Chester County Government's focus on ending homelessness recently received an $800,000 boost with a grant awarded by the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA). PHFA's Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement (PHARE) funds will expand the county's current effort to support those who are experiencing homelessness, with the goal of helping them to become safely and permanently housed.

The activities that will be funded under the PHARE grant include support for Chester County's 211 Call Center, expansion of the county's Street Outreach Team, emergency housing coordination, and a strategic plan effort for Chester County's Partnership to End Homelessness initiative.

Since the PHARE funding began in 2018, Chester County's Department of Community Development has received a total of $3.1 million to enhance and expand efforts to prevent and end homelessness.

In addition to Chester County's Department of Community Development, 14 other county organizations received PHARE grants totaling more than $3 million. Many of these organizations are part of the Chester County Partnership to End Homelessness network.

Funding for the PHARE awards comes from two main sources. Since 2012, the program has received a portion of the impact fees collected from natural gas companies operating in Pennsylvania with a goal of addressing the housing shortage caused by the impact of drilling. That money is supplemented with funding provided by a portion of the realty transfer tax.