Built to Last

Built to Last is an initiative coordinated by the Philadelphia Energy Authority (PEA), an independent municipal authority focused on energy affordability and sustainability created by Philadelphia City Council in 2010. The program launched as a pilot in 2021, and aims to coordinated and supplements existing programs, simplifying the process for owner-occupied property owners to navigate complex systems. To qualify, property owners must earn below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level and own their home.

Philadelphia institutions offer dozens of services to assist low-income households to improve their properties and reduce their cost burdens, each of which requires separate applications, often have high denial rates and only address one component of the problem. Philadelphia residents may not be aware of available services and the process of applying for and receiving all services is time-consuming and challenging.

PEA is acts as an administrative backbone to allow housing programs to layer and streamline their services. When programs layered strategically, they are able to provide 70-80% of the funds needed to fundamentally restore homes. This small gap can be filled with a combination of grants and microfinancing coordinated by PEA. The model has three main tracks of work: benefits screening, property assessment, and construction management to assist owner-occupied housing from application to retrofit completion.

Built to Last seeks to restore the safety, health, affordability and comfort of existing affordable housing in a way that improves the long-term quality of Philadelphia’s housing, builds community wealth, and helps families avoid displacement and stay in their homes.