Urban League of Philadelphia Gets $350K Grant

PHILADELPHIA – The Urban League of Philadelphia (Philadelphia, PA) received a federal grant to assist in their housing counseling efforts.

The grant comes from the Community Project Funding, which allow Congress members the ability to request monies on behalf of nonprofits operating in their districts.

United States Representative Brendan F. Boyle announced the donation.

Boyle said, “One of the main ways we can lift people from lower income to the middle class is through homeownership. I think it also creates more stable neighborhoods. I’m glad I could get help from Washington, D.C. to bring those funds.”

According to President and CEO of the Urban League of Philadelphia, Andrea Custis, the number of people who are interested in home ownership has only grown, stating that 70 people attended the Urban League’s first time homebuyer session.

“More and more people are showing an interest in buying a home,” she said. “We should feel good about that because that’s how people in Black and brown communities can build intergenerational wealth. The more funding we get, the bigger impact we can have.”

Another function of these counseling sessions is assisting existing homeowners prevent foreclosure and evictions. During the pandemic, it has been reported that over 20,000 Philadelphia residents in mostly Black and brown communities have been able to avoid evictions due to the local, state, and federal moratoriums. All those moratoriums have since expired.

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