Division of Housing and Community Development

The Division of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) is the part of Philadelphia city government that plans and funds housing and neighborhood programs. It sits inside the Department of Planning and Development and is the city's main channel for federal housing and community development money from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), along with local dollars such as the Housing Trust Fund. It is a city agency, distinct from the state-chartered Philadelphia Housing Authority and from the nonprofit Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation that carries out many of its programs.^[1]

1 Role and structure

DHCD describes its mission as helping Philadelphia offer homes for people at all income levels, commercial corridors with thriving businesses, and healthy neighborhoods.^[1] It was formerly a freestanding Office of Housing and Community Development reporting directly to the mayor's administration; it was later reorganized under the Department of Planning and Development, which also houses the City Planning Commission staff and development services. The division does not usually build or manage housing itself. Instead it sets priorities, writes federally required plans, awards funding to nonprofit and for-profit developers, counseling agencies and community groups, and monitors compliance.

At the top of the housing portfolio, Mayor Cherelle Parker created in 2025 a new position of Chief Housing and Urban Development Officer, filled by Angela D. Brooks, to oversee the administration's housing plan.^[2] That office coordinates DHCD with other bodies, including the Land Bank, the Redevelopment Authority and the Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation.

2 Funding sources

Much of DHCD's money comes from federal formula programs administered by HUD, commonly the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), the HOME Investment Partnerships program and the Emergency Solutions Grant. Because these funds carry federal rules, the city must publish a multi-year Consolidated Plan and an Annual Action Plan, take public comment and report results; the Annual Action Plan for 2025-2026 was published as a proposed document in mid-2025.^[3] Local sources include the city Housing Trust Fund, which is supported by a dedicated recording-fee revenue stream, and bond proceeds authorized through the capital and operating budget process. DHCD's total spending varies year to year with federal appropriations and city bond issuances, so readers seeking a current dollar figure should consult the latest budget documents.

3 Programs

DHCD's programs fall into several groups.

• Home repair and preservation. Programs help low- and moderate-income owners repair or stabilize the homes they live in, including the long-running Basic Systems Repair Program for emergencies such as heating, plumbing, electrical and roof failures, delivered with partner agencies.^[4]
• Homeownership and housing counseling. Funding supports HUD-certified counseling agencies that help residents buy first homes, avoid foreclosure and manage tax and mortgage problems.
• Affordable rental and homeownership development. The division finances new construction and rehabilitation by awarding gap funding, often alongside Low-Income Housing Tax Credits allocated by the state Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency.
• Neighborhood and commercial corridor investment. This includes the Neighborhood Preservation Initiative and funding for community development corporations (see Community Development Corporations).
• Homelessness and special-needs housing. DHCD coordinates with the Office of Homeless Services on supportive housing funded through HUD programs.

4 The H.O.M.E. initiative

In 2025 Mayor Parker signed an executive order creating Housing Opportunities Made Easy (H.O.M.E.), and in March 2025 announced a plan with about $2 billion in public-sector resources to create and preserve 30,000 homes, of which 13,500 would be newly constructed and 16,500 preserved. The funding described at the time included about $800 million in bonds, with the first $400 million issued in fiscal year 2026, plus other local, state and federal sources and the use of publicly owned land.^[2] DHCD is one of the delivery arms for the repair, preservation and development strands of this plan, while land-disposition goals depend heavily on the Land Bank and councilmanic prerogative.

5 Working with the public

Residents typically encounter DHCD through home-repair applications, housing counseling referrals and public hearings on funding plans. Information is available at phila.gov, by email at info.dhcd@phila.gov or by phone at (215) 686-9749.^[1] The division also supports a Housing Advisory Board and holds public comment periods on its HUD-required plans. Tenants with problems such as missing repairs or an unlicensed landlord are normally directed instead to Licenses and Inspections or the Fair Housing Commission.

6 Relationships and debates

Housing advocates and developers have long debated how DHCD funds should be divided among preservation, new construction, rental and ownership, and how quickly vacant land reaches projects (see Tenant and Housing Advocacy Groups and Developers and the Real Estate Lobby). City Council appropriates the local funds and approves many land transactions, while HUD sets conditions on federal dollars. Statements about outcomes of the 30,000-home goal should be checked against the administration's progress reports.

See also: Department of Planning and Development, Philadelphia Land Bank, Philadelphia Housing Authority, Federal Government and Philadelphia.

References

1. City of Philadelphia, "Division of Housing and Community Development," phila.gov (accessed October 2026).
2. City of Philadelphia, "Mayor Cherelle L. Parker unveils historic $2 billion H.O.M.E. housing plan to create and preserve 30,000 homes," press release, March 25, 2025; Philadelphia Inquirer reporting on the appointment of Angela D. Brooks, February-April 2025.
3. DHCD, Proposed Annual Action Plan, Year 2025-2026 (City of Philadelphia, June 2025).
4. City of Philadelphia, "Home repair," phila.gov/dhcd/home-repair.