The Allies for Housing in Chester County, in partnership with the Chester County Commissioners, hosted the third annual Affordable Housing Summit at Milestone Events in West Chester. The gathering focused on open conversation between elected officials, non-profits, and people who have lived through experiences of housing insecurity and homelessness.  

County Commissioners Josh Maxwell and Eric Roe represented the Board of Commissioners at the legislative gathering, which followed similar gatherings in August 2022 and August 2023. This year’s event featured a comparison of fair market rents to housing support funds, conversations about access to housing in areas of personal choice, personal examples of challenges faced by Asset Limited, Income Constrained, and Employed (ALICE) families, and discussions on maintaining dignity for all members of the process – including those who experience housing insecurity and agency staff.    

In her opening remarks, Cheryl Miles, Community Housing Director for Kennett Area Community Services, said, “We live in a very progressive county. The population is growing, and the number of businesses is increasing. New houses and apartments are being built every day. Yet, there’s another type of growth in Chester County. Many of our residents are not able to benefit from the projects happening here in Chester County. Limited resources, unfair housing practices, skyrocketing mortgage and rental rates, are huge barriers to many families’ ability to secure and maintain a place to live in Chester County.”

Following opening remarks, Lillien DeBaptiste, Mayor of West Chester, added her thoughts. She said, “We have to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. When we listen to the stories and think about how we can make a difference, sometimes we have to reach outside of our comfort zone. We have to have the uncomfortable conversations and look inward and outward to make a difference.”    

Attendees then heard from several individuals who spoke of their experiences finding affordable housing in Chester County. Shared stories included “Thomas” and his search for affordable senior housing, “Susan” and the need for affordable units for disabled veterans, “Ernest” and the struggle with rising rental rates, and “Elizabeth” and the need for affordable units for larger families. 

The event concluded with a brief presentation from Kris Keller highlighting three legislative asks. Allies for Housing in Chester County requested legislators work to provide funding to identify and secure physical spaces that can be used to increase housing for families with earned income at 60% AMI or less, include a line item in the budget that stipulates distribution of any State, County, and/or Local government funds must adhere to Federal Fair Housing regulations, and to revisit zoning laws so that every municipality is incentivized to provide affordable housing.

The legislative gathering was attended by a Chester County’s legislative delegation, county officials, legislative staff, and a wide variety of community representatives.