Metro Philadelphia

Mayor Cherelle Parker visited churches across the city on Sunday, urging congregants to back her proposal to widen income eligibility for a key home-repair program at the center of a dispute with City Council.

Speaking at churches in West Oak Lane, West Philly, Frankford and Mantua, among others, Parker promoted her H.O.M.E. initiative, which aims to build, preserve and repair 30,000 housing units citywide. The mayor told worshippers she would “leave no working Philadelphian behind,” arguing that too many longtime homeowners are shut out of free repair grants because they earn slightly above current limits.

“Across Philadelphia, we have too many neighborhoods that are struggling, where the homes are older and need repairs,” Parker said. “I call them ‘used-to-be neighborhoods.’ We cannot and will not exclude owners of these homes from accessing free repair grants under H.O.M.E. because they earn a nickel and a quarter more than the income eligibility limits. Not on my watch.”

At issue is income eligibility for the Basic Systems Repair Program (BSRP), which offers free repairs for electrical, plumbing, heating and roof emergencies. Parker wants to raise eligibility to households earning up to 100% of Area Median Income — $80,300 for an individual or $114,700 for a family of four.

A City Council committee last week advanced a revised version of Parker’s plan that would limit 90% of BSRP funding to households earning 60% of AMI or less — $48,180 for an individual and $68,820 for a family of four.

Parker told congregants Sunday that the stricter limits would exclude thousands of homeowners. According to a flyer the Parker administration handed out on Sunday, many city employees including sanitation workers, social service workers, librarians, police officers, firefighters and paramedics, earn more than 60 percent of AMI. 

“We cannot penalize working Philadelphians,” Parker said. “It’s important to help those city residents who most need our help, absolutely. But we cannot and should not do so by excluding all those working Philadelphians who are just over that 60 percent AMI income restriction.”

Local clergy echoed the mayor’s concerns.

“Families cannot wait,” said Pastor Jonathan Mason of Northeast Baptist Church. “I urge Council to correct this … so Philadelphia can move forward with a plan that restores our communities and provides real, affordable homes for our people.”

Pastor Lonnie Herndon of the Church of Christian Compassion said homeowners who wake up before dawn to work, pay taxes and maintain their neighborhoods should not be disqualified “because they make five dollars over the limit.”

Other faith leaders, including Bishop J. Louis Felton of Mt. Airy Church of God in Christ and Pastor James Moore of Second Mt. Zion Baptist Church, also voiced support for Parker’s plan.

A final vote on the one-year H.O.M.E. plan is expected Dec. 11, Council’s last session of the calendar year. 

Keywords

H.O.M.E. initiative,

Cherelle Parker,

City Council