FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Dionne Watts-Williams / 215-713-4875 / dwattswilliams@powerinterfaith.org
Philadelphia, PA (February 2, 2026) – Yesterday, more than 500 Philadelphians from over 30 congregations and faith traditions braved the frigid temperatures and gathered at the historic Mother Bethel AME Church for the Philadelphia Affordability Summit, a citywide assembly organized by POWER Interfaith to confront the city’s growing affordability crisis compounded by cuts and policy decisions at the federal and city levels.
Participants represented Christian, Jewish, Muslim, and other faith traditions from congregations across Philadelphia, reflecting broad interfaith concern about displacement and economic pressure on poor and working families.
The afternoon centered on public testimony and dialogue with elected officials about the real-life impact of federal and revenue cuts at every level of government, local tax policies, and development priorities that leave families struggling to stay housed, healthy, and stable. Attendees shared firsthand stories about rising rents, increasing property taxes, homelessness, and school district funding, and spoke openly about their concerns:
- “I live in West Philadelphia…I show up every day as an outreach specialist and crime victim advocate. So when City Council cuts the BIRT tax, it falls on the very people I work with every day, and on people like me, because it funds the things that keep people stable. People are stretched beyond their limits. I can’t even afford a full apartment in this city. I live in a room. I work full-time. I serve survivors. I show up, and still I cannot afford safe, stable housing in the city I serve.” (Yolanda Jennings, member of Salt and Light Church, Outreach Specialist)
- “I recently lost the house I was supposed to inherit from my great grandmother. I was couch surfing with friends and family. I’m in the shelters and I get SSI, but that’s enough for me to pay rent. Now I’m staying at Rail Park. I’ve been out there for the past couple of Code Blues. I’m just trying to survive. I go to different places to get free food. We have these properties that are boarded up, all these high-rises that have been torn down, and now all these townhouses. How come we don’t have those for the people that need it the most? We have people out here who are working, not on drugs…those of us struggling, trying to get by…why can’t we get any help?” (Howard Forrest)
- “Like many people in this city, I live with my parents and brother, because none of us can afford rent on our own. After losing our family house to foreclosure this year, sharing an apartment wasn’t just a choice. It was how we stayed housed. My mother is 68 with mobility issues, and my father is 74 with cardiac problems – both living on fixed incomes. In a city where everything keeps going up except wages, that is frightening. When you’re already living on the edge, one unexpected bill will throw your whole household into a crisis. And while I’m in school trying to build a better future, it feels like a double-edged sword. With the wages in my field, I honestly wonder if I’ll ever see a return on investment. People doing everything right and still barely holding on. People who can truly not take one more hit.” (Robert Balfour Austin, Full-Time Student & Full-Time Child Welfare Worker)
The gathering also included interfaith prayer, reflection, grounding, a congregation roll call, and shared expectations for respectful and accountable engagement with elected officials.
Councilmembers Nicolas O’Rourke and Isaiah Thomas answered questions from constituents during a legislative panel facilitated by Rev. Cean James of Salt & Light Church of West Philadelphia. A representative from Councilmember Jamie Gauthier’s office also participated. Invitations to Council President Kenyatta Johnson went unanswered, while Majority Leader Katherine Gilmore Richardson declined to attend but has agreed to meet with POWER Interfaith leaders at a later date.
During the summit, POWER Interfaith formally called on City Council to produce a comprehensive affordability report examining how revenue cuts, local tax policies, and development decisions are impacting everyday Philadelphians. Councilmember Isaiah Thomas committed to working with POWER Interfaith within the next month to advance the report, marking a clear next step following the summit.
“This was more than a turnout. This was public witness,” said Rev. Dr. Gregory Edwards, Executive Director of POWER Interfaith. “Across faiths and neighborhoods, people made clear that affordability is being shaped by choices at every level of government. An affordability report is a necessary step toward honesty, accountability, and solutions that reflect how people are actually living.”
Attendees committed to bearing witness beyond the room by collecting stories from friends, family members, neighbors, and fellow congregants, so that thousands of first-hand stories can accompany the request to City Council, documenting the real human cost of unaffordable living across Philadelphia.
Photos from the Summit are available here.
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Rooted in the prophetic traditions of faith, POWER Interfaith is Pennsylvania’s largest multiracial, multifaith, multigenerational organizing entity. More than 4,700 Pennsylvanians of faith and moral courage are part of this growing movement, coming together across differences to fight for racial and economic justice, a healthy planet, and a stronger democracy. From Philadelphia to Montgomery, Chester to Lancaster, Bucks to Lehigh, and Delaware Counties, we believe that every person has inherent worth and dignity, and that our beliefs call us to act with boldness and hope. Through faith-rooted organizing, public action, and community-building, we’re working towards a Pennsylvania where everyone has what they need to live and thrive. Learn more at www.powerinterfaith.org.
Press Coverage:
Word in the Black: Trying to Survive: Faith Group Hears About Philly’s Housing Crisis
