Germantown House resident EdithCunningham holds the ribbon shortly after ribbon-cutting ceremony.

PHA has reaffirmed its commitment toPhiladelphia’s low-income seniors with the opening ofthe beautiful new Germantown House. The buildinghas 133 apartments, and it also features a LIFE Centeron the first floor. LIFE stands for LivingIndependently for Elders, a special program for seniorswho could be living in a nursing home but who wouldrather enjoy the independence of their own apartment.

Most residents of Germantown House don’t need theservices of the LIFE center now, but as they age manywill become eligible to get the assistance with dailyactivities that they may need.

Dozens of PHA seniors gathered on the front lawnof the building for grand opening ceremonies on June15. Edith Cunningham was among them. Like othersin the audience, she was overflowing with appreciationfor the efforts that led to the opening of the building.“The convenience of having help come right into ourapartments instead of going to a nursing home likeback in the day, this is just wonderful,” she said. Ms.Cunningham wanted so much to remember the openingthat she asked for the purple and gold ribbon that wascut during the ceremonies as a keepsake.

PHA Executive Director (Continued Page 13)

LIFE comes to Germantown House

On a rainy, Tuesday morning in late June, 16 recent-ly homeless people came to PHA’s Admissions Officewith the hope of finding something many of us take forgranted: a place to call home. These were not homelesspeople exactly. They were graduates of the “transitionalhousing program,” meaning they had spent at least sixmonths in temporary apartments operated by one of sev-eral non-profit organizations.

The group was an interesting mix of younger andolder adults, men and women, some with children, andothers just by themselves. None of them matched theimage of a homeless person that so many of us have. Bytheir dress, appearance, and speech, these were people

who could easily be mistaken for members of our ownfamilies.

62 year old Shirley Clark became homeless lastJanuary, a victim of depression caused by the untimelydeath of her 32 year old son and the loss of another fam-ily member. She was working part time, but eventuallylost her job and two grandchildren living with her. TheDepartment of Human Services took them awaybecause of problems with a heater in her home in NorthPhiladelphia.

Shirley, who is disabled by by arthritis, stayed withfamily members for a while. She then lived in twoshelters before ending up in (Continued Page 13)

Answers for homeless families

Last year, Shericka Burrow wasfiling papers in an office, bored totears. Juan R. Gaines was workingfor a caterer. And 20-year oldAntonio Owens was struggling atCommunity College of Philadelphia,trying to figure out what he wanted todo with his life.

They all realized they preferred

working with their hands, instead ofshuffling papers or serving egg salad,and decided to enroll in PHA’s Pre-Apprenticeship Program. The trio hadjust completed the 10-week trainingprogram for Boeing AircraftCompany through Delaware CountyCommunity College. Now they’rehoping to be offered jobs building

Osprey military aircraft at Boeing’sDelaware County plant.

PHA’s Pre-Apprenticeship pro-gram gives housing residents thechance to study with union craftsmenand prepares them to take the test tojoin the unions. Graduates can chooseto become electricians, carpenters orsheet metal workers, for example.

But PHA staff members are notcontent to merely pass studentsthrough the program—they activelylook for career opportunities toboost them to success. AlWilliams, a job development con-sultant who works with Pre-Apprenticeship, learned about theBoeing program through an agencycalled the Collegiate Consortiumand pursued (Continued Page 14)

Pre-Apprenticeship grads flying high at Boeing

Lawrence Boylae, roofing instructorshows Antonio Owens II and SherickaBurrow how to perfectly cut a piece ofsheet metal. They are part of a train-ing program at Boeing Aircraft thatwill enable them to get jobs workingon Osprey military aircraft.

PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDPERMIT NO. 6868

PHILA, PA

Vol. III No. 3 (Issue 14) A Community Newspaper for and about Residents July 2007

Sonia Garrett (third from left), Manager atHarrison Homes, points out locations in theskyline to graduates of the Blueprint Programduring their visit to a 13th floor apartment.

Rallying for funds in DC

page 3

Chowing down at Rosen page 15

Unique site opens in East Falls

page 14

Keeping our communities clean

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Sharon Farmer is putting herhope in God and Hope VI.

A Hope VI scholarship helpedthe Blackwell Homes residentand mother of two rebound afterbeing laid off by Strawbridge’s,where she worked for 14 years asa sales manager. Using thescholarship, she enrolled in amaster’s program at PalmerTheological Seminary. By theend of the year, she will hold aMaster’s of Divinity degree andwill be waiting to see what Godhas planned for the next step ofher journey.

Sharon’s dynamic personalityand belief that education is thekey to success has affected bothof her children. “All you can dofor your children is pray andteach them what is important.You have to be a role model,”she says. Although she is notCatholic, she is a firm believer inCatholic education. “That’s whyI sent my son to West Catholic

High School and why he’s nowat Villanova.”

Sharon’s son Christopher hasa four-year NCAA footballscholarship to Villanova, wherehe is expected to start next sea-

son as an offensive lineman - achange for the boy who enteredthe program as a defensivetackle. “His dream is to bedrafted by the NFL,” saysSharon, who adds at Villanova

the sports program is for “stu-dent athletes, not just athletes.All the boys have tutors andfrom eight to 10 every night it isa lockdown for studying.”

Following in the footsteps ofhis hardworking Mom, Chris isspending the summer workingin a football camp, taking oneclass at Villanova and holdingdown a part time job.

Sharon’s daughterChristiana is also benefitingfrom a Hope VI scholarship.After completing a bachelor’sdegree in business at PennState, Christina tried studyingfor an MBA at LaSalleUniversity, but didn’t feel itwas the right course for her.

“I’m a people person,” saysChristina, 24, who is nowenrolled in a nursing program atJefferson Medical College andreceiving a Hope VI scholarship.

“I like working with theelderly. Right now, I’m work-

ing in a psych unit, and youget to meet a lot of interestingpersonalities.”

Christina plans to completeher nursing degree by spring2008, but she doesn’t intend tostop her education. “There is abridge program at Jefferson, soat that point, I can begin work-ing on my masters,” explains theambitious young woman.

Sharon is grateful for all ofthe programs PHA makes avail-able for housing residents andtries to persuade her neighborsto participate. “I got into a com-puter program, and now we’vegot three computers, and I’mtaking a training course. Ienrolled in Credit Boot Camp,and I’m cleaning up my creditfor the day when I want to buymy own house.

Whenever I see somethingthat is available, I don’t hesi-tate to try it. One thing leadsto another.”

Page 3The PHA

Experience • July 2007www.pha.phila.gov

Capturing the flavor of an old-time civil rightsrally, several hundred residents of public housingconverged on the nation’s capital on June 20 witha unified message: restore funding for affordablehousing.

The residents traveled from Philadelphia,Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Baltimore and even NewOrleans. Philadelphia’s Resident Advisory Boardleader Asia Coney organized the demonstration,which began on the west lawn of the Capitol andthen moved to the front of the HUD building. She

said residents have to take their case to the peoplein Washington who make the decisions.

Federal budget cuts have led to fewer residentservices, delayed repairs, and less security. Coneysaid the lack of funding may also lead to lesshousing for the seniors and disabled who arewaiting to get in.

Residents in front of the HUD building markedtheir stay there by holding hands, singing “WeShall Overcome,” and chanting, “If you can’t findthe money, get out of the house.”

