PCDC is U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) certified, Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA), and City of Philadelphia Division of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) approved Housing Counseling agency, to provide information on renting, home purchase and homeowners Education and one-on-one counseling.
Housing counselors assess clients’ needs, finances and budgets, assist them in finding eligible programs, reduce housing costs and increase savings, and develop action plans to achieve their goals. Counselors also provide homebuyer education in Chinese every month, which provides more options to homebuyers and saves more money. After completing the education session, plus two hours of PCDC one-on-one counseling, clients will receive a homeownership certificate to apply for the down payment and/or closing cost assistance program. The certificate is valid for 1 year.
If need assistance, please call PCDC Housing Counseling hotline: 215-922-6156
Sustaining community through homeownership and asset building
The goal of the program is to help the Chinese-speaking community overcome the barriers to homeownership and enhance financial literacy. Through homeownership education, mortage counseling, financial literacy and outreach efforts, PCDC helps build wealth and prepares families for homeownership. In addition to workshops, PCDC offers individual pre-purchase, post-purchase, and rental counseling.
In April 2010, with assistance from the National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development, PCDC was certified by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). As a HUD-certified agency, PCDC receives HUD resources and training in order to meet national standards for housing counseling.
PCDC provides the following services to the community:
• Roundtable to connect realtors, lenders and service agencies
• Classes and seminars training families in the area of financial literacy and home-ownership readiness, and home maintenance.
• Individual counseling for mortgage preparation
• Placement of families into affordable homeownership opportunities
Homebuyer Program
Our Homebuyer Program consists of
- one-on-one counseling session
- Homebuyer Education Workshop
After the completion of both counseling session and education workshop, you will receive a Homeownership Eduction Certificate.
Our Homebuyer Workshop covers key topics for Budgeting, Credit, Saving, Benefits and responsibilities of being a homeowner, Fair Housing & Predatory Lending.
Classes are offer monthly on the 3rd Thursday of the month. We offer both online and in-person options, and in Chinese or English.
For schedule and sign up, visit: https://bit.ly/PCDC-HBESignUp
Our one-on-one counseling session consists:
- evaluating mortgagor readiness;
- fair housing and lending;
- credit report analysis;
- budgeting for mortgage payments;
- improving money management skills;
- selecting a real estate agent and home inspection;
- how to apply for special programs available to potential homebuyers;
- how to identify and avoid predatory lending practices;
- locating resources for downpayment and closing cost assistance.
To schedule one-on-one counseling, you must first submit the following documents:
- Signed Authorization, Disclosure, & Privacy Statement Form;
- Photo ID;
- Social Security Card;
- Pay stubs for the past 30 days ;
- Checking and Savings bank account statements forthe past 2 months;
- Federal income tax returns for the past 2 years, along with W2s for the past 2 years
- Monthly statements for utlities and other expenses (electric, Gas, water, phone, internet, etc.)
Documents can be dropped off at our office at 301 N 9th Street, Philadelphia PA 19107 or upload online. For the upload link, please call our service hotline at 215-922-6156 to request.
Resource Corner
For Homebuyers:
Homebuyer grant/credit offered by banks/lenders:
Bank / Lender | Grant/Credit Amount |
Bank of America | Up to $7500 |
BB&T is now Truist Bank | Up to $2500 |
Citizens Bank | Up to $2500 |
JPMorgan Chase Bank | Up to $3000 |
Santander Bank | Up to $5000 |
For Homeowners:
Philadelphia Homestead Exemption Program – Deadline 12/1/2021
The program saves homeowners money on their Real Estate Taxes. To be eligible you must own the property and live in it as your primary residence. There are no age or income requirements. You only need to apply once unless your deed changes. Final Deadline to apply for the Homestead Exemption is December 1, 2020. Early filers should apply by September 13, 2020 to see approval reflected on your 2021 Real Estate Tax bill. Applicants approved after this date will receive a second bill.
Phone: 215-686-9200
Property Tax Rebate Program (PA 1000) – Deadline 12/31/2021
The program benefits eligible Pennsylvanians age 65 and older; widows and widowers age 50 and older; and people with disabilities age 18 and older. The income limit is $35,000 a year for homeowners, and half of Social Security income is excluded. Spouses, personal representatives or estates may also file rebate claims on behalf of claimants who lived at least one day in 2018 and meet all other eligibility criteria. The maximum standard rebate is $650, but supplemental rebates for qualifying homeowners can boost rebates to $975.
Website: https://www.revenue.pa.gov/GeneralTaxInformation/PropertyTaxRentRebateProgram
Phone: 1-888-222-9190
Senior Citizen Tax Freeze Program (SCTX) – Deadline 1/31/2022
Your Real Estate Tax bill will be prevented from increasing if you meet certain age and income requirements. Under the Real Estate Tax freeze, the amount of property tax you pay each year will not increase, even if your property assessment or the tax rate changes. If your tax liability decreases due to a lower property assessment or a tax rate decrease, the amount of Real Estate Tax you owe will also be lowered to the new amount
Applicants must meet both age and income requirements to be found eligible for a Real Estate Tax freeze.
Age requirements:
- A person aged 65 years or older;
- A person who lives in the same household with a spouse who is aged 65 years or older; or
- A person aged 50 years or older who is a widow of someone who reached the age of 65 before passing away.
Income requirements:
- $27,500 or less for a single person; or
- $35,500 or less for a married couple.
PHDC’s Basic System Repair Program (BSRP) and Adaptive Modification Program (AMP)
BSRP provides repairs to correct electrical, plumbing, heating, structural and roofing emergencies in eligible owner-occupied homes in Philadelphia. Income guidelines do apply.
Website: https://phdcphila.org/residents/home-repair/basic-systems-repair-program
AMP is designed to help individuals with permanent physical disabilities live more independently in their homes. It provides adaptations to a house or an apartment, allowing easier access to and mobility within the home. Incomes guidelines apply for AMP as well.
Website: https://phdcphila.org/residents/home-repair/adaptive-modifications-program
For Renters:
Philadelphia Rental Assistance Program – Phase 4
PCDC Housing Counselors and Neighborhood Advisory Committee (NAC) assist tenants and landlords to complete their Philadelphia Phase 4 Rental Assistance applications. There has been delay in the process and please see below updates and recommendations.
Recommendations:
- Please login your account and check your application status frequently at https://phlrentassist.org/as status is changing often.
- Contact helpdesk online https://applynow.phlrentassist.org/#/Help or by calling 215-320-7880 (interpretation can be request)
Updates:
- Portal is open for Tenants to resubmit documents for application.
- Applications are categorized as landlord-initiated applications or tenant-initiated application. Currently PHDC is working on completed landlord-initiated applications.
Apply here: https://phlrentassist.org
Rent Rebate Program (PA 1000) – Deadline 12/31/2021
The program benefits eligible Pennsylvanians age 65 and older; widows and widowers age 50 and older; and people with disabilities age 18 and older. The income limit is $15,000 annually for renters, and half of Social Security income is excluded. Spouses, personal representatives or estates may also file rebate claims on behalf of claimants who lived at least one day in 2019 and meet all other eligibility criteria. The maximum standard rebate is $650, but supplemental rebates for qualifying homeowners can boost rebates to $975.
Website: https://www.revenue.pa.gov/GeneralTaxInformation/PropertyTaxRentRebateProgram
Phone: 1-888-222-9190