Project H.O.M.E. develops new housing

Philadelphia dwelling will accommodate veterans, the mentally challenged and low-income residents. Mayor Nutter hails it as model for the rest of the country.

A new low-income housing development in Philadelphia is destined to have a unique mix of tenants.

Project H.O.M.E., which will develop the apartment building at 2101 W. Venango St., set aside 15 units for homeless veterans and 25 for adults with a history of homelessness and mental illness. The rest of the units will be for low-income residents.

Businessman John Middleton, who’s a part owner of the Phillies, is contributing to the project as part of a multimillion-dollar donation.

“Sustainable affordable housing with supportive services is not just good policy, it’s just good business because it saves lives and saves money,” says Middleton. “Our hope is this project and its innovative public-private partnership will cause others to invest in Philadelphia’s future.”

Mayor Michael Nutter, who says the building should be a model for the nation, says the plan answers a need for veterans. “It’s a national disgrace that those who serve this country well have not been served well by their country in later years,” says Nutter. “This is an effort to reverse that decline in our community and in our nation. This is a model that the United States should look at in regards to veterans and homeless veterans with these challenges.”

More than 300 construction workers will be hired to renovate the building. It should be finished next year.