Inspiration and Hope VI lead to advanced degrees

Residents go to DC to ask for housing funding

“I give God the credit and the glory,” says divinitystudent Sharon Farmer, seated between her daugh-ter Christina, her son Christopher and granddaugh-ter Daeje.

Residents listen to speakers on the Capitol lawn.

Residents rallying at HUD headquarters.

Resident Advisory Board President Asia Coneyaddresses the crowd on Capitol lawn.

May 2, 2007 was a wonderful day to celebrate thegroundbreaking of a new PHA development. And NellieReynolds was the ideal person to name the developmentafter. Commissioner Reynolds was overjoyed to have

five generations of her family along with fellow residentsand political friends watch a planned 64-unit seniordevelopment dedicated in her honor.

Nellie Reynolds Gardens will be located next door toJohnson Homes and will include a full-service seniorcenter on the first floor. The building was named afterReynolds as a tribute to her 40 years of work trying toempower public housing residents, a fact echoed byMayor John Street in his remarks. “Nellie and I were onthe front lines back in the 70’s,” he told the crowd.

Resident Advisory Board (RAB) President AsiaConey said residents enjoy achievements today becauseof the battles Nellie fought. “There is no individual whois more deserving of this honor. The building, while itmay be a huge honor, is a small token when you meas-ure her contribution,” said Coney.

In 1969 Reynolds helped organize a diverse group oftenant leaders to establish the Resident Advisory Board.The RAB is a national model for tenants and is nowestablished in housing authorities across the country. She

served as RAB president for 25 years before retiring. Reynolds has received awards for her exceptional

work in the community from Mayors Wilson Goode, EdRendell and Street in addition to an outstanding serviceaward from the National Tenants Organization.

In 2000 she received the Medallion Award for com-munity service from the Philadelphia chapter ofOperation PUSH (People United to Serve Humanity).And in 2006 she received the Women Making ADifference Award.

The groundbreaking was attended by a number of dig-nitaries including members of Philadelphia’s CityCouncil. PHA Executive Director Carl Greene said thetimes demand that we take the lead in providing for eld-ers, adding “low-income seniors deserve the same levelof quality housing as the families we serve.”

This will be the third site, in addition to Greater GraysFerry Estates and Germantown House, to combine pub-lic housing for seniors with on-site elder care services. Adistinctive feature of the building is a glass atrium overan indoor garden, a tribute to the outdoor gardenReynolds kept on the property for many years. Thebuilding should be ready for move-in by the end of 2008.

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4PHA breaks ground for Nellie Reynold Gardens

Commissioner Nellie Reynolds, CouncilmanDarrell Clarke and Executive Director, CarlGreene mark beginning of construction.

Five generations celebrate groundbreaking.Surrounding Commissioner Reynolds are:Jackie McDowell - daughter, Douglas Reynolds– son, Victoria McDowell – granddaughter,Paula Reynolds – Douglas’s wife), AmirahMcDowell – great granddaughter, AyannaSpears –great great granddaughter, SharyahLawrence – great great granddaughter.

Help for grandparents raising children

The Kinship Care and Senior Support Network(KSCN) Optimist Club offers support and assistance toadults who are caring for their relative’s children.Although the majority of the participants are grandpar-ents, any relative caring for another relative’s child iswelcome to join.

Club founder Christine Boyd is a PHA resident whoraised two grandsons herself and has been helping otherseniors in her situation for over 10 years. “We give par-enting classes for seniors who are parenting the secondtime around,” says Boyd. “We have workshops on how torelate to children.”

Boyd points out that these seniors have already raised

one family and are no longer used to dealing with youngchildren. Many of the children, she adds, have physicaland emotional disabilities that require special attention.An array of speakers advises the group on nutrition andlegal matters in addition to relationship issues.

The group began as an information and referral serv-ice. It quickly expanded into a support group for bothguardians and children. In 1997, the Department ofHealth Services recognized KSCN.

“Raising children 35 to 40 years ago was much differ-ent than raising children now,” says Charmaine Morton,PHA’s coordinator of senior services. Extensive trainingis provided by the Department of Human Services, aswell as several other city agencies.

Grandparents can take advantage of peer counselingprograms, community events, and financial assistancethat the program offers. Assistance is available for mem-bers who need help filling out forms and completingpaperwork. Every effort is taken to try to accommodateparticipants. “We want this to be a safe haven for grand-parents that need support raising grandchildren.”saidBoyd.

The program meets twice a month at the John StreetCommunity Center, although you do not have to be aPHA resident to attend. Currently, the program hasapproximately 30 participants. For more information,contact Charmaine Morton at 215-684- 1183 or ChristineBoyd at 215-765-5348.

The Philadelphia Housing Authority, working withAddus Healthcare, is offering a housekeeping programfor seniors within the PHA community. This programwas designed to assist those who are not able to cleanand upkeep their apartments on their own. Participantsare 55 years with disabilities, 65 years or who areunable to care for their apartment due to illness or anoth-er circumstance. Funded through a grant, Addus sup-plies PHA with staff that provides light housework forthe seniors involved in the program.

This program was developed in order to accommo-date those seniors that want to live on their own, but donot have the ability to care for their apartment by them-

selves or do not have anyone to help them do house-work.

Project Managers will first inspect the senior’s resi-dence to ensure that they qualify for the program.Services offered include ironing, sweeping, and washingdishes. Seniors are able to utilize this service up to threetimes a week for three hours a session. Housekeepingsessions run from 9AM to 1PM, or 1PM to 5PM.Currently, the program has 62 participants.

Interested seniors should contact Charmaine Mortonat Elder Care Initiatives at 215-684-1184 or theirProperty Manager at their PHA site.

PHA offers housekeeping services to seniors

Christine Boyd helps PHA grandparents withparenting.

Dorothy "Dot" JonesWe mourn the passing of Dorothy "Dot" Jones, a

PHA employee known and loved by many residentsfor her helpfulness and cheerful disposition. Dot'sjob was to help residents advance economically;including helpingsome start their ownbusinesses throughthe Section 3 pro-gram.

Dot, who servedon the residentcouncil at HarrisonHomes, died on July5th of complicationsresulting from a caraccident in earlyJune. She was 54.

PHA’s Pre-Apprenticeship Program can now claima new high of 65 graduates who have reached journey-man or journeywoman status in the building trades.Recently, 13 PHA residents graduated to that level inthe Carpenters Union.

Journeyman is a more lofty level than the name maysound. It means that a man or woman has completedfour years of apprenticeship in theunion and is now fully certified.They also earn the highest payscale in their trade.

“You can go anywhere in theU.S. where a union local exists andthey will seek employment foryou,” says George Johnson, Pre-Apprenticeship Program coordinator.

Johnson also says that once a person reaches jour-neyman/woman status, they can develop specialtyareas and do jobs they really enjoy.

For example, Kevin Dawkins, one of the 13 recentgraduates, is a layout carpenter who specializes inblueprint reading, elevation reading, and giving spec-ifications of how a building will be constructed. Veryfew people have that range of skills, making themmore valuable. Kevin is the first African-American

layout foreman in Philadelphia working for MadisonConstruction.

Dawkins, 25, grew up at Abbottsford Homes. Henow lives in Mount Airy. He’s also attendingPhiladelphia University and working toward a degreein mathematics that will allow him to teach underpriv-ileged children. Kevin says reaching journeyman sta-

tus has allowed him to put his five-year-old daughter in dance andgymnastic classes.

