"West Philly's Brith Sholom House Gets a New Lease on Life with $50M Public-Private Deal"
A groundbreaking deal between the city and local building unions has secured $50 million in funding to revamp the dilapidated Brith Sholom House, a 336-unit senior living complex in West Philadelphia. The project aims to transform the decades-old property into a safe and healthy space for hundreds of low-income seniors who have been fighting for better conditions.
The partnership between the Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA) and the Philadelphia Building and Construction Trades Council will provide necessary funding to pay off outstanding debt, repair damaged units, and update common areas. The project is part of Mayor Cherelle Parker's $2 billion H.O.M.E initiative, which seeks to create or preserve 30,000 housing units across the city.
The loan agreement, fully guaranteed by the city, comes with a 15-year repayment period at an interest rate of 4.5%. PHA CEO Kelvin Jeremiah described the building as "deplorable" and said he had second thoughts about purchasing it due to its dire living conditions, including rodent infestation, leaking sewage, and inadequate lighting.
The renovation plan will include gut rehabbing the entire complex, creating hundreds of union jobs in the process. The renovated units will be available to seniors over 55 with low and fixed incomes, as well as a new healthcare center.
Curtis Jones Jr., City Councilmember for the Wynnefield Heights district, expressed concern about the living conditions at Brith Sholom, citing instances where residents had to navigate through darkness using their cellphones. He emphasized that vulnerable populations like veterans and people with disabilities should not be forced into the "fourth quarter of their life" in such substandard conditions.
While some critics have raised concerns about PHA's strategy of purchasing existing properties over new construction, Parker sees this approach as a more cost-effective way to expand public housing options. With $800 million in bonds supporting her H.O.M.E initiative, Parker believes that the plan will deliver 20,000 affordable units across the city.
The deal was praised by City Council President Kenyatta Johnson, who emphasized the importance of collaboration between the Philadelphia Building Trades and the city. The project is set to break ground later this year with completion expected in 2028.
A groundbreaking deal between the city and local building unions has secured $50 million in funding to revamp the dilapidated Brith Sholom House, a 336-unit senior living complex in West Philadelphia. The project aims to transform the decades-old property into a safe and healthy space for hundreds of low-income seniors who have been fighting for better conditions.
The partnership between the Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA) and the Philadelphia Building and Construction Trades Council will provide necessary funding to pay off outstanding debt, repair damaged units, and update common areas. The project is part of Mayor Cherelle Parker's $2 billion H.O.M.E initiative, which seeks to create or preserve 30,000 housing units across the city.
The loan agreement, fully guaranteed by the city, comes with a 15-year repayment period at an interest rate of 4.5%. PHA CEO Kelvin Jeremiah described the building as "deplorable" and said he had second thoughts about purchasing it due to its dire living conditions, including rodent infestation, leaking sewage, and inadequate lighting.
The renovation plan will include gut rehabbing the entire complex, creating hundreds of union jobs in the process. The renovated units will be available to seniors over 55 with low and fixed incomes, as well as a new healthcare center.
Curtis Jones Jr., City Councilmember for the Wynnefield Heights district, expressed concern about the living conditions at Brith Sholom, citing instances where residents had to navigate through darkness using their cellphones. He emphasized that vulnerable populations like veterans and people with disabilities should not be forced into the "fourth quarter of their life" in such substandard conditions.
While some critics have raised concerns about PHA's strategy of purchasing existing properties over new construction, Parker sees this approach as a more cost-effective way to expand public housing options. With $800 million in bonds supporting her H.O.M.E initiative, Parker believes that the plan will deliver 20,000 affordable units across the city.
The deal was praised by City Council President Kenyatta Johnson, who emphasized the importance of collaboration between the Philadelphia Building Trades and the city. The project is set to break ground later this year with completion expected in 2028.
I'm so happy to hear that Brith Sholom House is getting a new lease on life! It's heartbreaking to think about all those seniors living in such poor conditions, but it sounds like the city and local unions are really stepping up to make some much-needed changes 
. 50 million dollars is a huge investment, and I hope it makes a real difference for the residents - they deserve so much better than rodent infestation and leaky sewage 
! It's also great to see that this project is creating jobs for union members, which is always a win-win 
. Let's keep our fingers crossed that the renovation process goes smoothly and everyone involved gets the support they need 
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... it's always the same story - someone gets a bunch of money for doing the bare minimum, while we're stuck footing the bill for decades to come 
. I mean, $50M is a decent chunk of change, but think about all those low-income seniors who've been living in those conditions for years 
. Can't we just build new instead of fixing up old? And what's with the healthcare center being thrown in like an afterthought? It feels like a PR stunt to me 
...
. 50 million bucks is a lot of cash, but you gotta wonder how they'll make sure the city doesn't end up footing the bill for all those union jobs 
. And don't even get me started on the safety issues at Brith Sholom - rodent infestations? That's just gross 
. But hey, if it means seniors can actually live in some semblance of dignity and safety, I'm all for it 
. Just gotta hope they don't cut corners or skimp on materials so they can save a buck 
. and its good to see the city stepping up to help out low-income seniors who deserve better living conditions. but at the same time, i'm a bit skeptical about pha's strategy of buying existing properties over new construction. shouldn't we be building more units from scratch instead of just renovating old ones? 
. It's crazy that they had to live in such rough conditions before - think rodent infestation and sewage leaks... like, what even is that? 
But now, with $50M from the city and private investors, Brith Sholom House gets a brand new lease on life 
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They've been struggling for so long, and $50M is a huge amount of money to revamp the whole place. 
The fact that it's part of Mayor Parker's H.O.M.E initiative to create or preserve 30,000 housing units is a huge step forward. 
! $50M should totally cover those damages and repairs, maybe even leave some room for upgrades 
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. I do hope it goes off without a hitch and they get that place fixed up by 2028 
. also, the fact that union jobs are gonna be created is a major win for the community - we need more initiatives like this to support local workers 
. can't wait to see the renovation progress and know that those seniors will have safe & healthy living spaces in no time 