by KYW's Hadas Kuznits
The federal government is pledging money to help fight homelessness in Philadelphia.
US Department of Housing and Urban Development secretary Shaun Donovan (above, in official photo) toured Project HOME residences in Philadelphia on Tuesday to see how federal funds are being used:
"Beginning with the Recovery Act, we're investing almost 14 billion dollars in housing around the country, including a billion and a half dollars in money to prevent homelessness. So this is exactly the kind of leadership that we need to see at the local level."
Joan McCannon with Project HOME says the funds are very much needed:
"The buildings that we renovate could not happen if HUD did not provide rental housing and rental subsidies to folks who have been on the street."
Meanwhile, Donovan said he was inspired by the work of Project HOME employees:
"I come from doing this work myself in a local area and the federal government has not been the kind of partner that cities needed."
And he pledged to return to Philadelphia:
"We're going to keep coming back and keep doing more with this city."
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