“It’s a transformation fromhaving the mentality of the ‘hood’to the mentality of the neighbor-hood,” he says. “Where I’m atnow, it’s much better. I can raise

my daughter. She can play out front. “It’s much bigger than me. Now, young guys from

the ‘hood’ can say ‘Hey! He’s from our projects. Hedid it. I know I can do it.’”

Allegra King says working as a carpenter will allowher to leave Housing Choice and buy her own home.She has worked for Buckley & Company on the expan-sion of Route 309, building ramps, lanes and soundbarriers. She’s also building a better life for her threechildren, ages 15, 12, and seven.

King, 32, says her children are really proud of her.Eventually, she’d like to become a safety inspector forOSHA (Occupational Safety & HealthAdministration).

Yuhanna Fields, who grew up in a PHA ScatteredSites home, had worked as a security guard and shortorder cook before coming into the Pre-ApprenticeshipProgram. He says having a career in carpentry meansa better life for his three-year-old daughter.

Yuhanna, who has worked on a variety of construc-tion jobs, also has plans to buy property, fix it and sellit. He encourages other PHA residents to get into theprogram because it gives you discipline and focus.

“If you’re hands-on, this is for you. If you’re notscared of a little hard work, this is for you. If you wantto make good money, this is for you,” he says.

Shenecqua Butt believes her career in carpentry willlead her out of Scattered Sites and into homeowner-ship. This 36-year-old had worked as a cosmetologist,at the Post Office, and in retail before getting herchance in the building trades. She says it felt like heav-en when she got her journeywoman’s card.

“It was really a struggle, between schoolwork andraising a family. When I first went through Pre-Apprenticeship, I didn’t have a GED or anything. Iknow in life you’ve got to go through something to getwhere you need to be.”

I am happy to report that this year’sPHA Customer Service andSatisfaction Survey again shows thatresidents of PHA communities aregenerally happy with where they liveand the service they get.

Perhaps the most telling result inthe survey is the very first answer –90% of residents say they are satisfiedor very satisfied with their home orapartment. Another question askswhether you would recommend yourhousing development to a friend orfamily member. The answer to thatone is 78%, which tells us that resi-dents feel better about their homes

than their neighborhoods.You seem to like the job PHA does

on repairs. 89% said routine repairswere done well, and 98% said theywere treated well by the person doingthe repairs.

PHA appears to be doing a god jobof explaining its lease rules. 94%agreed that the agency had done a goodjob in that area of communication.

When it comes to public safety,90% of PHA residents said theyfeel safe in their homes, but only64% feel safe in their parking area.That reply reflects the current con-cern over crime.

Some results which we found dis-turbing included the fact that 36% saidthey sometimes see abandoned cars intheir communities, 46% say theysometimes see broken glass, and 37%see graffiti. A small minority of resi-dents can cause those kinds of prob-lems, which impact an entire commu-nity. We have begun a public aware-ness Clean Sweep campaign to addressthat issue.

As PHA operates with less funding,it’s become more of a challenge to pro-vide the high level of service our cus-tomers have become accustomed to.But our employees are doing every-

thing possible to make sure yourhomes are well maintained. As we sayin our radio announcement: PHA com-munities are strong; with your help wecan keep them that way. Thank you.

Page 5The PHA

Experience • July 2007www.pha.phila.gov

Carl R. Greene

A message from the Executive Director

Record number of Pre-Apprenticeship grads hit top scale

Pictured at the Pre-Apprenticeship Programgraduation on May 24 are: Eric Harris, Sr.,Shenecqua Butt, Yuhanna Fields, GaryJames, Allegra King, and Carl Green. (Not thePHA’s Carl Greene).

This summer Taewanda Johnson, a former PHAresident, became the first in her family to earn a mas-ter’s degree. She came a long way since she began hercollege coursework ten years ago when she lived atBartram and Norris Homes. Back then, PHA had afantastic opportunity for residents. Through anarrangement with Temple University, a limited numberof residents who showed a tremendous effort, driveand ability to succeed, would receive a full four-yearscholarship. Only 25 of 500 applicants that year wouldreceive this scholarship. Taewanda was one of them.

This was not an easy assignment. Taewanda says “Ihad a certain amount of hopelessness living in povertyand the negative connotations that come from society.Having somebody believe in you and give you thatextra push and the financial backing, helps you believethat you can do it.”

And the scholarship wasn’t totally free.

Requirements for thefull scholarshipincluded being a men-tor and instructor inhelping other PHAresidents improvetheir lives so theycould become success-ful. From the time shebegan the scholarshipprogram in 1996through 2003, Taewanda worked with PHA resi-dents at Tasker Homes, Wilson Park, JohnsonHomes, Norris Homes, Queen Lane, RaymondRosen, and Norman Blumberg. She says she wasable to influence many of them to continue their edu-cation or seek a skill where they could succeed.

Through diligence she (Continued Page 14)

Masters degree for Johnson

“It’s a transformation from having the mentality of the ‘hood’ tothe mentality of the neighborhood,”

he says. “Where I’m at now, it’s muchbetter. I can raise my daughter. She

can play out front.

Former PHA ResidentTaewanda Johnson earnsTemple degree then mas-ters.

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6 With PHA’s staff greatly reduced, it is more important than ever for all of us to pitchin and keep our communities sparkling. We asked residents at several sites for ideasof how they can help.

“What should residents do to keep theirproperty and neighborhood looking good?”

Residents stand up for clean communities

Bulema Campbell“It’s a community effort.Everyone should gettogether and even if it’snot your trash you stillpick it up because it still isyour community. And ifwe all put our hand in itwe can keep the commu-nity clean.”

Rayetta Anderson“It takes team work. Wehave to work together tokeep these places beauti-ful. You don’t prove toothers that we can’t takecare of our own neighbor-hood. It would also be agood idea to have a neigh-borhood clean-up day.”

Modesty Ligons“Neighbors must keeppicking up trash andhelp to beautify then e i g h b o r h o o d .Sometimes the windblows trash back inyour area, but you mustbe diligent and keep itclean. Some people justdon’t care but you mustcontinue the effort.”

Simone Richardson“You must talk to yourneighbors and remindthem that we must worktogether. And put yourtrash in the can.”

Tanya Smith“Get a hold of your chil-dren and teach them tohave respect for people’sproperty. Don’t just dropsomething on theground. Keep it until youwalk past a trash can.”

April Brooks“People just need tokeep their communityclean. You can tell howa person lives by look-ing at the outside. Ifthey don’t care aboutthe outside, we all havea problem.”

Derrick Clark“Usually people get themessage if you lead byexample. If you do yourpart, it often encourages oth-ers to follow suit. You mustcare even if others don’t.”

Belinda Stanley“If everyone does not pulltogether, the neighborhoodwill not continue to be inthe condition it is in now.The management shouldenforce penalties for resi-dents who do not keeptheir property clean.”

Get Your Personal Experience

Into Your PaperTel l us about your"Experience" as a client ofthe Philadelphia HousingAuthority. Simply call and tellus your story! Our paperreaches all residents including:Traditional Sites, ScatteredSites, and Housing ChoiceVoucher (HCV) Program.

Call Anne Martinezat 215-684-8645 or e-mail

anne.martinez@pha.phila.gov.

Page 7The PHA

Experience • July 2007www.pha.phila.gov

An increasing number of PHA resi-dents understand that the agency is seriousabout enforcing the rules in their leases,according to the latest resident satisfactionsurvey.

