Affordable Housing Gurus

Affordable Housing Success Story - Temple II North Gratz, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

1260 Housing Development Corporation and the CPM Housing Group are pleased to announce the completion of the Temple II N. Gratz Street Project – the rehabilitation of 40 affordable housing units in 29 historic brownstone buildings on the 1500 Block of N. Gratz Street. A ceremony to commemorate the opening of the project will be held on the site at 11:00 AM on Thursday, November 3, 2011. More details, directions, and registration for this event are online at www.celebratetemple2.eventbrite.com. The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required.

The Project is expected to receive LEED for Homes® Platinum certification which highlights 1260’s commitment to environmental stewardship and the long-term health of its residents, and are part of the larger plan to revitalize the surrounding neighborhood. David Hahn, Director of Construction, explains, “The cost savings that tenants will realize in their energy-efficient units (with extra insulation, Energy-Star appliances, and high-efficiency plumbing) will allow for more discretionary income to be spent in the community.”

Development funding for the Project was provided by Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency, the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Philadelphia, Enterprise Community Investment, Inc., Firstrust Bank, Community Lenders Community Development Corporation, Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh (through Firstrust Bank), Federal Home Loan Bank of New York (through M&T Bank) and The Reinvestment Fund. Rental subsidies for the Project are provided by the Philadelphia Housing Authority and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Temple II N. Gratz will also receive funding through the sale of carbon offset through the Enterprise Green Communities Offset Fund. This is the first domestic offset program supporting carbon reducing efforts through green affordable housing. Enterprise will purchase carbon emissions reductions from this project which will be retired, measured and verified over the next ten years.

Sustainable design elements of the Project include: Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified lumber; additional insulation in exterior walls; no Volatile Organic Compound (VOC)-emitting finishes or adhesive materials; high efficiency plumbing fixtures; high recycled content building materials and Energy Star and hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC)-free mechanical systems. New Energy-Star Low E argon filled replacement and new windows increase day-lighting. A white roof system helps reduce the “heat island” effect. All site work was conducted in a manner to minimize disturbance of native vegetation and soil within the construction area. Best Management Practices of erosion and sedimentation controls were used, and a construction waste recycling program diverted 85% of the waste from landfills to recycling facilities. 

About 1260 Housing Development Corporation

1260 Housing Development Corporation (1260) is a 501(c)(3) Pennsylvania nonprofit corporation with a mission of providing high quality affordable housing with housing related services to low income individuals with a focus on individuals with behavioral health challenges in the City of Philadelphia. Since 1988, 1260 has developed over 1,200 units of affordable housing in Philadelphia. 1260 is a member of CPM Housing Group, a group of nonprofit companies with more than 20 years of experience in developing and managing affordable rental housing for low-income individuals. The CPM Housing Group currently operates more than 2000 units of affordable rental housing in the mid-Atlantic region.

About LEED® for Homes

LEED® for Homes is a third-party certification system for building and designing high-performance green homes that are energy-and resource-efficient and healthy for its occupants. Developed and administered by USGBC, LEED for Homes awards points to projects in eight categories of environmental performance: Innovation & Design Process, Location & Linkages, Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency,
Indoor Environmental Quality, Energy & Atmosphere, Materials & Resources, and Awareness & Education. Homes can become LEED Certified, Silver, Gold, or Platinum.

Affordable Housing Success Story – Westminster Place at Stewartstown, Stewartstown, Pennsylvania

The most recent installment of our Success Stories series highlights Westminster Place at Stewartstown, a 96-unit senior development situated in southern York County, Pennsylvania. Westminster Place at Stewartstown’s story began in 2005 when Hopewell Fypon Millworks closed its doors, leaving behind a century-old brick furniture factory which was connected to several of other buildings. In 2008, everything was demolished except the old factory building which was transformed into what is now known as Westminster Place at Stewartstown.

As for the 96 units housed in the building, 49 are reserved for very low-income seniors with the other 47 designated for low-income seniors. 20 of the 96 units are reserved for the physically disabled. The apartments are currently being leased with 52 units occupied and 16 applications in process.

What kind of amenities does the development offer? Tenants can garden their own complimentary on-site plot of land, a unique opportunity for apartment living. Other amenities include a large community room with a home theater system, hair salon, fitness center, laundry center, lending library, and a walking trail. Geothermal heating and cooling are provided throughout the development.

The development is sponsored by Springwood Real Estate Services and Presbyterian Senior Living.

You can find more information about Westminster Place at Stewartstown here.

If you would like to have a development considered for our Success Stories series, please
e-mail affordablehousing@macpas.com.

Affordable Housing Success Story - Westminster Place at Carroll Village, Dillsburg, Pennsylvania

We are pleased to highlight Westminster Place at Carroll Village in our Success Stories series. Westminster Place at Carroll Village is located in Dillsburg, Pennsylvania, and was developed by Presbyterian Senior Living . The development was completed and began leasing up in May and is already fully occupied and has a waiting list. The development is comprised of 29 one-bedroom and two-bedroom units, averaging 658 – 867 square feet. The 29 rental units are for individuals age 55 and older with low to moderate income. The development has the unique feature of underground parking available to all residents. Westminster Place at Carroll Village includes four units designed for occupancy by persons who use a wheelchair. Other features of the development include ample storage in the units in addition to 12 square feet of storage for each unit elsewhere in the building; laundry facilities on each floor; and a community room and social space for community activities.

If you would like to have a development considered for our Success Stories series, please e-mail affordablehousing@macpas.com. 

