Johnstown, Pa — The Pennsylvania Senate recently approved a resolution introduced by Senator Wayne Langerholc that would address the issues of ‘porting’ within the Housing Choice Voucher Program.
“I rise to ask for support for Senate Resolution 45,” said Langerholc. “This resolution will call on the federal government to address the issue of porting.”
Langerholc introduced this resolution to the Pennsylvania Senate in March after seeing how 'porting' is impacting areas within Cambria County - especially Johnstown.
Porting is an issue within public housing.
Langerholc explains there's a waitlist for public housing within the city of Philadelphia, “and individuals that are on the waitlist, which could be up to approximately three years are traveling to surrounding communities, traveling to Johnstown in particular to apply for housing.”
Langerholc says there is no waitlist for public housing within Johnstown and so Philadelphians are coming into the Johnstown area for that public housing, “And then either staying or using that to port back to Philadelphia when something may become available, and this is creating a tremendous strain on a variety of services within the greater Johnstown Cambria County region.”
Especially within social services, law enforcement and education – Langerholc explains there were 3,000 students enrolled this school year in the Greater Johnstown School District and just in February alone lost 619 of those students due to the issue of 'porting'.
“We need stability for our students that’s taking away from other students that are bonified residents of Cambria County, of Greater Johnstown.”
The Pennsylvania Senate approved of this resolution earlier this month.
Channel 6 reached out to all 6 of the Housing and Community Development Representatives from Philadelphia Friday for comment and have not heard back.
Stay with 6 News as we follow the progress of this resolution.
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