Survey results showed: 94 percenteither agreed or strongly agreed that man-agement provides information about therules of the lease, up from 86 percent lastyear. 78 percent believe that if someonebreaks the rules in the lease, managementtakes action, up from 58 percent.

Joe Daly, PHA Inspector General,credits site managers for changing resi-

dents’ attitudes on lease enforcement.“You have the site managers putting moreone-on-one time with residents as theycome into a development. Residentsreceive brochures, so they know what therules are.

“Both managers and resident leaders inthe developments are helping to orient thenew tenants, so they have a better under-standing of what the rules of the leaseare,” he says.

Daly thinks an anti-fraud brochure sentto residents last year gave them a clearidea of how PHA can use the latest tech-nology to learn who’s under-reportingtheir income, which is a felony. Thebrochure warned residents that a convic-tion would make them ineligible for pub-lic assistance or public housing in anystate for three years.

“I think a lot of people, based upon theknowledge of the technology we’re using,…are being more open in terms of identi-fying their income,” he says.

Linda Staley, Executive GeneralManager of Housing Operations, says sitemanagers have done several things to getthe message out to residents.

“They’ve been conducting site meet-ings. They’re doing rent blitzes that takethem to the residents’ homes. They’veheld town meetings with the residentcouncils and those people who were delin-quent,” she says.

Additionally, PHA is taking residentswho break the rules to landlord-tenantcourt every week as opposed to everyother week in the past. So the agency hasdoubled the number of people it’s takingto court for lease violations. PHA even

has a courtroom reserved for its casesonly.

Residents used to take comfort know-ing that it would be months before theyfaced the threat of eviction. Now, the timeis much shorter.

Managers are going door-to-door talk-ing to residents about nonpayment of rent,trash, loud music and other things that canlead to their eviction.

“The message is getting out that thereis zero tolerance for lease violations,”Staley says. “We’re educating residents tolet them know what lease violations areand the importance of paying their rent.”

For the great majority of PHA resi-dents, who play by the rules, and wanta clean, safe environment for their fam-ilies, the crackdown of violators is wel-come.

Are you a single mother raising chil-dren without the child support you aresupposed to receive? Statistics show thatthere are many parents like you. PHArealizes that this situation puts the entirefamily at risk and wants to help throughan Amnesty Program.

Many don’t realize that fathers whoowe child support are currently in viola-

tion of the law. The Amnesty programgives these fathers the opportunity to getprotection. Through a special partner-ship with the Department of PublicWelfare (DPW) and Family Court, priordebt that otherwise warrants jail timewill be forgiven. The program also pres-ents opportunities for fathers to learnvaluable job skills, secure jobs that pay

living wages and support their families.The goal of the Amnesty Program is tocreate an opportunity for families toreconnect, providing the possibility of abetter life for the family.

And there are other benefits of theprogram. Father’s also gain an opportu-nity to become a legal PHA resident,with the approval of the current PHAleaseholder. PHA will provide free jobskills training opportunities, after whichthe program participant has six monthsto find employment. Self-sufficiency andhomeownership programs will also beoffered, ensuring members will continueto get the skills and have the opportuni-ties to uphold and improve their familylife after completing the Amnesty

Program. Rent will not increase for sixmonths after job training is completed,even with the increase in income thefamily will experience.

“PHA has been working with DPWto create this program since April of2005. We wanted to be certain that fam-ilies get the support they need to betogether and be successful,” saysRylanda Wilson of PHA. “This valuableprogram offers a chance to reunite thefamily unit, as well as to offer theopportunity of a second chance, in theform of valuable job training and self-sufficiency skills. Because the AmnestyProgram combines PHA, DPW, andFamily Court, the ability to offer changeand results is astounding.”

Survey shows residents understand rules

Two recent cases involving the prosecution ofHousing Choice Voucher residents should makeevery PHA customer think twice about violatingtheir lease.

In one instance, a family of four lost their rentalassistance for withholding information from PHA.The head of the household failed to report to hisservice representative when he got a full time job.To make matters worse, he continued to withholdthat information from PHA at each of his recertifica-tion appointments. The Inspector General’s investi-gation concluded that this household received over$19,000 in housing subsidies to which they were notentitled.

PHA terminated the resident and the DistrictAttorney prosecuted him. He now has a criminalrecord. In addition, he will be making monthly pay-ments for quite some time in order to repay his $19,347 debt to PHA.

In another case, a working professional for theSchool District of Philadelphia forged her incomedocumentation to qualify for more rental assistance.

The woman, a Housing Choice Voucher client,

had worked for the School District and reported itevery year until 2001. One day she decided to tellher service representative that she had been let go,writing a letter on school stationery and signing herPrincipal’s name to it.

So that PHA would not question her about provid-ing for her family with no income, she made up astory about a new job as a companion to an elderlygentleman. The gentleman she chose for her schemewas the dead father-in-law of one of her co-workers.

Once the Inspector General investigation exposedher dishonesty, she was terminated from the pro-gram and arrested.

The woman, who’s both a mother and grand-mother, pleaded guilty to criminal charges of for-gery and theft. The judge in the case put her onfour years of probation and ordered her to repayPHA $23,457.

PHA has taken a strong stand on lease compli-ance, with weekly court trials. As you know, thereare thousands of people on the waiting list who needpublic housing. To secure your future, do the rightthing and comply with the PHA rules.

Under-reporting your income

Amnesty Program offers opportunity to unite families

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Stephanie McFaddendidn't have high expecta-tions for PHA'sCommunity PartnersProgram when she firstheard of it. A relativelynew member of the PHAcommunity, Stephanie dis-covered this valuableopportunity in the PHAExperience. She is enrolledin the Medical Billing pro-gram offered by CreativeUrban Educational Systems(CUES). Stephanie beganclasses the following week,marking the start of apromising new career.

Stephanie was able toexpand her knowledge ofthe medical field, buildingon the experience she had

as a front desk receptionistfor a doctor's office. Shehad a positive experience inthe course explaining that"everyone was really niceand very helpful, and therewere lots of otherresources, such as child-care." Stephanie alsoexplained that, "the teach-

ers were available for extrahelp and made sure youunderstood the material."

During the last monthStephanie was in theMedical Billing program,she found a job that is"much more convenient,"offers "higher pay," andallows her to do what sheloves: working with peo-ple. She graduated fromthe program this past June,and is starting a new chap-ter in her life. Her newcareer at the SpectrumHealth Center allows her afar more comfortable liv-ing than she had before,and is allowing her tobegin the process of pur-chasing a home.

Page 9The PHA

Experience • July 2007www.pha.phila.gov

Is fear of math keeping youfrom succeeding? You mayknow more than you think youdo.

Community College ofPhiladelphia (CCP) offers twotraining programs for PHA res-idents: Financial Services JobReadiness and AdministrativeAssistant Job Readiness. Yet,response to the programs hasbeen poor, apparently becausePHA residents are afraid thatthey don’t have the math andcomputer skills to succeed.

Faith Brown, one of theinstructors at CCP, says thebiggest hurdle for students isnot realizing that they alreadyhave some of the skills theyneed to succeed. Brown, whogrew up in public housing andis now working toward herPhD, says people know morethan they think they do.

