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WHEREAS, More than 280,000 occupied units in the Commonwealth have moderate to severe physical inadequacies, such as leaky roofs or windows, exposed wiring, unreliable heat, and plumbing issues; and
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WHEREAS, the inadequate funding available to address emergency, basic systems, and habitability repairs prevents service providers from preserving thousands of homes each year because deferred maintenance issues must be resolved before applicants can receive weatherization, energy efficiency, and adaptive modification services; and
WHEREAS, severe health and safety issues including exposure to mold and lead, inability to keep warm in the winter and cool in the summer, and high utility bills can arise due to deferred home repair and maintenance; and
WHEREAS, Homeowners, landlords, service providers, and administrators struggle to navigate the different eligibility requirements across programs supported through existing home repair infrastructure because many counties lack the capacity to coordinate intake, sequence available programs, and provide comprehensive home repairs; and
WHEREAS, The success of local home repair interventions hinges upon the availability of skilled workers employed by licensed and insured businesses, but there are not enough skilled home repair professionals to meet the increased demand; and
WHEREAS, The climate crisis has caused temperatures in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to increase by 1.8F in the last century, and a 10% increase in precipitation, creating more potential problems for homeowners with deferred maintenance issues; and
WHEREAS, Housing affordability and the climate crisis are both equity issues, with communities of color and low-income communities more at-risk for severe impacts; and
WHEREAS, The Whole-Home Repairs Act would cover funding gaps for local governments and non-profits in order to address emergency, basic systems, and habitability repairs, provide technical assistance and case management s...
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