Philadelphia’s innovative approach to rental assistance is proving to be a game-changer for renters across the city. Since fall 2022, the PHLHousing+ program has provided no-strings-attached monthly cash payments to 301 households randomly selected from the Philadelphia Housing Authority’s public housing and federal subsidy waitlists.

Originally scheduled to end in June 2025, the program has now been extended through June 2026 thanks to promising results from a two-year study conducted by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania and the Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation (PHDC).

The findings are clear: PHLHousing+ is helping keep families in their homes. According to the report, households that received cash assistance were less likely to face eviction or homelessness than those who did not. Participants also reported fewer concerns about the quality and safety of their housing.

PHDC’s Director of Policy and Strategic Initiatives, Rachel Mulbry, who co-authored the report, said, “We’re in a much stronger position now that we have results like these.” PHDC is currently considering what the next phase of the program could look like.

This makes Philadelphia the first city in the nation to launch a cash-based rental assistance trial since the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) created the Section 8 program in the 1970s.

For homeowners, buyers, and investors in Philadelphia, this program could have significant implications for housing stability, neighborhood growth, and property values. Keeping families housed not only benefits renters but also strengthens communities and local real estate markets.

Source: Philadelphia Inquirer, September 3, 2025