Employee Spotlight – Jessica DeVine

Petra Community Housing owes much of its success to its employees, who work with compassion and efficiency to further our mission of expanding access to safe, stable, and affordable housing for individuals and families with limited income in our community. To help our community know us better, we’ll be sharing a glimpse into the people who diligently work for Petra. Today we spotlight Jessica DeVine, Resident Services Department Coordinator.

Strengthening Our Housing Services

Jess joined the Petra staff in September of 2024. As Resident Services Department Coordinator, she works to connect current residents to available, needed resources. She also endeavors to create harmony between the buildings Petra manages – Bard Complex, Flag House, SteelTown Village, Freedom House, Paradise Place, and Hopkinson House.

Professional Background

Jess DeVine spent 4 years building relationships in the community and serving a diverse and challenged population before joining Petra. Previously, she worked for Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities where she was a Housing Locator, finding housing for the unhoused population in Montgomery County. She worked with the elderly, disabled, veterans, and families – a perfect fit for the community that Petra serves. “My interactions with the people I served and the connections I’ve made in the community have prepared me for this role with Petra,” she points out. Jess is also a Trauma Certified professional.

Impact on the Community

In Jess’s role as Resident Services Department Coordinator, she helps residents become more self-sufficient and gives them the tools and confidence they need. “I am a nurturer by nature. I love helping people and making sure that they succeed. I am a problem solver and pride myself on finding an answer if I don’t have one. I enjoy networking and building relationships,” Jess says.

Jess is working to bring more social services and resources to Petra residents. She believes in collaborating with other organizations in the community and hopes to provide workspace onsite to meet with residents for expediting service requests and meeting needs. She is also working to launch a new volunteer program that aims to provide services that meet residents’ needs.

A Commitment to the Mission

Assisting residents to live their best and most comfortable life, whether they are rebuilding financially or aging in place, is Jess’s goal as well as Petra’s. “Watching people not only succeed but thrive is the reward for me,” says Jess, “Affordable housing and self-sufficiency should be available to everyone.”

Part of Petra’s mission is to be a supportive place to live – and Jess’s work as Resident Services Department Coordinator aims to help us fulfill that objective. In addition, one of Petra’s core values is to be collaborative: “[Petra values] partnering with individuals, governmental agencies, and private organizations to combine our strengths and talents to bring ideas to life.” Jess embodies this core value in part through her participation in the Emerging Leader Fellowship. ELF encourages its members to advance change by advocating for policy and practice improvements, advancing new approaches to service delivery, and building coalitions and partnerships. These coalitions and partnerships promise to increase the services available to Petra residents, thereby enhancing their lives.

Looking Ahead

Petra Community Housing appreciates the expertise Jess DeVine brings to the team. As we continue to respond to the community’s housing needs, Jess’s role represents an important part in expanding access to affordable, stable housing.

For more information about Petra and its housing programs, visit petrach.org or contact us at (610) 948-1797.