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Chester County says it has opened 283 affordable housing units since 2022, 139 more under development
Summary
The county Department of Community Development presented a 2024 program summary, citing a roughly $20 million annual budget, heavy reliance on HUD funds, and progress toward a 10-year, 1,000-unit affordable housing goal.
Dolores Colligan, director of Chester County’s Department of Community Development, told the Board of Commissioners on June 4 that the department has opened 283 affordable housing units since 2022 and has 139 units currently under development, representing more than 40% of a 10-year goal of 1,000 units the board set in June 2022.
Colligan described DCD as a grant-funded department with an annual budget of approximately $20,000,000 and said about 80% of its resources are direct awards from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). “The Chester County Department of Community Development, or DCD, is responsible for the administration of federal, state, and local resources for the planning, management, and development of affordable housing, community services, economic development, and the revitalization of our county’s urban centers,” she said.
Colligan summarized eligibility and recent investments. She said income eligibility for programs varies by funding source, with some programs serving households at up to 80% of area median income and others targeting literally homeless households as defined by HUD. Effective June 1, 2025, Colligan said the area median income for a family of four is $119,400; she also gave a 2025 figure for 200% of the federal poverty guideline for a family of four as $64,300.
Program investments and reach - Housing-stabilization programs and services (repairs, rehabs, rent and utility assistance, case management) served over 790 households in 2024, Colligan said; total county investments in housing stabilization in 2024 were $3,195,408. - Construction and public-works support to nonprofits and municipalities totaled $2,700,053 in 2024. - Partner organizations administered $16,087,067 in direct services countywide in 2024, Colligan said.
Colligan noted barriers to the county’s housing goals, including limited available land and rising construction costs, but said the department has met more than 40% of the board’s 10-year unit goal through partnership efforts. She urged readers to consult the 2024 Community Development Year in Review available on the county website for detailed program information.
Ending: Colligan closed by thanking staff and partners and advising commissioners and residents to review the department’s report online for more detail.