Brown says fractions are the

biggest problem for most stu-dents, until they realize they’realready using them in theirdaily lives. For example, if youhad eight people and you wereserving pie, how would yousplit it up?

Basic math is important, shesays, to run a service businessand to make sure your own pay-check is correct. Students canpick up the skills they need inseveral weeks, especially ifthey apply what they learn atschool to their home life.

Michele Claybrook-Lucas,who directs these programs atCCP, says they’re ready to helpresidents take the leap, so theycan earn a livable wage in aninteresting career. These pro-grams offer skills for life, notjust training in a narrow field.

Claybrook-Lucas says theFinancial Job ServicesReadiness program requires at

least a fourth grade understand-ing of basic math—not algebra,geometry or other forms ofadvanced mathematics. Shesays participants will receive atest on the first day they attendclass, to see where they needhelp in basic business math:addition, subtraction, multipli-cation and division, and how touse a calculator.

Once a student gets up tospeed in math, he or shereceives training in basicaccounting functions. Theylearn how to enter transactionsfor checking, savings and loanaccounts.

The Administrative AssistantJob Readiness program, teachesbasic computer skills, butrequires NO math.

Claybrook-Lucas urges PHAresidents to at least visit thecampus and find out how muchskill they really do have by tak-

ing two tests: the one for mathand another that shows theskills they already have that canlead to a job.

“We don’t want to wastetheir time,” she says. “That’sthe reason why we’re giving thetests, because everybody’s at a

different level.” One of Brown’s students,

Sheila Harrison, is a HousingChoice recipient from PHAwho graduated from theAdministrative Assistant JobReadiness program in

(Continued page 15)

Community College may be your key to future

Dorothea Barnesstruggled for almost 20years with a drug addic-tion. She’s now celebrat-ing 15 years of sobriety,running a business, anddreaming about a ven-ture to help seniors andtheir families.

Dorothea, who hasbeen a PHA HousingChoice resident for nineyears, says she kickedher habit once she decid-ed she wanted to live, notdie. She attended nightschool and received herdiploma from BenFranklin High in 1998.During the day,Dorothea “doubled up”and attended anotherclass to become aCertified NursingAssistant (CNA).

Barnes, now 49, gotinvolved in PHA’sFamily Self-SufficiencyProgram in March 2001and began to set goals.

In 2002, Dorotheastarted attending theHomebuyer’s Club work-shops and began workingon her credit. Over thenext few years, she heldjobs with St. AgnesContinuing Care, TotalHome Health Care

Corporation, and theSchool District ofPhiladelphia to supportherself. (She still workspart time as a classroomassistant, helping chil-dren enrolled in specialeducation classes.)

Dorothea says sherealized that she couldnot work as a nursingassistant forever becauseof the physical demandsof the job, which includea lot of lifting. That’swhen she began to thinkabout forming her ownbusiness so she couldtake control of her des-tiny, leave the HousingChoice program, and buya home.

Dorothea beganattending the Women’sBusiness DevelopmentCenter in 2004. There,she learned how to write

a business plan and gother business licenses.Since March, she hasowned and operatedRejuvenate CleaningService from her home, abusiness that she startedwith $2,000 in savings.

Dorothea is alsoattending The EnterpriseCenter, one of PHA’sCommunity Partners, torefine her business planand expand her opera-tion. PHA helped herpurchase a computer,printer and fax machinefor her business.

Johnson says she’sproud of Barnes becauseof all the obstacles thatshe’s had to overcome.

“It’s so awesome tosee a young womanwho’s striving to getwhat she wants out oflife,” Johnson says.

Dorothea Barneswants to expand hercleaning business, butshe’s dreaming and plan-ning for something else:opening an adult daycare center for seniors.The business plan isalready written. AllDorothea has to do israise the money, and shebelieves she can.

From drugs to business owner

Cleaning businessfor Dorothea Barnes

Medical billing gradStephanie McFadden

CCP’s first graduation for PHA residents who completed theAmin. Asst. Program on July 10th. (L-R top) ChrystalThomas, Faye Bonelli, Sheila Harrison, Barbara James,Tamika Jackson, Kimberlin Nelson, Rasheeda Hicks, GingerFrazier-Miller. (bottom row): Tiffany Delesandro, Asst. Dir. ofBusiness and Industry Programs Michelle Claybrook-Lucas,Dir. of Contract Training and Workforce Development.

Stephanie’s New career

Residents taking computer classes receive certificates for completing vari-ous levels of course work. Seen here with Commissioner Reynolds and PHAstaff, residents are from Johnson Homes, Bartram Village, Harrison, Norris,West Park and Spring Garden.

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West Philly Landlord EdwardWilliams provides apartments

As a bus driver for SEPTA,Philadelphia native Edward Williamsused to take families from the streetsof East Mt. Airy to Fox Chase. Todayhe is taking families from the streets toa home as one of the PhiladelphiaHousing Authority’s Housing Choice

Voucher (HCV) landlords.“I am by my nature a man of service,”

says Williams. “It gives me great joy tobridge the gap for people in housing.”

Bridge the gap. Provide a service.Serve people. The 67-year old dropsthese phrases as if he were calling outstops along the route of life.

“When I was young and struggling Ihad a lot of help from people. Theyhelped me pay my school bill. My moth-er fed me through the struggle. My fam-ily helped,” says Williams.

To whom more is given, more isexpected. You have to give back. Youalways have to help people.

“I went from making $3.50 an hour asa mechanic at Brock’s Candy to $5.25 asa trolley driver at SEPTA. My first yearat SEPTA I made $15,000 and I thoughtI was rich.”

Williams began his career withSEPTA as a trolley driver. He workedhis way up until he retired as an assistantdirector in 1996. At that point, he decid-ed to sell his PECO stock and invest inreal estate. In 1999 he purchasedBrighton Court, a 70-unit apartmentcomplex. Fifteen units are available forhousing voucher holders.

He bought his first house in 1974 afterhis landlady raised the rent on his apart-ment. It transformed the way he thoughtabout living.

“When you live well you tend tofeel better about yourself. If you havegood feelings about yourself you tendto do better,” he says. Williams triesto provide that same good feeling tohis tenants.

“The misconception is that Section 8clients are destructive. I am a living

witness to the fact that is not true. HCVresidents are very concerned abouttheir housing and tend to keep it up,”says Williams.

“We really give them a wonderfulunit that is current and color coordinatedwith the latest in appliances. Many ofthem are very appreciative, and they arethankful. They are proud that they areable to live well.”

Do good and good things will happento you.

“I never in my wildest dreamsthought I would be where I am today,”says Williams. “We used to advertiseheavily. We don’t advertise any more.We don’t have any vacancies,” thanks toword of mouth.

If you are a voucher holder lookingfor a good landlord, give Brighton CourtApartments a call at 215-747-4635.

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The Housing Choice Voucher programenabled Yvetta Hardy to move fromSouth Philadelphia to the Tacony sectionof the Northeast. Hardy enjoyed living inthat area so much that she used PHA’sFamily Self-Sufficiency Program to beginsaving for a home in the neighborhood.

“They were very helpful is helpingme build up money for the down pay-ment through the escrow account,”

says Hardy, who moved into her homelast October.

The two youngest of Hardy’s threechildren are living with her. “They are 16and 12 years old and very happy abouthaving their own rooms,” she reports.Her previous house had only two bed-rooms, and they had to share. “It was dif-ficult,” she recalls.

