Nutter's first budget has already left City Council members wondering how he's going to fund lofty affordable housing goals - Nutter wants to build 1,000 units a year through the city's Housing Trust Fund - but today's announcement will speed him toward that mark.

The $5.3 million in grants to be announced today by Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh will help build 645 units on projects totaling $77.3 million.

The bank is actually a financial co-op of 331 lenders. Spokesman Neil Cotiaux said the number of grants in Philadelphia far outstrips previous years, as government officials and housing advocates become aware of their availability. Last year, for instance, a total of 11 projects were funded for $2.6 million - and only six were in Philadelphia, Cotiaux said.

Developments range from a 54 new one-bedroom apartments for low-income seniors in Mill Creek (West Philadelphia) to 23 units for the formerly homeless in Tacony. Nutter will join Sen. Bob Casey and U.S. Rep. Allyson Schwartz for the announcement.