33 affordable housing homes approved for Point Breeze

With the city’s Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA) approval, two plots of land in rapidly developing Point Breeze will be the future site of 33 affordable apartments and townhomes.

Yesterday, the ZBA voted 3-0 to approve plans to build the Mamie Nichols Townhouses on two plots of vacant land in Point Breeze, the Women’s Community Revitalization Project (WCRP) announced. The 33 townhomes, a mix of one- to three-bedroom apartments and townhomes, will be available for rent for low-income families. Eleven of the homes will be reserved for veterans.

The news comes at a time when Philly is in the middle of a affordable housing shortage. Between 2000 and 2014, the city lost 20 percent of its low-cost housing stock. And recent affordable housing lotteries have experienced a deluge of applicants: The Orinoka Civic House in Kensington received 600 applications for 51 affordable rentals earlier this year. Project HOME received some 1,000 applications for 88 units for its new affordable housing units on North Broad.

Courtesy of WCRP

Meanwhile, Point Breeze’s real estate market is considered one of the hottest in the city. Its 19146 zip code experienced the most home sales in the month of May this year out of any other neighborhood in Philly.

The Mamie Nichols Townhouses, named after the late founder and executive director of the Point Breeze Federation, will take shape at 1308-1344 South Capitol Street and 1400-1428 South Taylor Street. The lots of land are located 0.4 miles from each other.

The WCRP and project partner Citizens Acting Together Can Help (CATCH) are leading the efforts. There is no set construction timeline yet.