Affordable Housing Success Story - Temple I: North 16th Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

1260 Housing Development Corporation and the CPM Housing Group are pleased to announce the completion of the Temple I N. 16th Street Project – the LEED ® Gold certified rehabilitation of 58 affordable housing units in 22 historic brownstone buildings.

The sustainable design features of this project highlight 1260’s commitment to environmental stewardship and the long-term health of its residents, and are part of the larger plan to revitalize the surrounding neighborhood. David Hahn, Director of Construction, explains, “Not only will the native vegetation and run-off swales reduce flooding and contribute to the overall aesthetics of the block, but the cost savings the tenants will realize in their energy-efficient units (with extra insulation, Energy-Star appliances, and high-efficiency plumbing) will allow for more discretionary income to be spent in the community.”

Development funding for the Project was provided by the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (through the ARRA Tax Credit Exchange program), the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Federal Home Loan Banks of Pittsburgh and New York, the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Philadelphia, The Reinvestment Fund, and Beneficial Bank. Rental subsidies for the Project are provided by the Philadelphia Housing Authority and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Temple I also benefited financially from selling a carbon offset through the Enterprise Green Communities Offset Fund, the first domestic offset program supporting carbon reducing efforts through green affordable housing. Enterprise bought 822 metric tons of carbon emissions reductions from this project which will be retired, measured and verified over the next ten years.

Sustainable design elements of the Project include: Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified lumber; additional insulation in exterior walls; no Volatile Organic Compound (VOC)-emitting finishes or adhesive materials; high efficiency plumbing fixtures; high recycled content building materials and Energy Star and hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC)-free mechanical systems. New Energy-Star Low E argon filled replacement and new windows increase day-lighting. A white roof system helps reduce the “heat island” effect. All site work was conducted in a manner to minimize disturbance of native vegetation and soil within the construction area. Best Management Practices of erosion and sedimentation controls were used, and a construction waste recycling program diverted 85% of the waste from landfills to recycling facilities.

If you would like to have a development considered for our Success Stories series, please e-mail affordablehousing@macpas.com. 

Affordable Housing Success Story - Park Avenue Apartments, Lancaster, Pennsylvania

The next success story to be highlighted in our Success Stories series is Park Avenue Apartments. Park Avenue Apartments is located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, just one block from Lancaster General Hospital. The project is comprised of 21 one-bedroom units, averaging 658 square feet; and 3 two-bedroom units, averaging 830 square feet. The 24 rental units are for individuals age 55 and older, and six of the units have been designated for tenants with mental illness. The project has 4 units set aside for tenants in wheelchairs and the building has an elevator making every unit accessible to wheelchair users. The basement of the building offers offices, a community room, and laundry facilities. The rental fees per unit range from $250 to $776 per month and the first residents will begin moving into the property in early November 2010.  Park Avenue Apartments was developed by Community Basics, Inc. and construction was completed late October 2010. The building, a former shoe warehouse, was renovated at a cost of $5.1 million, including approximately $1.37 million in American Reinvestment and Recovery Act funds administered by the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency. The project incorporated various “green” components, including ground source heating and cooling, compact fluorescent lights, and insulation made from soy beans. In addition, the Lancaster County Office of Mental Health/Mental Retardation/Early Intervention is providing a rental subsidy for the six apartments housing residents with mental illness, and The Lodge, Inc. of Pennsylvania will provide support services to all residents.

If you would like to have a development considered for our Success Stories series, please e-mail affordablehousing@macpas.com.

Affordable Housing Success Story - Mifflin Mills, Lebanon, Pennsylvania

In our November 2, 2009 blog post, we began a series of affordable housing success stories with Westminster Place at Parkesburg. Through this series, we hope to highlight the great work being done in Pennsylvania to provide affordable housing.

The second success story to be highlighted in our series is Mifflin Mills Townhomes (Mifflin Mills). Mifflin Mills is Lebanon, Pennsylvania’s first affordable rent-to-own townhouse community. The development is comprised 20 three-bedroom townhomes located just blocks from downtown Lebanon. Mifflin Mills was developed by the Lebanon County Housing Authority and construction was completed in November 2009. Mifflin Mills offers a unique opportunity for tenants in that the units will be leased during the first 15 years and then they will be sold to their tenants. During each year of occupancy, funds will be escrowed for tenants to use toward the down payment on the townhome. The 1,380 square foot 2 and 3 story units have open floor plans, front porches, off-street parking, energy star appliances, and high efficiency natural gas heat.  Mifflin Mills was developed on a vacant blighted city block and the construction of Mifflin Mills has greatly improved the appearance of the neighborhood. In addition, the property was designed to blend in with streetscape of the neighborhood further adding to the aesthetics of the community in which it is located.

Projects such as this highlight the excellent quality of housing that is being developed through the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program administered by the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency.

If you know of a project for consideration in our success stories series, e-mail us at affordablehousing@macpas.com.

Affordable Housing Success Story - Westminster Place at Parkesburg, Parkesburg, Pennsylvania

What do many people think of when they hear the words “affordable housing”?  Do they envision high-rise buildings in inner cities laden with roaches and crime? Do they think “the projects” and imagine a group of apartments in a state of disrepair? Do they want to emphatically say “Not in My Backyard!!”? Those of us who work in the affordable housing industry know that these misperceptions of affordable housing are a far cry from what affordable housing really is. 

Affordable housing in the 21st century is the creation of homes that working families and seniors in their retired years have the financial means to live in. Much of affordable housing today is as creative and unique as it is commonsensical and practical.  Affordable developments offer a wide array of supportive services that may include transportation, basic health screenings, wellness programs, and household management assistance. Many of today’s affordable developments also offer amenities such as computer labs, fitness equipment, and security systems.