Additional Resources

Chore Services

For residents who live alone and are elderly or have a disability, the ability to meet the requirements for housekeeping can sometimes be a problem.  Residents who do not otherwise quality for local social services, and who lack the support from family or friends may qualify fro services from the Chore Service program.  In this program, RHA contracts with a local company to provide cleaning assistance to help with those heavier housekeeping needs. Services are based upon resident need with a concentration in housekeeping issues that affect lease compliance, and include a mandatory client cost-share.

Holiday Angel Tree Gift Program

In order to bring holiday cheer to residents who are elderly or have a disability, the Resident Services Department assists the local Salvation Army by helping residents to enroll in a holiday gift program.  Applications may only be accepted for those household that do not contain children.  Sign-ups are conducted in September, and the distribution occurs in December in each public housing community.

Reasonable Accommodations

It is the policy of Reading Housing Authority to comply with all Fair Housing regulations, including Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended. Section 504 requires public housing authorities to modify policies, rules, and procedures, or make a structural change to a common area or dwelling, in order to accommodate persons with disabilities so that such individuals can have an equal opportunity to use and enjoy the housing program. An accommodation is considered reasonable if it does not constitute a fundamental alteration of the housing program or does not pose a substantial administrative or financial burden.

In order to be considered for a Reasonable Accommodation, applicants and residents shall contact the Resident Services Department for Reasonable Accommodation Request Form. After the Resident Services Department receives the completed request form, a verification form is mailed to a 3rd-party verifier.  The verifier is one who knows about the individual’s disability and can attest to whether the applicant or resident meets the definition of a person with a disability in accordance with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and whether the requested accommodation is necessary so that the disabled person can equally use and enjoy the housing program.

After consultation with appropriate administrative personnel, determination is made to whether the requested accommodation meets all requirements to be considered reasonable. Reading Housing Authority shall assume all reasonable costs associated with the implementation of the accommodation when it has been demonstrated that no alternative payor is available. If an accommodation is determined to be unreasonable as a result of financial burden, the resident may be given the opportunity to assume related financial responsibility. All applicants or residents shall be notified in writing regarding the outcome of the request.

Stokes Stitt Scholarship Program

Reading Housing Authority (RHA) has established the Stokes Stitt Scholarship for residents who reside in the Oakbrook Homes and Glenside Homes public housing units owned and operated by the agency.  The program has been established in appreciation of Mr. Stitt’s tenure as a commissioner of RHA, which began on March 17, 1983.  Mr. Stitt died on February 25, 2001.  Reading Housing Authority offers this scholarship in honor of his contributions to both the agency and the Reading community.

Since the inception of the scholarship program, Reading Housing Authority has awarded more than $90,000 to twenty-six residents of Oakbrook and Glenside Homes.  Fifteen students have earned degrees in architecture and design, criminal justice, social work, business, political science, elementary education, automotive repair and others.

The Stokes Stitt scholarship is a competitive scholarship granted in each development, for a total of two scholarships offered each year to residents of Oakbrook and Glenside Homes.  The aide is designed to encourage education beyond the high school level. This 4 year/$8,000 scholarship is to be used for financial aid to assist with tuition and fees at an accredited trade school, two-year or four-year institution.  Preference is given for attendance to an institution located in Pennsylvania.  The scholarship is open to traditional and non-traditional students. Applications are accepted from March 1 to April 30.

2019 Recipients James Spring (G) and Schram Constant (O)

Senior Community Centers

Senior Neighborhood Centers (SNC) are a vibrant part of residents socialization at Reading Housing Authority. Senior Centers are provided in cooperation with the Berks County Area Agency on Aging and Centro Hispano Daniel Torres. The Kennedy Towers SNC is open every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. and includes a hot noontime meal and social & educational programs. Residents from other RHA properties are welcome to participate as well.
Residents at Glenside and Hensler Homes participate in a similar weekly program on Mondays from 8 a.m. – noon at the O’Pake Community Center, 800 Avenue A.

Additionally, the Berks County Area Agency on Aging sponsors SNC outreach programs. This program provides a monthly educational or recreational program and hot meal to seniors who might not have access to one of the local sites. Representatives visit Eisenhower Apartments on the 3rd Tuesday of the month and Hubert Apartments on the 3rd Friday of the month.