The Pennsylvania House Finance Agency awarded $482,500 in funding to create housing opportunities for low-income residents and boost housing stability in Erie communities. 

The programs are designed to keep people in their homes, retain and increase the number of landlords in the Erie region, and to assist veterans and female heads of households at risk of experiencing homelessness. 

The funding from the Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement Fund includes: 

  • $150,000 to Mercy Center for Women for renovations to Mercy Center for Women's Mercy Anchor Community Center Building, which will benefit approximately 40 residents (women with children) and 1,000 neighborhood residents through low-income and homeless prevention programs and educational support services.
  • $100,000 to the St. Martin Center to increase housing stability for more than 300 people by improving self-sufficiency through rental and mortgage assistance.
  • $100,000 to the Erie County Department of Human Services for a landlord risk mitigation program to maintain and attract landlords to rent affordable housing.
  • $90,000 to the GMA Development Group LLC for renovation of blighted or aging homes, as well as counseling and training services.
  • $42,500 to the St. Martin Center for the Housing Counseling Project to reduce the number of people experiencing or at immediate risk of homelessness. Those helped will include veterans, high-risk populations, female heads of household and the BIPOC community.