Federal Emergency Housing Vouchers Allow AHA To Partner With Local Aid Groups

Allentown, PA – More than 40 individuals and families left homeless because of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, human trafficking and other dangerous situations have found homes in the last six months courtesy of an Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) program administered by the Allentown Housing Authority (AHA).

AHA was granted 43 emergency vouchers by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The EHVs were part of the American Rescue Plan of 2021, which appropriated $5 billion that, among other things, created new incremental housing cost vouchers for target populations to enable individuals and families to choose and lease safe, affordable and decent housing.

” So far we have placed 42 individuals or families,” said Doryan Campo, Director of Compliance for the AHA. “We will be leasing the final one shortly.”

Allentown’s vouchers were based on an analysis of the city’s homelessness rates and needs based on the at-risk conditions cited above.

Campo said the AHA worked with several service and outreach organizations in the region to identify at-risk individuals or families. Those organizations included the Salvation Army, Turning Point, Valley Youth House, the Lehigh County Conference of Churches and others, he said.

“We received referrals from those agencies,” Campo said. “The purpose of the housing authority was to lease a home and qualify the applicants.”

The program began in September 2021 and the AHA received the grants last fall.

While the EHV program is limited to those 43 vouchers, Campo said HUD has initiated an expanded program that will provide Stability Vouchers for at-risk communities.

 

The mission of the Allentown Housing Authority is to develop and manage quality affordable housing for low income households, provide fair housing opportunities, and positively impact the quality of life for residents in our community. We have been providing, safe, decent and affordable housing for low-income families, senior citizens and disabled residents of the Allentown region since 1937. To learn more about the Allentown Housing Authority, its programs and its properties, please go to www.allentownhousing.org