It took Hardy fives years to go through

the process and buy her home.“I took all the first time homebuyers

classes, and they were very helpful, too,”she added.

She urges other prospective home buy-ers is to hang in there.

“If they work hard, I would advisethem to use the family self-sufficiencyprograms and whatever else is availableto buy their homes,” she says.

James Brown Housing Choice Voucher landlord

James Brown says two things happenedin 1937 that brought him to where he istoday.

“I will tell you this for what it’sworth,” says Brown. “The housing actwas created in 1937…(and) I was bornin Richmond, VA.”

Both events share a common ground.Housing was created to meet the needsof poor families across the country. AndBrown’s early childhood gave him astrong desire to do the same.

His mother was a teacher and fatherwas a doctor. Even so, he went to a seg-regated school and lived in a nice housein the same neighborhood as all of thecity’s African-Americans. But as chil-dren do, Brown said he would ask hisparents a seemingly simple question.

“On my way home from school, Iwould ask my parents, ‘why do myfriends live in dilapidated housing?The houses were in Richmond’sJackson Ward. They were clapboardhouses with no paint and porchescrumbling. And my parents would try

to explain,” says Brown.But the explanation was never good

enough for the child whose friends livedin the rundown houses.

“I said to myself that I would dosomething about it if I ever get thechance,” he adds.

That spirit of questioning why thingswere the way they were for people ofcolor pushed Brown to get involved inthe civil rights movement and lowincome housing in Philadelphia. Hemoved here after graduating fromVirginia Union University inRichmond. His first job was as aresearcher at Temple UniversityHospital’s department of gastronomy.

Brown however could not escape hisinterest in housing and says he foundhimself talking to his landlord aboutreal estate. Those conversationsinspired Brown to buy his first buildingon Parkside in 1963 where he spentmost of the time doing light renovationswith his wife and friends. That projectonly piqued his interest even more inlow-income housing and soon he foundhimself in long conversations with peo-

ple about urban renewal. Brown even-tually left the medical field and went towork for the city’s development depart-ment. Here his love for decent housingfor the poor combined with his passionfor civil rights.

“I was doing so much that one daysomeone stopped me and asked, ‘Youare a bright boy. When are you going todo something in your community besidefussin’ and fighting?”

Eventually Brown quit the cityand engaged in providing low-income housing full time. First hesays he got involved in federally

funded low income housing loanprograms. Then Brown says hefound a way to use tax credits in the1970s when funds for housing driedup. Finally, in the 1980s Brown sayshe discovered tax credit programsfor historic buildings and foundedthe non-profit Parkside HistoricPreservation Corporation in 1983.

Today the organization owns andoperates the Parkside Apartments at4140 - 4152 Parkside Avenue. He saysthey have about 70 units and 30-40 per-cent of them are home to people in theHCV program.

Over the years, Brown says his lovefor serving the poor has only grown andhe offers this advice for other potentialHCV landlords.

“People who are poor, even in spir-it, need leadership. If you are going totackle something like this you are goingto have to be among the people. I havebeen here all along, so that if there is aneed I can be on it right away.”

Voucher holders are welcome to con-tact landlord James Brown’s ParksideApartments at 215-215-473-4900.

HCV landlord tries to bridge the housing gap

Join James Brown at Parkside Apartments

Happy homeowner in Tacony

James Brown’s apartment build-ing is across the street fromFairmount Park.

Former HCV client Yvette Harveysettles in Tacony.

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Leighanne Tancredi, Program ManagerCommunity PartnersBlumberg Development1516 Judson Way (23rd and Jefferson St.) 215-684-4366 (Fax #215-684-8080)

ESS Staff

Computer TechnologyMonet Williams - Neighborhood Network CoordinatorBlumberg Development 1516 Judson Way (23rd and Jefferson St.) 215-684-4628 (Fax #215-684-8080)

Team A South Philadelphia Office 1172-1174 South Broad Street Jenneane Tillar - ESS Coordinator(215) 684-3051 (Fax #215-684-3066) Zip Codes: 02, 03, 06, 07, 12, 42, 45, 46, 47, 48, 53,

Team BWest Philadelphia Office5207 Walnut StreetSaeema Saunders - ESS Coordinator(215) 684-1359 (Fax #215-684-1366)Zip Codes: 04, 31, 39, 43, 51

Team CNorthwest Germantown Office5538-A Wayne AvenueEdwina Young - ESS Coordinator(215) 684-3065 (Fax #215-684-3055)Zip Codes: 18, 19, 26, 27, 28, 29, 38, 41, 44, 50

Team DNorth Philadelphia Office642 N. Broad StreetUrsula G. Alvarado - ESS Coordinator(215) 684-3126 (Fax #215-684-1023)Zip Codes: 05, 06, 07, 08, 21, 22, 23, 25, 30, 33, 34, 40

Team ENortheast Philadelphia Office4346 Frankford Avenue Michelle Henderson-Crystal Marshall-ESS Coordinators(215) 684-1559 & 2414 (Fax #215-684-1340)Zip Codes: 11, 14, 15, 16, 20, 24, 35, 36, 37, 49, 52, 54

FSS Staff

Camille Johnson -FSS CoordinatorBlumberg Development 1516 Judson Way, 2nd Floor (23rd and Jefferson St.) 215-684-8114 (Fax #215-684-8080)

Gilbert Vega - FSS CoordinatorBlumberg Development 1516 Judson Way, 2nd Floor (23rd and Jefferson St.) 215-684-2057 (Fax #215-684-8080)

Christeen Johnson -FSS Intake Worker Blumberg Development1516 Judson Way, 2nd Floor (23rd and Jefferson St.) 215-684-3124 (Fax #215-684-8080)

Audrey Hickmon - FSS Coordinator/Case Manager 1516 Judson Way, 2nd Floor (23rd and Jefferson St.)Phone #215-684-2682

PHA’s newest LIFE (Living Independently forElders) program has opened at Germantown House.PHA is partnering with NewCourtland Elder Services toprovide services for seniors aged 60 and older whoqualify for nursing home care yet can safely live athome.

Melissa Twersky, the intake coordinator forNewCourtland, says their goal is to sign up 180 seniorsfor the program at Germantown House. She is excitedabout the new facility and its location.

“It’s a beautiful building. It’s spacious. Being rightinside Germantown House really helps us forge a rela-tionship with PHA and the community, in the heart ofthe community that we’re serving,” she says.

Kelly Williams, PHA’s housing liaison coordinator,is contacting seniors who might be interested in theLIFE program at Germantown House. The program isopen to residents of Abbottsford, Queen Lane, SuffolkManor, Morton Homes, Emlen Arms, Champlost, andHill Creek, in addition to residents of GermantownHouse and the 12 surrounding zip codes. Williams saysher goal is to get as many PHA seniors as possible toenroll in the program.

Both Twersky and Williams say the seniors thatthey’ve approached have been very positive about theprogram. Many don’t want to move into a nursinghome, and they are pleasantly surprised that Medicaid

and Medicare benefits will pay for the cost of the LIFEprogram.

NewCourtland Elder Services was established byThe Presbyterian Foundation for Philadelphia in 1995.The trustees of Presbyterian Hospital established thefoundation after selling the hospital to the University ofPennsylvania Health System.

PHA also offers a LIFE program at Greater GraysFerry Estates in South Philadelphia. There, the agencyis partnering with St. Agnes Continuing Care Center at3001 Moore Avenue.

