Delays in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability benefits adversely affect veterans in Pennsylvania and across the nation. In the Pittsburgh regional office, the average wait for veterans filing their first claim is 185 days. The wait is 136 days in Philadelphia office. To help counter this widespread problem, the Veterans Homebuyer Accessibility Act would be immediately available to all eligible veterans (those who were not discharged dishonorably. The bill provides crucial help to veterans looking to purchase a home as they move back to our communities.

Congressman Keith Rothfus [PA-12] cosponsored the Sustainable Water Infrastructure Act of 2015 (H.R. 499) to allow local governments to more easily access private funds for waste water and water infrastructure projects. Specifically, the bill would provide parity for waste water and water infrastructure projects funded with Public Activity Bonds (PAB) by uncapping the amount that municipalities can issue.

Governor Tom Wolf today announced that the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA) has approved nearly $8.1 million for 44 housing projects to improve the availability and affordability of housing in 28 counties. These projects are being supported by the Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement (PHARE) Fund, which is administered by PHFA and funded by Act 13’s impact fee on natural gas producers.

Governor Tom Wolf today joined House Democratic Leadership in putting forth an amendment in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives to fix the commonwealth’s structural budget deficit, fund K-12 education and provide expanded property tax relief to seniors and disabled households.

Mayor William Peduto is committing at least 10% of the city’s operating and capital budget spending to flood control, street and facility improvements, and other projects that will improve the City’s resilience against challenges it will face in future years

Residents of Penn Plaza worked with local government leaders and Action United to reach an agreement today with the owners of the East Liberty apartment complex to secure relocation help, and forge commitments to support construction of affordable housing across East End neighborhoods including East Liberty, Larimer, Lincoln-Lemington and Homewood

Congressman Chaka Fattah (PA-02), a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, announced that Philadelphia has received $58 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for a variety of programs that will serve Philadelphia’s homeless and low-income communities.

Governor Tom Wolf, along with officials from the Pennsylvania Departments of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA), Labor and Industry (L&I), Community and Economic Development (DCED) and Human Services (DHS), today challenged all commonwealth agencies and communities to reduce veteran homelessness by 40 percent in the last 100 days of 2015. The challenge, which kicks off on September 22, means that 550 veterans will achieve housing stability by the end of the year.

Congressman Chaka Fattah (PA-02) announced that Philadelphia’s YouthBuild Charter School and Connection Training Services will each receive $1.1 million in YouthBuild funding from the U.S. Department of Labor.

Congressman Chaka Fattah (PA-02) announced that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has renewed $3 million in grant awards to two organizations in his district to support programs and services that will prevent and end veteran homelessness in Philadelphia

Governor Wolf announced today that the Commonwealth Financing Authority approved funding to support a new Building Pennsylvania project in Lancaster County, a move that is projected to result in more than $21.8 million in additional economic investments.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced the award of $400,000 in brownfields grants to Earth Conservancy in Luzerne County. The funding will support efforts underway to clean up mine scarred lands for reuse and redevelopment and prevent acid mine drainage going into local waterways

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced the award of $800,000 in brownfields grants: $400,000 to the Municipality of Norristown and $400,000 to the Montgomery County Redevelopment Authority. The funding will be used to assess abandoned industrial sites in Norristown and Pottstown, Pa., that may be potentially contaminated with hazardous substances so they can be cleaned up and redeveloped

U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), an agency within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, has awarded a total of $146,290 in Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) funds to the Tuscarora Fire Company and the Sheppton-Oneida Volunteer Fire Company

Hunt Mortgage Group, a commercial real estate lender, announced today that it has provided a $4.6 million Freddie Mac conventional loan facility to refinance a multifamily property located in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania

MERSCORP Holdings, Inc. today announced that the Court of Common Pleas of Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania dismissed a quiet title lawsuit affirming the validity of the mortgage with Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. (MERS) as the mortgagee and recognizing MERS’ standing to defend its interest in the mortgage

U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright announced today that the Borough of Girardville has been awarded a $500,000 HOME grant This money, paired with a matching DCED Keystone Communities grant awarded by the state, will allow the borough to construct a six-unit low-income housing development on West Main Street. The new facility will provide rental opportunities to six low-income families; two of the units will be handicap-accessible.

U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright announced that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has the Delaware Water Gap Fire Department with an Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG). The funds will be distributed via the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency Executive Director and CEO Brian A. Hudson Sr. was recognized last evening by NeighborWorks America as a “visionary leader in community development.” The honor came during NeighborWorks’ opening reception for its 2015 Philadelphia Training Institute.

CBRE Capital Markets’ Debt & Structured Finance team originated $157 million in bridge financing for the acquisition of a 29-property office portfolio in suburban Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Class A and B properties total 1,611,961-sq.-ft. and are located in Bucks County, Fort Washington, Horsham and Lehigh Valley.