The Act states “Recognizing that the special interest and the courts would block a national program to build and operate housing for the poor the Roosevelt Administration sought to define a housing policy around a decidedly conservative approach. It would seek to link any low-income housing built directly to the elimination of slums in the cities and to the creation of jobs and local business opportunities.”

Established the United States Housing Administration.

Authorized the creation of this country’s first public housing.

Authorized funds to the local government to assist in slum clearance and urban redevelopment. The Housing Act of 1954 once again attempted to address the problems of housing and its rules and regulations, but it failed and resulted in the creation of Executive Order 11063, Equal Opportunity in Housing issued in 1962.

This Act included housing modernization that was designed to allow local housing authorities to update the physical condition and outmoded management policies. The program required/demanded the tenant’s involvement in the plans and programs for modernization and in management policy decisions and practices.

Tenant councils, PHA, and HUD signed a memorandum of Understanding which overturned the old regulations and gave the tenants new viability and bargaining power. The Memorandum also created a city-wide bargaining agent known as the Resident Advisory Board (RAB).

The Philadelphia Comprehensive City Development Program Area-Wide Council created a Housing Corporation designed to produce new and rehabilitated housing for sale to low- and moderate-income families. Philadelphia Coalition of Redevelopment Action Groups (RAGs) Joined together groups throughout the city to ensure the sound development of the community, securing for the residents an effective voice in the development process and giving citizens the power to shape their destinies.

Federal Court order establishes grievance procedure process, housing tenants.

The Primary objective of this law is to develop viable urban communities by providing decent housing and a suitable living environment and expanding economic opportunities, principally for persons of low and moderate-income.

Requires de-leading of federally owned properties and public housing units. Page holds that HUD violated the warranty of habitability in the sale of a house that contained lead hazards.

Section 9-800 of the Philadelphia Code enacted a comprehensive Housing Code as part of its legislative findings. It addressed the fears of tenants who believed they would be evicted for reporting housing violations which could create situations dangerous to the health and safety of the tenants and the entire community. These legislative changes provided the Resident Advisory Board with the ways and means to challenge the insensitivity and irrational policies of the “powers that be.”

Ordered to be built in the southern tip of Philadelphia's ongoing and very public project of CLS.

Federal court finds racial discrimination by the city of PHA, and HUD and orders Whitman Park public housing to be built.

CLS challenged PHA’s failure to raise gas utility allowances since 1992. PHA agreed to increase gas utility allowance payments by approximately 17% retroactive to October 1, 1996. PHA must annually examine its utility allowances.

On April 13th , 1978, the Superior Court of Pennsylvania, in Pugh v. Holmes, 384 A 2d 1234, held that a residential lease is a contractual relationship, and the duty of a tenant to pay rent and the duty of the landlord to provide a habitable dwelling are manually dependent.

In 2001, as PHA completed construction and revitalization of the residences at Schuylkill Falls according to a HOPE VI grant, public housing residents who had been displaced and relocated from the Schuylkill Falls community during reconstruction were ready to return.

In 2004, RAB intervened in a lawsuit brought against the Philadelphia Housing Authority by ADAPT, a disability advocacy group, which sought to obtain a court order requiring PHA to disclose the confidential information, private and privileged medical records of PHA residents with disabilities.

In 2004, RAB went into litigation in a privacy contention under the Filed Brief: Privacy Issue Adapt of Philadelphia, et all vs PHA and Carl Greene, E.D. Pa. No. 98-CV- 4609. The case was resolved in favor of RAB.

In 2005, RAB developed and implemented the Supportive Housing Voucher Training Program. The program was designed to assist tenants in the Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP). The program was a huge success in that the information provided helped the program participants move through the HCVP with little or no difficulty.

In 2006, represented by Kolber Freiman & Randazzo litigators, RAB participated in a federal court lawsuit on behalf of Section 8 residents with Housing Choice Vouchers. Federal District Court Judge Anita Brody named “RAB” Amicus in Ongoing Litigation.” PHA joined the lawsuit to protect the rights of Section 8 residents.

1. Departments of Veteran Affairs and Housing and Urban Development and Independent.
2. Agencies Appropriations Act, 2001 (December and October 27, 2000).
3. American Homeownership and Economic Opportunity Act of 2000 (December 27, 2000).
4. Miscellaneous Housing Assistance Programs (December 16, 2003).
5. Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 (July 30, 2008).