Housing & Community Development Committee


George Klaus, Chair

The South Central Assembly’s Housing Committee is the only regional forum open to all parties interested in affordable / workforce housing in the eight county region. The Committee has offered educational programs and conducted housing support activities since 2000. It has good recognition across the region among housing professionals and organizations. Members are  persons and organizations interested in affordable / workforce housing,  including county and local housing and redevelopment authorities, nonprofit housing organizations, planning agencies, housing and community development agencies, federal / state / regional housing and community development organizations,  lenders, realtors, builders, housing advocates, and other interested parties.

Current and potential partners for our committee activities exist across the region. County-based housing committees, coalitions, and task forces in south central PA now include active organizations in Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, and York counties. Each has first time homebuyer programs with regular committee meetings. County housing and redevelopment authorities and planning commissions provide leadership for affordable housing in most of our counties.

Proposed Committee Restructuring Goals

Revitalize the SCA Housing Committee to support the following general goals and purposes:
  1. Provide education and share information on affordable / workforce housing in the eight-county south central region for housing practitioners, agencies, lenders and other interested organizations and parties;
  2. Provide a forum for advocacy on affordable / workforce housing issues for south central Pennsylvania agencies and organizations, and an informal regional affiliation with the Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania (HAP); and
  3. Provide a dynamic organization to bring county housing committees together to actively represent regional housing interests with an attendance goal of 50 or more members per meeting from all counties of the region.

Pursue the following specific goals and activities in calendar year 2013:
1.      Seek new partners and bolster existing partnerships to strengthen the SCA Housing Committee through one-on-one county focus group meetings with affordable housing organizations, and with regional  groups of housing authority officials (Central PA NAHRO), planners (APA / PPA), realtors, bankers, builders, and other parties interested in affordable housing.  Build on our existing support from the Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania. Partners and Partnerships will help us:
          a.      Locate and secure funding for Housing Committee activities;
          b.      Accurately assess needs, plan activities, and identify educational resources needed for effective
                   programs; and
          c.      Generate attendance for Committee programs, and support for Committee goals and activities.
2.      Conduct a formal survey of housing professionals and organizations across the region as to their needs
         and interests in educational programming and other support services.
3.      Offer up to four educational events during the year, including:
         a.      An initial workshop in March featuring a "Sink or Swim" session for nonprofits, and a presentation
                  by a noted Housing professional; and
         b.      A Regional Housing Summit in September with HAP, the county groups, and other partners.
4.      Develop a new e-mailing list building on our old list, HAP annual conference attendees from central
         Pennsylvania, and SCA 2012 Summit Housing session attendees.

 Proposed Format / Planning Considerations:
1.      Quarterly 2.5 to 3 hour meetings, possibly anchored around breakfast or lunch, with:
         a.      formal presentation on a Housing topic of regional interest by a high quality speaker, and/or
         b.      a panel presentation on local / county  approaches taken to meet housing issues / needs/ 
                  problems,  
         c.      short legislative briefing on housing issues by the Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania, and
         d.      adequate time for networking
2.      Continue the Regional Housing EXPO on an every other year basis
3.      Meetings would be organized by a planning committee