Category: In The News - Affordable Housing Centers of Pennsylvania

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1,000th Will celebration

10/15/2025

"We're not just celebrating 1,000 wills signed. We're celebrating trust, we're celebrating partnership, and most importantly, we're celebrating community." -- Derrick Thomas, Will Power Program Manager

On October 15, AHCOPA and Community Legal Services of Philadelphia hosted a celebration to mark a major milestone in the Will Power program -- the 1,000th will signed.

During the event, we heard from community partners, a client who received her will, elected officials who support the work, and we enjoyed some locally baked cupcakes from crumcakesandbakes.com.

Thank you to our amazing partners, to the elected officials who honored our team, and to Zion Baptist Church of Philadelphia for hosting the event!

A special thanks to Aaron Moselle from WHYY and Michaelle Bond from the Philadelphia Inquirer for their stories on the Will Power program!

Sarah Kellogg

Sarah is the Director of Communications for AHCOPA

Septa cuts further the impacts of redlining

9/2/2025

If you live in Philadelphia, you have most likely heard about SEPTA, the Southeast Pennsylvania Transit Authority’s, well known funding crisis. Due to significant lack of funds, SEPTA has been forced to reduce service, with the first round of reductions taking place last week, more cuts loom in the distant future, while current cuts planned for September 1st, and 2nd, have been halted by a Philadelphia judge.

These cuts not only impact service, but deeply impact the pocketbooks of the average SEPTA rider.

Remembering the MOVE bombing

5/5/2025

This month marks 40 years since the MOVE Bombing leveled blocks of West Philly homes on and around the 6200 block of Osage Avenue, killing 11 people and displacing 253 people. It is a rare instance of the U.S. dropping bombs on American citizens. Why and what justice has been served? There’s renewed attention on this devastating moment in Philadelphia history as researchers aim to answer these questions.

2025 Celebratory Breakfast

4/30/2025

This April, AHCOPA was thrilled to host our second annual Celebratory Breakfast. Building upon the success of our first year, we were excited to add additional awardees!

Homeownership Fairs

3/27/2025

On Saturday, March 22, 2025, we hosted a homeownership fair in Northeast Philadelphia at the Bustleton Learning Center. Over 100 people showed up to learn more about homeownership resources! We have other resource events planned throughout the city and in Delaware County this year. Why do we do it and how can you join the next one?

Philadelphia’s Housing Check-in

2/21/2025

Mayor Parker speaking at the NeighborhoodLIFT launch

A new $15,000 home buyer grant has launched! Real estate publications have labeled Philadelphia’s housing market as HOT. But realistically, what does that mean for renters and prospective buyers?

What’s going on at 5901 Market St?

9/27/2024

A lot, plus it’s home to our West Philadelphia office! Several nonprofit organizations, including those that specialize in health and housing, a city council member’s office, and a child care center are located at 5901 Market St. Click Read More to see an outline of what they all do!

Habitat for Humanity Home Dedication Ceremony

6/24/2024

On June 13th, we had the pleasure of joining Habitat for Humanity at the Home Dedication Ceremony for five AHCOPA clients! We provided housing counseling for these homeowners as a part of Habitat for Humanity’s Homeownership Program. Habitat for Humanity will be building more homes nestled just a few blocks away from Fairmount Park! Learn how you can be one of those future homeowners.

Pennsylvania State Senator Sharif Street speaking at the Habitat for Humanity Home Dedication Ceremony at Coltrane Commons

AHCOPA's inaugural celebratory breakfast

5/3/2024

Last Friday morning, AHCOPA proudly hosted about 150 guests at our inaugural awards ceremony at The Arts Ballroom in Center City Philadelphia. The festive breakfast served as a moment for partners in our work to come together and celebrate the collective efforts of the housing justice network within Philadelphia.

Rachel Gallegos, staff attorney at Community Legal Services of Philadelphia – who was honored with AHCOPA’s Community Partner Award for their work advancing estate planning – commented on the occasion, “These moments where we take time to celebrate are very important because the work is hard, but it's made better when we can look around at our partners and realize we are not doing this alone. We all deserve a safe place to live, food on the tables, and to educate our kids. It is our common goal and together we are working towards it every day."

A safe, stable and affordable home is the bedrock of a successful life, healthy communities, and a vibrant city... We need housing counselors like AHCOPA" -- Councilmember Jamie Gauthier

AHCOPA Hosts home legacy: Empowering Philadelphia Homeowners to Protect their Biggest Asset

10/16/2023

More than 170 Philadelphia homeowners attended Home Legacy: Preserving Homeownership and Wealth, on Saturday, October 14, 2023. Home Legacy was a unique event aimed at empowering low-to-moderate income homeowners to preserve their homes and intergenerational wealth. The event was organized by Affordable Housing Centers of PA (AHCOPA) with help from Community Legal Services of Philadelphia (CLS), and sponsored by Wells Fargo.

Home Legacy provided homeowners with critical information and resources to protect their most significant asset: their home. Participants engaged with experts on critical topics, including estate planning, tangled titles, the safe use of equity, real estate tax reductions, and accessing affordable home repair programs.

I learned a lot about home repairs, how to get funding for projects, how to get equity loans. Mainly, I have an old house and I needed to know how to get work done.”

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