Federal budget cuts cost 82 jobs at PHA

The Philadelphia Housing Authority announced Friday it was laying off 82 employees because of federal budget cuts.

"These cuts are necessary in order to prevent any resident from becoming homeless," said Kelvin Jeremiah, the authority's president and chief executive officer. "PHA will continue to find ways to cut costs without compromising services to residents."

The agency gave one-week severance deals to 46 represented workers and 36 nonrepresented workers. The layoffs will save the agency nearly $7.2 million. PHA lost federal funds because of the sequestration fight in Washington. - Robert Moran