Articles by: Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA

How to Apply for a Pennsylvania Property Tax Rebate or Rent Rebate

How to Apply for a Pennsylvania Property Tax Rebate or Rent Rebate

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Pennsylvania’s rent and property tax rebate program — which helps older and disabled residents offset the rising cost of housing — got a major, one-time boost this year as part of the state budget. FULL ARTICLE
by · September 29, 2022 · News, PA News
Renters in Parts of Pa. Shut Out of Rent Relief as Counties Elsewhere Sit on Millions in Unused Aid

Renters in Parts of Pa. Shut Out of Rent Relief as Counties Elsewhere Sit on Millions in Unused Aid

HARRISBURG, Pa. —

Outrage. Disappointment. Disbelief. FULL ARTICLE
A Business Owner’s Guide To PA.’s Next Wave of COVID-19 Relief Grants

A Business Owner’s Guide To PA.’s Next Wave of COVID-19 Relief Grants

Help is on the way for Pennsylvania’s struggling bars, hotels, and restaurants, as $145 million in state grants becomes available this month. FULL ARTICLE
New Coronavirus Grants for Small Pa. Businesses Aim for Inclusivity, But Can’t Track Success

New Coronavirus Grants for Small Pa. Businesses Aim for Inclusivity, But Can’t Track Success

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Applications open next month for $145 million in state grants for small hospitality businesses, with a significant change by lawmakers intended to ensure the money is more accessible to low-income and minority owners shut out from some relief last year. FULL ARTICLE
Pa. Misses Deadline to Spend $108M in Rent, Mortgage Relief from CARES Act

Pa. Misses Deadline to Spend $108M in Rent, Mortgage Relief from CARES Act

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Pennsylvania tenants and homeowners missed out on roughly $108 million of $175 million in federal coronavirus relief because state programs distributing the funding made it too hard to access, Spotlight PA has found. FULL ARTICLE
Thousands of Pa. Families Face Potential Eviction Come the New Year

Thousands of Pa. Families Face Potential Eviction Come the New Year

Hundreds of thousands of families across Pennsylvania could lose their homes in January, after emergency unemployment benefits and federal eviction protections expire and as the state grapples with record numbers of new coronavirus cases. FULL ARTICLE
Gaping Loopholes and Vague State Guidance Leave Some Pa. Families Out of a Home Despite Federal Ban on Evictions

Gaping Loopholes and Vague State Guidance Leave Some Pa. Families Out of a Home Despite Federal Ban on Evictions

Laura Gallagher waited until she was back in her car to cry. FULL ARTICLE
Senate GOP Halts Fixes for Pa.’s Troubled Rent Relief Program, Surprising Even Their Own

Senate GOP Halts Fixes for Pa.’s Troubled Rent Relief Program, Surprising Even Their Own

HARRISBURG, Pa. — A last-ditch attempt to fix Pennsylvania’s ailing COVID-19 rent relief program hit a wall Wednesday after Senate Republican leadership did not advance legislation, making it likely many landlords and families on the financial brink will not get the aid they desperately need. FULL ARTICLE
To Jumpstart Relief Program, Wolf Gives Landlords More Flexibility to Collect Unpaid Rent

To Jumpstart Relief Program, Wolf Gives Landlords More Flexibility to Collect Unpaid Rent

HARRISBURG, Pa. — After Pennsylvania lawmakers failed for months to fix a troubled rent relief program, Gov. Tom Wolf intervened Tuesday, giving landlords flexibility to collect outstanding balances in the hope that more would agree to participate. FULL ARTICLE
Federal Order Protects Many Pa. Renters From Eviction, Though Legal Challenges May Arise

Federal Order Protects Many Pa. Renters From Eviction, Though Legal Challenges May Arise

HARRISBURG, Pa. — On Tuesday morning, Jason Kiefer went to get his mail and found two copies of an eviction notice taped to the door, scheduling a court hearing for Sept. 10. The address of the Lehigh County Courthouse was crossed out, replaced by “Zoom” in scribbled red letters. FULL ARTICLE