Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency
211 N. Front St.
Harrisburg, PA 17101
www.phfa.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Scott Elliott
Sept. 13, 2011
717-780-3916 (office)
717-649-6522 (cell)
selliott@phfa.org
HARRISBURG – As Pennsylvania recovers from flooding caused by the one-two punch of Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee, disaster recovery personnel are helping Pennsylvanians find replacement housing by using the online housing locator freely available at www.PAHousingSearch.com.
PAHousingSearch.com is a Web-based housing locator service supporting more than 9,000 housing searches each week. It was launched in April of this year. This housing locator service is funded by the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency, the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, and the state’s Department of Public Welfare and Department of Community and Economic Development.
“PAHousingSearch.com is easy to use and is available to the state’s residents at any time of day via the Web,” said PHFA Executive Director and CEO Brian A. Hudson Sr. “We encourage people who have been displaced by the recent flooding to use this free service to find safe, clean and affordable housing while they get back on their feet.
“Landlords, too, are strongly encouraged to list more of their available apartments on PAHousingSearch.com so we can help as many Pennsylvanians as possible find replacement housing at this time of critical need.
“This powerful housing locator service is available thanks to a constructive partnership between state agencies seeking to help Pennsylvanians looking for affordable housing.”
PAHousingSearch.com is free for landlords to post properties and for the public to search for affordable housing. It has become an essential resource for government agencies helping people find safe and affordable housing in times of emergency and following natural disasters. However, it is available year-round to help the state’s residents find affordable housing.
Apartment listings on PAHousingSearch.com include photos of available units and extensive information about property amenities, neighborhood features such as shopping and public transit, eligibility requirements and more. The listings are updated regularly, and new properties are added continuously.
Anyone looking for housing can access this free service simply by visiting www.PAHousingSearch.com. People who don’t have Internet access can call 1-877-428-8844 toll-free on weekdays from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m. to get housing assistance from an operator. They also can work with a local disaster recovery agency that will help them use PAHousingSearch.com to find temporary or long-term housing.
Landlords across the Commonwealth are being encouraged to list more of their properties on PAHousingSearch.com so that they are searchable by people displaced by the recent flooding. Additionally, mobile home communities that have homes or lot spaces available are asked to please call 1-877-428-8844 (toll-free) to provide that information to disaster-response representatives.
