The Housing Authority of the City of Erie is distributing its annual Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) to the three taxing bodies – the City of Erie, Erie County, and the Erie School District.
The Housing Authority Board of Commissioners approved the three payments at its November 27 meeting. December is the month in which PILOT checks are traditionally distributed.
The total of these 2023 PILOT payments is $436,087.06 which is above the historical five-year average of $413,500.19 but slightly lower than 2022 amount ($446,542.66) paid by the Housing Authority to the three local taxing bodies.
- The amount payable to the City of Erie is $162,734.70
- The Erie School District’s share is $207,119.42
- The Erie County share is $66,232.94
"We are pleased to be able to contribute to the three taxing bodies," said Michael R. Fraley, executive director of the Housing Authority of the City of Erie. Providing financial support to our local governing bodies is the right thing to do even though we are tax exempt.
The Housing Authority is, by state law, exempt from payment of real estate taxes, however, we make these voluntary payments to the taxing bodies for the services they provide to public housing residents," he said. We are limited by federal law as to the amount of the PILOT payments. However, we always pay the maximum amount permitted.”
The two main factors that determined the slightly lower 2023 PILOT payment was a substantial increase in utility costs that was above the increase in annual rental income collected. HUD uses these two factors to develop a PILOT Payment formula amount.
Each year, since 1941, the Authority has provided voluntary PILOT payments to the City of Erie, Erie County, and the Erie School District. Counting this year’s contribution of $436,087.06, the Authority has paid a total of $11,361,751.63 in lieu of real estate taxes since 1941.
In addition to PILOT payments, the Housing Authority has funded partnership agreements with the City of Erie to provide Community Policing throughout public housing and to support summer recreation activities benefiting our residents. The Housing Authority also has funded partnership agreements with Erie County Government to provide Adult and Juvenile Probation services and Erie County Library. The Housing Authority also funds several community-based recreational, cultural, and adult education programs in support of the efforts of the Erie School District. In total the Housing Authority commits over $2,000,000 yearly to provide supports services to individuals and families residing in public housing or participating in the Housing Choice Voucher program.
The Housing Authority of the City of Erie exists to provide safe, decent, and affordable housing for lower-income families, the elderly, and persons with disabilities, and to foster among the residents served by the Authority economic self-sufficiency and a sense of community and pride in the neighborhoods where they reside.
The Authority owns and manages 2,200 quality housing units in the City of Erie for low- and moderate-income families, the elderly, and persons with disabilities along with providing over 1,100 vouchers to participants in the various Housing Choice Voucher/Section 8 programs.
In total, the Authority provides affordable housing assistance to nearly 8,000 Erie citizens through its various housing programs.
For more information, contact HACE Executive Director Michael R. Fraley at 814-452-2425.
