About the Housing Authority
Mission Statement
"To strive to provide quality housing to all eligible persons, regardless of age, race, ethnicity, or disability; and to increase the availability of affordable housing within Chester County."
History
The Housing Authority of the County of Chester was established in 1963 to meet the housing needs of low and very low income residents of Chester County PA. Public Housing developments were built in Coatesville and South Coatesville, West Chester, Phoenixville and Oxford. Through a HOPE VI program, initiated in 1998, the public housing buildings in Coatesville and South Coatesville were demolished or renovated and there are now public housing units in projects owned by various limited partnerships in these boroughs. One family site in West Chester was also renovated through a tax credit program.
The Authority is also the recipient of Replacement Housing Factor [RHF] funds and is now in the process of building new family public housing as part of a mixed-finance development in the borough of Phoenixville.
The Housing Authority also serves as the Administrator for the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program. This program provides in excess of 1,500 vouchers that permit recipients to find housing throughout the county with private landlords. A portion of the tenants rent is paid on their behalf in the form of a federally funded Housing Assistance Payment. The resident is required to pay no more than 30% of their adjusted gross income as their portion of the rent thus assuring affordability for the family.