Chester Housing Authority Will Continue to Operate and Provide Full Services During Federal Government Shutdown

Chester Housing Authority (CHA) will continue operating at full capacity and providing all services during the federal government shutdown.

We understand that challenges may occur due to a shutdown. We will continue to fulfill our mission of providing quality housing and supportive services for all those we serve during this time.

SNAP and Food Assistance

Although housing authorities do not directly provide Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, we recognize that many of our residents rely on it.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro issued a disaster declaration and released $5 million in state funding to Feeding Pennsylvania, a nonprofit that partners with food pantries in every country across state, to mitigate the expected increase in demand.

If you know anyone that needs immediate food assistance, visit www.pa211.org, www.feedingpa.org or pa-navigate.org/. Visit the official state website for FAQs about the shutdown, resources to share, and ways to help.

Residents who would like more information about the federal government shutdown may contact their elected officials. Contact information is available at www.usa.gov/elected-officials.

Below is a list of food pantries in the area. Please note that due to the federal government shutdown, these food pantries are working diligently to serve large populations and that their services are in high demand.

We encourage participants to call ahead and arrive early.

Holy Cross Church Food Pantry

651 East Springfield Road

Springfield, PA 19064

610-626-3321

Saint Paul CME Church

1009 W 3rd St

Chester, PA 19013

(610) 874-9966

Chester Upland School District

232 W 9th St

Chester, PA 19013

City Team Ministries

634 Sproul St

Chester, PA 19013

610-872-6865

Saint Katharine Drexel

130 E. 7th St

Chester, PA 19013

484-490-5079

Upland Baptist Church

325 Main St

Upland PA 19015

610-874-7474

Chester Eastside Inc.

 301 E. 9th St.

Chester, PA 19013

610-872-4812

True Vine FGB

701 Morton Avenue

Chester, PA 19013

Salvation Army Chester Corps

151 West 15th Street

Chester, PA 19013 

610-874-4266

North Chester Baptist Church

2331 Providence Avenue

Chester, PA 19013

(610) 874-7948

Lifeworks/FC

28 Walnut Rd

Wallingford, PA 19086

610-872-3344

Ridley Park UMC Food Pantry

 501 N. Swarthmore Ave.

Ridley Park, PA 19078 

484-442-0097

Loaves and Fishes

703 Lincoln Avenue

Prospect Park PA 19076

610-532-9000

Looking for a New Place to Live?  Beware of Scams !!

CHA has recently learned of a scam where someone is posing as a landlord and asking tenants for a "viewing fee" before they show the apartment.  After the fee is paid the "landlord" is never heard from again.

It is reasonable for owners or their management agent to ask for ID before showing an apartment, but is not appropriate to ask for money to just view the apartment. 

Best Practices

It is a competitive rental market, and some realtors and property management companies may try to prequalify tenants before showing units.  This is acceptable. There may be questions about your income and renter history and an application to complete.   Once you see the unit and decide to live there, the realtor or property manager may ask for a fee to run a credit report to determine credit and tenant history.    

After the application is approved, the Request for tenancy Approval is submitted to the CHA and the unit passes inspection, the owner or management agent will ask for the security deposit and the tenant rent.

If at any time an interacting with a landlord or property manager, seems off or not right,  just stop and contact someone for help.  Your CHA Occupancy Specialist will assist you in addressing your leasing issues.  

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Please report back if you do not get an assessment at the location you went to and we will notify the Chair of the Homeless Coalition and the County of what transpired.  You should see someone, have an assessment, and a housing stability plan developed for you. 

See attached. 

September 9, 2024

Chester Housing Authority Board Appoints Cindy Thompson as New Chief Executive Officer

The Chester Housing Authority (CHA) Board of Commissioners has announced the appointment of Cindy Thompson as its new Chief Executive Officer, succeeding the planned retirement of Steven Fischer.

A seasoned professional with over 20 years in the housing industry, Thompson brings extensive experience in both commercial and affordable housing. Her track record includes a successful overhaul of the Housing Choice Voucher Program at the Alexandria Redevelopment Authority, where she transformed it into a high-performing entity within two years. Thompson, known in the industry for improving employee morale, was hired as COO at the Athens Housing Authority and brought the vacancy rate there from 10% to 3% in 90 days.

Board Chair Sheila Church expressed strong confidence in Thompson's leadership, stating, "The Board is confident in Cindy's abilities to lead us forward."

Thompson's immediate focus will be enhancing the CHA's relationships with the City and HUD, addressing previous communication challenges, and improving engagement with elected officials and residents. She also plans to build upon the initiatives started by her predecessor, Steven Fischer, to include satisfying requirements to complete corrective action measures to maintain the authority's standard performer designation.

"We have a great team here, and many of the pieces are already in place. We will continue working to achieve CHA's mission," says Thompson.

One of Thompson's primary objectives is to address the ongoing issues at the Ruth Bennett Homes, one of CHA's oldest properties. Despite securing several grants, the property continues to face significant infrastructure problems, including frequent repairs due to outdated underground pipes. Thompson is committed to finding sustainable solutions to these challenges.

Looking ahead, Thompson's long-term goal is to pursue HUD's Moving to Work designation for CHA, a strategic move she believes will provide greater flexibility and enhance the authority's ability to serve its community effectively.

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