To find out more about the LIFE program, call KellyWilliams at 215-684-4400.

Germantown House offers LIFE

Resident tour New Courtland LIFE Center

They ride to your rescueWho comes to your home at night or on a week-

end when, your electricity is out or your basement isflooded? Who’s there to reassure you that every-thing’s going to be all right? Who is responsible forPHA’s high level of customer satisfaction?

The answer is the members of PHA’s night andweekend maintenance crew who handle all the off-hour calls, some of them stemming from offbeatrequests. If you’ve ever had an emergency, thesepeople are the Lone Ranger when they arrive atyour door.

Despite recent budget and staff cuts, PHA stilldoes what many private landlords would never do,offering residents a level of service they could notfind elsewhere.

The agency accomplishes this by having membersof a 12-man team work between 11 AM and 7:30PM or 3 PM and 11:30 PM. Some crew memberswork Monday thru Friday while others have a differ-ent work week, so they can answer your call on aSaturday or Sunday. The staggered shifts insure thatresidents get the service they expect while holdingdown on overtime costs for PHA.

John Tatum, the Maintenance Manager for PHA,says, “Whatever situation we get a night, one ofthose gentlemen can handle.”

He estimates that his crew easily handles over athousand calls a year. Tatum, who has been withPHA for 24 years, says he and his men thrive onthe unknown. They never know what kind of callthey’ll receive when they come to work or wherethey’re going. “They deserve all the credit. All Ido is holler, scream, push and pull them in theright direction.”

Tom Upshaw, a rehab specialist with 19 years atPHA, says they rely heavily on the PHAPD and theradio room because “they look out for us.”

Emergency calls after 4:30 PM are handled by thepolice radio room. In some instances, police providea safety backup to crews. Still, Upshaw says, it’sjust a pleasure to be assistance to residents and he’shopeful that PHA can continue the rebirth of neigh-borhoods throughout the city.

Dan Quimby, Executive General Manager ofOperations for PHA, says the agency is still thebest landlord in Philadelphia. No private landlordprovides comparable night or weekend service.However, Quimby asks residents not to exaggeratetheir emergencies and to “take care of your proper-ty as best you can because we’re going to have dif-ficult time replacing it.”

PHA Night & Weekend Maintenance CrewMembers: Center Kneeling- Presnel Cadichon,First Row (Left To Right) - Bobby Bobo, IkeSitkovetsky, Thomas Upshaw, Mikael Ermakov,Zeke Matysov. Second Row (Left To Right) -Darren Harcum, Boris Rozhitsky, Talal Charibi,Jeff Harmon, John Tatum.

(Continued from Page 1)transitional housing in WestPhiladelphia. Clark is very grateful forthe opportunity to select a new homewith PHA. “Well, it means I can getmy family back together, first of all. Ifeel that’s a big stepping stone for mebecause I’ve been down and I’ve cometo the fork in the road and I’m goingon. I’m getting older and at least I havea stable environment.”

Shirley also says that many peoplehave a false image of homeless people.

“I met a lot of different people beinghomeless. Some of them are businesspeople that got on drugs. They losteverything. Many lost their homesbecause they lost their jobs… they’revery nice people. You’d never thinkthat they had problems like that.”

Clark and other recently homelesspeople are receiving help through anagreement between PHA and theGreater Philadelphia Urban AffairsCoalition (GPUAC) that calls for qual-ified families to move from transitionalhousing to permanent housing. Theagreement is the foundation of theBlueprint Program where families stay-ing in homeless shelters move intotransitional housing and receive specialtraining.

The agreement spells out how a fam-

ily in transitional housing becomes“housing ready.” The same emergencyhousing providers serve as case man-agers for families moved to permanenthousing, meeting weekly with thosefamilies to monitor their progress.

Gloria Guard, the president of thePeople’s Emergency Center (PEC),one of PHA’s partners in the BlueprintProgram. A total of 290 families havemoved into PHA housing in the lastfour years. The practice of helpingfamilies become “housing ready” andmaking home visits on a steady basisexplains why once these families moveinto PHA housing they stay there.

“Only one of the 49 families we(PEC) moved into PHA has returned tohomelessness,” said Guard. “This is aparticularly high rate of success and weattribute it to the targeted education andservices we provide before placingthese families into PHA housing. PHAis the last and only resort for so manyof our city’s vulnerable families andyoung homeless children. Their con-tinued partnership is key to solvingfamily homelessness in Philadelphia.”

The first stop on Home SelectionDay for Shirley Clark and the rest ofthe group is Harrison Homes. It’sapparent how excited everyone is,including a mother and her four chil-

dren, who raced to theentrance of the high-rise.

Once inside, a groupof four future PHA resi-dents are surprised at thesize of the apartment theyvisit on the 13th floor.They’re already figuringout where to put their fur-niture, and they are takenby the breathtaking viewof the city from the livingroom window. HarrisonHomes is the first of ninestops that they made dur-ing their daylong tour.

Tecola Watson, a soft-spoken 25-year-old mother of three is very grate-ful that she will have a home for herchildren, and for the things she learnedwhile in the Blueprint Program.

“It means a lot. It gives my childrenan opportunity to have their own placeto look forward to growing as a family.It’s not the end. It’s just the beginning.I want to be a homeowner.”

Tecola is in school, training tobecome a licensed beautician, but

wants to eventually go into nursing.She says nobody has to give anyonehousing, or anything else for that mat-ter; you have to work for it. And shewarns people who take their familiesand homes for granted, saying “Just asfast as you get it, you can lose it.”

By day’s end, 11 families haveselected their homes with PHA. Fiveothers will have to try again becausethe units available don’t meet theirneeds. The sun had come out early thatafternoon.

(Continued from Page 5)became the second in the family,behind her brother, to earn a bache-lor’s degree. The degree in socialwork from Temple University alsoproved to her son and daughter thatyou can achieve almost anything whenyou have a passion for success.Although this was an important mile-stone, she wanted to push the envelopeeven further and test her skills andability. After spending time workingfor North Central Victim Services andothers agencies through Temple

University, she felt that to be recog-nized as someone being totally dedi-cated to a profession she must go thenext step and earn a master’s degree.She completed a master’s degree inbusiness administration from theUniversity of Phoenix in May.

Taewanda says although the scholar-ship program no longer exists at PHA,the Philadelphia Housing Authority hasa number of opportunities, like the Pre-Apprenticeship program, that are veryinstrumental in developing and enrich-ing the life course of individuals whowant a future that they would otherwisenot have. She keeps in close contactwith the Pre-Apprenticeship programto see what she can do to inspire othersto also become successful.

She attributes much of her success toone man who motivated and inspiredher to do her best, “Carl Greene is aman who has a vision and I hope thathe continues to develop programs thatcan assist individuals beyond whatsociety says they can achieve.”

Taewanda eventually plans to start ashelter and cultural enrichment centerto help people who are trying toimprove their lives.

Page 13The PHA

Experience • July 2007www.pha.phila.gov

The Residents’ NewspaperPublished by:

The Philadelphia Housing Authority

Editor: Anne H. MartinezExecutive Editor: Kirk Dorn

Managing Editor: William J. Hanna

(C) 2007 by the Philadelphia HousingAuthority. No reproduction or use of thematerial herein may be made without thepermission of the publisher. ForAdvertising info, call 215-755-2000.

