Transforming Communities from "Blight to Bright" in Pennsylvania

When it comes to eliminating blight from Pennsylvania's neighborhoods, HUD Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Joe DeFelice is on a mission, and he wants local officials and community leaders to know it.

At the Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania's annual blight summit on June 12, 2018, he gave closing remarks, talking about his priorities in the Mid-Atlantic region and the challenges he faced when he led his neighborhood's Community Development Corporation (CDC) and civic association.

"When I chaired my local CDC, we successfully took over four abandoned, blighted and tax delinquent properties, with conditions like fire damage, broken windows and more," said DeFelice. "We rehabbed and sold them at market value, eliminating an eyesore and restoring neighborhood pride."

DeFelice spoke to a packed audience of housing and community development professionals from across the commonwealth. He said the work of the Housing Alliance has given a larger voice to the voiceless—praising the nonprofit for equipping local officials with the needed resources and knowledge to tackle blight in their communities.

Next, he plans to share the Housing Alliance's comprehensive toolkit called "From Blight to Bright" with HUD grantees and local partners as he travels throughout Pennsylvania.

"I am working to educate mayors and township managers about tools already at their disposal," said DeFelice.

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