Westmoreland County housing services remain stable despite budget cuts

Westmoreland County Housing Authority officials announced on Tuesday that they do not expect recent federal budget cuts to affect local housing services in the near future. The authority relies on about $24 million a year from the federal government for public housing and other related programs. The recent spending resolution passed by Congress ensures that funding for housing programs will continue at current levels. Michael Washowich, the authority's director, noted that this decision will help maintain operations without immediate changes. In addition to annual funding, Westmoreland County Housing Authority has received around $20 million over the past five years for improvements to housing infrastructure. Officials believe that support for affordable housing aimed at seniors, the disabled, and low-income residents will remain stable. While there are concerns about potential job cuts at the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development, the local officials feel that these changes will not impact their programs right now. The authority has 45 housing communities and provides about 1,600 Section 8 vouchers for subsidized housing. Chairman Bob Regola expressed optimism about future funding, indicating that discussions with Washington have been encouraging. However, Washowich acknowledged that the situation remains uncertain and future funding may come through different channels.