PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation marked its 60th anniversary Friday with an event in the mayor’s reception room.
City Council created PHDC in 1965 to reinvest in neighborhoods left behind as families moved to the suburbs. Its mission and makeup have morphed many times since then, and it now comprises the Land Bank and Redevelopment Authority.
But Executive Director Dave Thomas says it has always had a positive impact.
“Had you not had PHDC, I can’t imagine where Philadelphia would be right now,” he said.
Its flagship program is Basic Systems Repair, which allows homeowners like 93-year-old Daniel Scott to remain in his home of 60 years. His daughter Sheree Johnson praised the program.
“We applied to the program and we were accepted and we were doing a happy dance around the house,” Johnson said.
In addition to preserving existing homes, PHDC builds new affordable homes on Land Bank property through the Turn the Key program. Mayor Cherelle Parker said she’d be leaning heavily on the nonprofit as she works toward her promise of 30,000 new housing units.
“And I want to apologize in advance for the stress and pressure that we are about to put on each and every one of you as we build out this plan but it is going to be great,” Parker said.