Something Positive For NE Philly!

[Marius Pontmercy]

Originally Posted by tintin19119

I`M with about PHA. You should see some of the PHA homes in North Philly.

Unfortunately the trend has been to encourage moving tenants from the housing authorities onto Section 8. That way HUD isn't responsible for the upkeep of all those low income rental units. Instead a slumlord gets to collect government checks while shacking up poor people in falling apart houses that be bought in neighborhoods with a weak housing market. This is what really has driven the downfall of many Philly neighborhoods in the last twenty years. Homes in neighborhoods that were aging and had little interest from working or middle class buyers were either turned to rentals or sold at firesale to landlords who either use the properties as a Section 8 plantation or just never bothered to see who they were putting into their rental houses and what that did to the neighborhood. The only thing you can really do to prevent Section 8 from coming into your neighborhood is to either figure out a way to make it attractive enough to buyers so that prices don't fall into "Brooklyn investor" territory, or ensure that your neighbors sell to buyers with the intention to occupy the house and who have good backgrounds. The way I always check how healthy a neighborhood is will be to first check the trend in housing prices. Usually everything else: crime, QOL issues, neighborhood amenities, will be attached to that trend. What has to be checked is the slide in home values, and the practice of turning properties over to irresponsible landlords. Really there's no good solution to subsidized housing because the whole concept is flawed to begin with, but that's another discussion.

[Trip33]

Originally Posted by bryson662001

I don't see this as having much impact on the surrounding community. Holy family at Frankford and Grant pretty much keeps to itself, a good neighbor but not having much influence on it's surroundings.

Growing up in the area, I remember when it was Holy Family College and pretty much just the one building sitting directly on Frankford Ave. The University's expansion has been methodical, albeit a little slow. But, there is a small amount of student housing there now and they closed off what was Stevenson Drive. Even a small university makes an attractive neighbor, especially for educating local commuters. Several of my friends were able to live at home while working and pursuing their degree. The have also done a nice job with evening advanced degree programs.

Maybe direct economic impact won't be huge since there aren't a lot destinations for dining or shopping, but it is certainly better than the alternative.