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WILKES-BARRE — Gov. Tom Wolf and Secretary of State Pedro A. Cortés remind Pennsylvanians that Monday is the deadline to register to vote in the May primary election.
Citizens are reminded of the availability of Online Voter Registration as a convenient option to register.
“Our secure online voter registration, which has been used by more than 930,000 Pennsylvanians, assists in reducing barriers for participation in the electoral process while also reducing costs for county governments,” Wolf said in a news release.
On May 16, primary voters who are registered as Republican or Democrat will choose the two parties’ nominees for seats on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, Superior Court, Commonwealth Court, the Common Pleas Courts in each county, and Philadelphia Municipal Court.
Also on the party ballots will be a wide variety of county, school board, and local seats such as mayor, city or borough council member, township commissioner or supervisor, magisterial district judges, and precinct election officials.
Cortés encouraged eligible citizens to make use of the state’s voter registration website, whether they are registering for the first time or updating an existing registration with a change of name, address or party affiliation. As of Friday, 932,438 users have utilized the OVR application site.
Even applicants who do not have a driver’s license or state ID card may complete their registration online, thanks to a feature that allows users to easily upload a digital copy of their signature.
Individuals wishing to register to vote in the May 16 primary in Pennsylvania must be a U.S. citizen for at least one month before the primary; a resident of Pennsylvania and the election district in which the individual desires to register and vote for at least 30 days before the primary; and at least 18 years old on or before the date of the primary.
In addition to using the website, eligible voters can register by mail or apply in person at:
• A county voter registration office and county assistance offices.
• Women, Infants & Children (WIC) program offices.
• PennDOT photo and drivers license centers.
• Armed Forces recruitment centers.
• County clerk of orphans’ courts, marriage license offices, area agencies on aging, county mental health and intellectual disabilities offices.
• Student disability services offices of the State System of Higher Education.
• Offices of special education in high schools.
• Americans with Disabilities Act-mandated complementary paratransit providers.
Applications for new registration, change of address or change in party affiliation must be postmarked or received in county voter registration offices by April 17.
Pennsylvania law requires a closed primary, meaning only voters registered as Democrats or Republicans will select nominees to represent their party in the Nov. 7 general election.
For more information on voter registration, call the Department of State’s toll-free hotline at 1-877-VOTESPA (1-877-868-3772) or visit votesPA.com.
Campaign launched
to educate about
housing rights
The Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission is recognizing April as Fair Housing Month by launching a campaign aimed at educating young adults about fair housing rights and discrimination.
The campaign was developed in partnership with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. April 11 marks the 49th anniversary of the passage of the Fair Housing Act.
During the month of April, HUD, state and local agencies, and community organizations across the country are recognizing the importance of fair housing for everyone.
“National Fair Housing Month is a time when we come together as a community and a nation to celebrate the passing of the Fair Housing Act in 1968,” said JoAnn Edwards, PHRC executive director. “The month of April allows us all to focus on the goal of eliminating housing discrimination and creating equal opportunities for every community.”
PHRC’s campaign includes:
• A two-minute YouTube video designed for young adults aging out of the foster system. The video promotes the PA Fair Housing Hotline and drives interested individuals to the PHRC website with updated housing information on the homepage.
• A partnership with the Fair Housing Rights Center for Southeastern Pennsylvania to provide an educational program on housing discrimination to high school students.
In Pennsylvania, fair housing is enforced by the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, under the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act. The Act prohibits housing discrimination in the sale, rental, finance, or otherwise to deny or withhold any housing accommodation or commercial property from any person based on race, color, age, religion, national origin, ancestry, disability, sex, familial status, or use of a supportive/service animal for a disability.
If you feel you have been a victim of housing discrimination or want more information, contact the PA Fair Housing Hotline toll-free at 855-866-5718 or visit www.phrc.pa.gov.
Wolf announces
new funding for
affordable housing
Gov. Wolf has announced recipients of a new round of funding for housing programs made available through the Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement fund.
The funding is a portion of the Realty Transfer Tax earmarked through Act 58 of 2015 to support affordable housing statewide. The funding collected during the past fiscal year totals $12.03 million.
Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency staff working on the PHARE program received and evaluated 140 proposals requesting support for housing initiatives in 49 counties. Wolf announced that 68 housing programs in 38 counties would receive allocations from this portion of PHARE funding.
“When we fund affordable housing, we not only help families with this basic need, but we also promote economic development through the construction work that’s stimulated,” Wolf said. “The demand for affordable housing continues to outpace the housing stock that’s available, so the funding made available today will help address this critical unmet need.”
Since 2012, the PHARE program has received a portion of the impact fees collected from natural gas companies operating in the state with the goal of addressing the housing shortage caused by the impact of this new industry. These funds, however, can only be used to assist projects in counties that have working natural gas wells. The new Realty Transfer Tax funding can be used to support projects in any of the state’s 67 counties.
PHARE funding is expected to produce the following results:
• 3,052 individuals or families will receive rental or utility assistance.
• 408 homes will be rehabilitated or repaired.
• 756 new rental units will be created.
• 40 new single-family homes will be constructed.
• Sites will be acquired or prepared for the future construction of 52 homes.
• 20 households will received home purchase assistance.
PHFA staff report that $9.4 million of the $12.03 million allocated will be used to fund housing projects benefiting households with income 50 percent below the area median income. This represents 78.1 percent of the awarded funding.
A list of the proposals receiving the new funding is available at: www.phfa.org/legislation/act105.aspx. Look under the subhead for the Realty Transfer Tax Fund.
