What We Do

Our Goal

Through our policy and advocacy work, we strive to create a more supportive environment for community development activities and to enable our members to more effectively meet the needs of lower income residents and advance neighborhood revitalization. In addition, we aim to build the capacity of CDCs through resource and information delivery, a sharing of ideas and practices among CDCs, technical assistance, and promotion of the community development industry.

Key Accomplishments

PACDC’s efforts over the past six years have culminated in more than $120 million in new City and State resources for CDC affordable housing and neighborhood economic development efforts. Coupled with broader community development policy changes and the key strategic alliances we have built, this funding has created a critical base from which to build long-term support for vibrant and diverse neighborhoods.

Policy & Advocacy

• The Philadelphia Housing Trust Fund, a result of our most successful campaign to-date, has raised over $42 million for affordable housing development, home repair, and homelessness prevention in Philadelphia since September 2005. In May 2008, the Mayor and City Council agreed to increase funding by $3 million per year for the next five years beginning July 1, 2008. PACDC has had significant input on the design and implementation of Trust Fund programs.

• PACDC has effectively drawn increased attention to neighborhood economic development, including: creation and expansion the Philadelphia CDC Tax Credit Program, which will now provided $30 million to 30 CDCs over ten years; creation of PHFA’s Mixed-Use Facility Financing program, which has provided over $8 million to support mixed-use development projects statewide since 2003; helping shape the City’s $65 million ReStore Philadelphia Corridors Initiative and successfully advocating for a more open and transparent process for applying for City neighborhood economic development funding.

Member Services

• Our Member Services flagship initiatives—our Pocket NIS and GIS Mapping services—have produced more than 550 maps and provided assistance to approximately 15 organizations annually to collect and analyze neighborhood data to support their project and neighborhood planning.

• We have sponsored numerous workshops and information forums for members on key programs and strategies, promoted CDC accomplishments, and provide up-to-date information on resources and community development news through our web-based CDC information clearinghouse and e-newsletters.