National Shortage of Affordable Rental Housing; PA No Exception
On March 14, 2024 the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) released its annual report The Gap: A Shortage of Affordable Homes. This year’s report finds that the lowest-income renters in the U.S. face a shortage of 7.3 million affordable and available rental homes. In Pennsylvania alone, the report finds a
New Policy Brief on Infants and Toddlers Experiencing Homelessness
The "State-Level Brief Update - A Call for Action: Participation of Young Children Experiencing Homelessness and Young Children in Foster Care in Early Childhood Programs in Pennsylvania" was released by the Pennsylvania Head Start State Collaboration Office (PA HSSCO) and HopePHL in February. The brief update "highlights key state-level
Housing Alliance Releases Interactive Report on Post-Pandemic Evictions
LAMPa's coalition partners, the Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania, released an interactive web report on the rise of eviction filings in Pennsylvania post-pandemic. As people of faith, we grieve the ways in which so many of our neighbors are turned out of their homes and are called to work for policies
Legislature enacts budget with childcare tax credit, indigent defense; addressing medical debt and whole-home repairs delayed
The General Assembly ended 2023 with passage of code bills that enact the budget. After months of stalled negotiations, and almost halfway through the fiscal year, the final bill passed with significant bipartisan support and was signed immediately by Gov. Shapiro. “I think it's important to note that we learned
Lutheran Day 2023 Garners Record Turnout for Study and Practice of Civic Life and Faith
Lutherans turned out in record numbers for LAMPa's annual day of advocacy, gathering in person after four years to wrestle with what it means for us to be disciples in this democracy in this time and to speak as church together for neighbors struggling with hunger or lack of a
SWPA Honors King With Focus on a Home for ALL in the Beloved Community
Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod honored the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with an ecumenical service of Holy Communion and a weekend focused the practice of nonviolence in their continuing efforts to build the Beloved Community in the Pittsburgh region with a priority on equitable housing. In his sermon, "Dr.
Blanket Project Quilt Squares Return to Capitol with Invitations to Visit Ministries
Red-white-and-blue quilt patches were tucked inside cards and hand-delivered to members of Congress the day after Valentine's Day, urging them to act in love for our neighbors who are experiencing homelessness. The patches had been part of the first-ever Homeless Remembrance Blanket Project on the lawn of the U.S. Capitol,
PA Housing Alliance Recognizes Pastor of The Welcome Church with Frontline Leader Award
The Rev. Violet Little, pastor of The Welcome Church in Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod, was recognized with the Frontline Leader Award at the state’s Homes Within Reach Conference. More than 800 attended the conference, hosted by the Housing Alliance of PA, of which LAMPa is a member. The award recognizes those
Heating Assistance Grant Applications Now Open
The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps families living on low incomes pay their heating bills in the form of a cash grant. Households in immediate danger of being without heat can also qualify for crisis grants. The cash grant is a one-time payment sent directly to the utility
Legislature Raises Cap on PHARE Fund for Housing by $20M
The General Assembly has approved a $20 million cap increase for the Pa. Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement (PHARE) Fund. The increase, which will take effect in 2023, will raise the capped amount of Realty Transfer Tax funds available to PHARE from $40 million to $60 million annually. LAMPa advocates