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| News Updates: (show all) Welcome home, Kitty! Walnut Hill West Celebrates Grand Re-Opening Our First Solar Panels! 56th & Walnut Construction Updates |
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WHAT'S NEW? Welcome home, Kitty! Saturday, April 06, 2013
Kitty Scott was born and raised in the apartments at the corner of 56th and Walnut Streets in West Philadelphia, long before they were called Walnut Hill West. She also spent some time living on the streets in this same neighborhood, caught in the downward spiral of a substance abuse addiction. And now years later, an unlikely twist of events has landed Kitty and her two children, ages 9 and 13, a home of their own in the newly rehabilitated Walnut Hill West. A self-described “recovering addict of 17 years,” Kitty has been working hard to improve her life and the lives of her children. She is currently the House Manager and Kitchen Coordinator for Women of Change, a women’s shelter in Philadelphia. Sixteen years ago, Kitty started working at Women of Change as support staff. Over the years she has worked her way up to her current position. But this job is so much more than a paycheck to her. She is able to connect with the women in a unique way, due to her own background and experience on the streets of Philadelphia. She has started an “Inspiration Group” with the ladies at Women of Change and is currently applying to a GED program. She looks forward to one day completing a Peer Specialist Certification program, “an innova¬tive program that trains and certifies people with behavioral health and substance use challenges to work in the behavioral health field,” through the Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services. But despite all of her hard work and determination, Kitty and her children found themselves again on the brink of homelessness last fall. Due to serious health problems, Kitty was unable to go to work, and therefore running behind on her rent. In desperation, she reached out to CPM for help, just as Walnut Hill West began leasing up. Kitty qualified for an apartment and she and her children are now model tenants at this property. They pitch in and help with picking up litter on the sidewalks and Kitty can be found (voluntarily!) cleaning the common laundry rooms at 7am every Sunday. Kitty says, “It is such a blessing to be here; it’s like I am back home again… but it is so much more beautiful!” She especially notes the impact it has had on her children. “I can really see the change in them because they are secure now. They are much more at peace, and their grades have improved dramatically. I can’t tell you what it means to us not to live in fear any more. When your housing is unstable, it affects everything… but living here really is a dream come true!” - Jessica Stackhouse Labels: Enterprise Green Communities, green buildings, LIHTC, rehabilitation, residents, Walnut Hill West Walnut Hill West Celebrates Grand Re-Opening Thursday, October 25, 2012 Yesterday, CPM celebrated the ribbon-cutting of Walnut Hill West - 32 fully renovated, green and affordable apartments in West Philadelphia. (Read about it in the Philadelphia Inquirer.)
Ms. Teena Watson, resident, told the story of her family's journey to Walnut Hill West. Six months ago, she was in Erie, looking to relocate back to Philadelphia and wondering if a homeless shelter was going to be her only option. "I came back to go to school, get a job, and try to get a better life for my children," Watson said. But finding housing that was affordable and could also accommodate her disability proved to be a problem. Watson is hearing-impaired and told her story through interpreter Crystal Blue of the Society for Helping Church. Then came the break-through: CPM Housing Group had a unit designed especially for hearing-impaired occupants at Walnut Hill West, a newly-renovated affordable apartment complex in West Philadelphia. And the rest is history! Brian Hudson, Executive Director of Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA) spoke about PHFA’s longstanding relationship with CPM, and CPM’s history of using its resources to help those who need it most. Congressman Chaka Fattah and Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell also gave testament to CPM’s work and what it has meant to both this West Philadelphia neighborhood and across the City. Jill Fink, Executive Director of Back on My Feet (BoMF) Philadelphia, spoke about CPM’s new partnership with BoMF to address the housing needs of Philadelphia’s homeless. And Kenny Herder, a member of BoMF and a CPM resident at 8020 Ditman Street, spoke about his experience and what having a home means to him. ABOUT WALNUT HILL WEST These 32 affordable apartments, in 6 buildings in West Philadelphia, have been fully renovated using green design and materials aimed at enhancing both the sustainability of the project and the health of its occupants. The project also features solar panels which are expected to supply 70-75% of the power for the community room, laundry room, exterior lighting and other common areas. The $12.7 Million rehabilitation has been funded by an equity investment from PNC Bank, generated by low income housing tax credits allocated to the project by PHFA, along with soft project loans from the Redevelopment Authority of Philadelphia and PHFA. CPM is working closely with the Veteran’s Administration and Back on My Feet to provide housing for a diverse, but vulnerable group of individuals and households. Just blocks from a Fresh Grocer and the 56th Street El stop, Walnut Hill West Apartments are in an ideal location in the heart of a thriving community. Through this green and low income housing tax credit rehabilitation, Walnut Hill West will now provide affordable homes for the most vulnerable for the next 30 years. The project is currently awaiting certification under the USGBC LEED® for Homes™ Program and Enterprise Green Communities. Labels: green buildings, homeless, LEED®, LIHTC, preservation, rehabilitation, residents, solar, Walnut Hill West Our First Solar Panels! Wednesday, July 25, 2012 CPM's first solar panels were installed today at Walnut Hill West - a 32-unit preservation project in West Philadelphia. 
According to David Hahn, Director of Construction, this 15 KW system is estimated to produce 70-75% of the power for all common areas, including the community room, laundry facilities, office, and hallways. Walnut Hill West is registered under the LEED® for Homes™ Program. Construction is expected to wrap up in the next few months. Labels: green buildings, LEED®, LIHTC, preservation, rehabilitation, solar, Walnut Hill West 56th & Walnut Construction Updates Saturday, April 28, 2012
Construction is well underway on the preservation of 32 units of affordable housing in the heart of West Philadelphia. This project involves the substantial rehabilitation of 6 adjacent buildings, along with the additions of a common room, laundry facility, management office and additional handicap accessibility features. The project is designed to meet Enterprise Green Communities Criteria and registered under the LEED® for Homes™ Program. Construction is expected to finish in February of 2013.
Here are some photo updates from the past few months:
Labels: LEED®, LIHTC, North Philadelphia, preservation, rehabilitation, Walnut Hill West |
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