A groundbreaking ceremony was held Thursday in North Philadelphia to mark the beginning of construction on new apartments designed to support people exiting homelessness. The new facility, named House of Grace, is located at 1315 W. Hunting Park Ave. It will feature 45 efficiency apartments, including 11 accessible units.
This development is the latest housing project from Project HOME, a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering Philadelphians to break the cycle of homelessness and poverty through housing.
“As we break ground today, we are not just building a structure, we are building on that legacy, on that vision,” said Project HOME CEO Donna Bullock. “We are building the future we want to live in, one where every person has a place to call home at Project HOME. We say it often, we say it proudly, and we say it with deep conviction. None of us is home until all of us are home.”
Bullock was joined by Mayor Cherelle Parker, state Sen. Sharif Street, Michael Young (president and CEO of Temple University Health), and Mark Schwartz (vice chair of the Board of the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency, or PHFA) for the ceremonial groundbreaking.
The development is expected to open next year.
Funding and Support
Mark Schwartz announced $16.7 million in funding for the health and housing programs at the new facility. This includes $1.6 million in low-income housing credits, which helped generate $15 million in equity from partner Citizens Bank. Additionally, PHFA and Schwartz will provide $1.85 million in tax credits for Project HOME’s next project, marking a record tax credit donation.
Mayor Cherelle Parker emphasized her belief in taking a “holistic, comprehensive approach to addressing homelessness” and supporting individuals facing mental health challenges and substance abuse disorders. She also reiterated her administration’s ambitious goal through the H.O.M.E. initiative to create and preserve 30,000 housing units in the city. “One housing unit at a time — that’s how we are going to get to 30,000,” Parker said.
State Senator Sharif Street, who is running for Congress, highlighted the importance of housing citing, “Housing equals dignity. Surroundings matter and having a place to live. Is it warm? Is it dry? Are you safe? Do you have a place to eat? These things matter.”
Voices from the Community
Nephali Andujar, a resident at Project HOME’s Inn of Amazing Mercy in Kensington, spoke about the impact of the organization’s work. “My father always told me that there are three things a person needs in life. You can’t do anything without housing. You need a place to stay. You need food and you need love,” he said.
“All of that I found here at Project HOME,” Andujar added. “When you help one person, it affects many people. By helping me, they have helped my family. No more sleepless nights. My daughter is 14. Now she’s proud of me. People who have known me during those dark days, and they see me now, for them is an inspiration.”
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