habitat for the Humanities for one.
Let our president encourage those who need housing to help such organizations with their sweat!
I am thrilled this is finally coming up for a vote….I hope everyone spreads the word to expect the call to action and responds. Every click counts!