SteelTown Village

01/20/2025

Today, as a nation, we take time to celebrate and honor the achievements of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. While Dr. King is best known for his efforts in advancing civil rights and fighting for equality and justice for all Americans, he also had a significant impact on affordable housing.

12/24/2024

Home for the Holidays?

For many of us, the holiday season conjures picture-perfect, Rockwell-esque images of snow-covered rooftops, a blazing fire in the hearth, and a warm place to relax after coming in from the cold. Indeed, having a safe place to call “home for the holidays” is something most of us take for granted. Looking at the issue of homelessness in America, however, tells a different story. According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), over 650,000 Americans experienced homelessness in 2023, marking a record high for our country. Pennsylvania accounts for over 15,000 of that number, with homelessness impacting families and individuals in both the urban and rural areas of our state.

Today’s rising housing costs (combined with wages that often don’t keep up with those costs), and a lack of affordable, attainable housing mean that more people than ever are either homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. Homelessness is more than just not having a roof over one’s head; it can lead to a variety of health risks, including increased vulnerability to diseases, mental health issues, and the risk of dangerous exposure to weather as we move into the colder months. The idea of a “home for holidays” can feel out of reach for many Americans these days, and that’s the driving force behind what we do here at Petra Community Housing.

While there is no easy fix to the homeless situation, at Petra we believe that having a safe, affordable place to call home is something that all of us – regardless of income level – should be able to experience. We strive to address the nationwide housing problem by developing and managing affordable and attainable housing for low-income families and individuals. By partnering with state and local organizations, we are able to help make ‘home for the holidays’ a reality for many members of our community.

This holiday season is a great opportunity to join us in our mission to provide affordable housing for everyone. To learn more about who we are and how you can partner with us to make a difference, please visit our page at www.petrach.org.

From our family to yours, Petra Community Housing wishes you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

11/27/2024

In this season of Thanksgiving, we'd like to extend a special thank you to our bus drivers and food distribution volunteers:

Ed Shaffer & Bill Chenco
Kailee Martin, Clifford Moore, Susan Umstead, Lorraine Giangreco and Kim Copley-Matus.

Thank you for all you do! We recognize and appreciate the time you spend serving our residents!

11/11/2024

Petra honors and thanks all those who have served this country.

09/26/2024

As our children have settled back into the rhythm of another school year, we wish them much success. Click below to learn more about the impact of Housing on student academic success.

With the summer holidays now officially over, kids everywhere have kicked off an exciting new school year, and Petra wishes all our students much success! For many in our community, classes, sports, and after-school activities are all underway, and the transition from long summer days to being back....