READING, Pa. – The push for more affordable housing in Pennsylvania takes center stage in Reading.
The state secretary of community and economic development paid a visit to talk about the governor’s housing action plan.
“The governor’s budget includes some key initiatives to support including a $1 billion critical infrastructure fund focused on housing,” said Rick Siger, PA Secretary of Community and Economic Development.
Siger says the plan has some focuses and a lot of details.
“Housing is a human health issue; housing is an economic issue,” said Siger. “In a city like Reading, it’s really important to show folks and visit places like this where you can see the impact that high quality housing makes for people’s lives.”
Officials toured parts of the city that are being redeveloped.
“I love their strategy because they don’t just knock one house down and then put up one or fix one here or fix one there; they work on a neighborhood,” said PA Sen. Judy Schwank (D,) as she spoke about some of Habitat for Humanity’s contributions in the city.
“These projects are about people and opportunity,” said Reading mayor, Eddie Moran. “Creating homes and supporting jobs and bringing long empty buildings back into productive use.”
Developer Alan Shuman spoke about a recently announced project at Fifth and Penn.
“This is a $52 million dollar project,” said Shuman. “We’re looking to do 150 market rate residential units at this site. We’re hoping to have them open and available within the next three to four years.”
Officials also toured Habitat for Humanity’s Buttonwood Gateway project. “Working families are seeking affordable living conditions that provide dignity and stability and the opportunity to become more engaged in their communities and plan for their future,” said Doug Long with Habitat for Humanity.
Some of the key things the governor’s plan will do is of course build more housing, preserve and improve existing homes and modernize housing regulations and zoning rules.