(Continued from Page 1)Carl Greene said combing public sen-ior housing and healthcare facilitiesshould be seen as a national model. Healso said PHA plans to be a majorprovider of this “service enriched”senior housing. “People trust PHA.They know we will treat them with thedignity they have earned,” saidGreene.

Greene said the arrangement wouldnot have bee possible without the lead-ership of Pennsylvania WelfareSecretary Estelle Richman. She saidseniors want to be independent and

make their own decisions. She saidthat’s what makes Germantown Houseso appealing compared to a nursinghome.

For those who don’t yet need theservices of the LIFE center, operatedby New Courtland Elder Services,Germantown House is just a specialplace to live. Many residents arealready on the waiting list. As thePHA’s Greene puts it, “This is a beau-tiful building in a beautiful neighbor-hood. Who wouldn’t want to livehere?”

(See related story on Page 12)

PHA answers dreams for formerly homeless families

PHA’s Sonia Garrett discusses features ofnew apartment during home selection tour.

Taewanda Johnson

New LIFE program

(Continued from Page 1)the lead for his students.

Pre-Apprenticeship sent 10 applicants to take atest administered by the Commonwealth to qualifyfor the training. Six students scored high enough toqualify, and four were actually accepted into theprogram. Burrow, Gaines and Owens completedthe training and are now eligible to apply for jobsat Boeing.

“Of the individuals who have taken the course,all but one were offered a position at Boeing,”Williams points out.

“Boeing is a company where you can reallyadvance,” says Burrows, who is delighted to be outof the office. The petite mother of two notes thatpeople were surprised to find her in the Pre-Apprenticeship program because she is a woman.But she has always loved fixing things, and saysthat her family members call on her when theyneed help with appliances or repairs, even thoughher brother is a construction worker.

“I like to see the outcome of my work,” shesays.

The Queen Lane Apartments resident sees a jobat Boeing as a ticket to success. “I want to move

my family out of public housing. PHA is just astepping-stone to help you get to where you need tobe,” she says.

When it came to the training program, she adds,“I made myself work harder” to prove she couldsucceed despite her small size. Owens admits hewas surprised to find this tiny woman in his class,but he soon learned she was driven to perform.

“I was always competing with her,” notesOwens. “I wanted to be the first one.”

“We cheered each other on,” she counters.Owens had entered the Pre-Apprenticeship pro-

gram with the goal of becoming an electrician. Hehad not wanted to do the Boeing training, althoughhe had scored well on the test. He explains that heis scared of heights and didn’t like the idea ofworking on airplanes.

“I beat him over the head,” jokes Burrow, andOwens admits he is now glad he opted to take thetraining, noting he only has to build the planes, notfly in them.

“I am a young black man, and I want to suc-ceed,” he says. He is now pushing his brother andhis friends to join the Pre-Apprenticeship Program.

At Boeing, he and Burrow enrolled in theIntroduction to Sheet Metal and Assembly training,while Gaines took the Composite Assembleroption.

Gaines was working for the caterer at TempleUniversity, where the Pre-Apprenticeship Programgraduation was held last year.

“I saw the graduation at Temple, and I said Ihave to get into this,” says the Housing ChoiceVoucher recipient.

Like Burrow and Owens, he has always likedmechanics and electronics. He praised the Boeingtraining, saying, “After I got into it, it got more

exciting. You just have to be motivated.”Noting that at 46, he is considerably older than

the other students in the Pre-ApprenticeshipProgram, Gaines says, “You’re not an old dog.You can learn new tricks. The program gives youan opportunity to expand.”

To find out more about PHA’s Pre-Apprenticeship Program, call George Johnson at215-684-8049.

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Boeing careers for Pre-Apprenticeship grads

Lawrence Boylae, roofing instructor at PHA’sPre-Apprenticeship Program, SherickaBurrow how to perfectly cut a piece of sheetmetal. Owens and Burrow and student Juan R.Gaines (not shown) were propelled from Pre-Apprenticeship into a training program atBoeing Aircraft that will enable them to getjobs working on Osprey military aircraft.

PERSONAL INJURY ATTORNEYS

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Automobile and Trucking AccidentsBus and Train Accidents • Slip and Fall Accidents

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PHA Residents who live at Falls Ridge willbecome part of history as their site gains unique sta-tus among public housing developments. In the nearfuture, they will be living in the same neighborhoodas people buying new, privately built market ratehomes in the western half of the development over-looking Kelly Drive.

It’s a far cry from the hulking old-style housing

project that once dominated the site.In early June, PHA realized a long-held

dream with the grand opening of a sales office on thehilltop at Falls Ridge by one of the area’s premierhomebuilders, Westrum Development. PHA andWestrum had agreed in January 2005 to a $3 milliondeal to build new private homes in the East Falls sec-tion of Philadelphia. Westrum bought a 16.7-acresection of PHA’s former Schuylkill Falls housingdevelopment.

PHA has built 135 affordable rental homes on thelower portion of the site and is building 28 affordablehomes that have already been sold.

“Everybody who had anything to do with the com-munity knew one thing: you had to get rid of old, out-dated, outmoded public housing and replace it with anew, mixed-income community that could really addto the growth and vitality of this neighborhood,” saidPHA Executive Director Carl Greene. “It’s the kindof community that they write stories about and thatthey do movies about.”

Greene praised developer John Westrum as a realAmerican hero, saying it takes a lot of courage totake the risk and build private homes along side pub-lic housing. He also praised the vision and passion of

the residents of East Falls. “That is a gigantic state-ment about civic pride, civic commitment and civicinvestment in their neighborhood and in their commu-nity.”

Westrum, CEO of Westrum DevelopmentCompany, called the grand opening event memorableand said his company was proud to be part of thisunique development.

“Five or six years ago, people thought we’d becrazy to be offering a $700,00 or $800,000 homenext to a PHA site. We’ve had such a great responseto it that we’re excited as can be.”

Westrum praised Greene for having the foresightto work with his company on the development.

Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell, who has livedin East Falls since 1980, said nobody across the coun-try thought this type of development could work, butit has.

“You look at this site, and it’s stunningly beauti-ful,” he told the crowd gathered at the event. Rendelladded that Falls Ridge is a fine example of govern-ment programs that work. He called it “a sensationalachievement.”

“What we are doing here is going to be a modelfor the nation,” he said.

Governor, Ed Rendell called Falls Ridge a “sensational achievemnet”.

Public and private housing meet at Falls Ridge

(Cont. from page 9)early July. She was oneof the speakers at thegraduation.

Harrison, who is 51,has worked as a CertifiedNursing Assistant, butwas out of work earlyJuly. She was one of thespeakers at the gradua-tion.

Harrison, who is 51,has worked as a CertifiedNursing Assistant, butwas out of work lastOctober. She was lookingthrough an edition of ThePHA Experience when asection on the CommunityPartners program caughther eye. Initially,Harrison thought she

might not be able to suc-cessfully complete theAdministrative AssistantJob Readiness program.She’s still working onobtaining her high schooldiploma and had no com-puter skills.

“The computer, if youdon’t know anythingabout it, it’s real intense.It’s frightening to some ofus,” Harrison says. “I’mnot a quitter. I hung inthere and I have a com-puter at home. What Ididn’t get done (in class),I came home and I prac-ticed.”

Besides gaining com-puter skills, Sheilalearned about customer

service, which is whereher real interest lies. Shealso learned about dress-ing and interviewing for ajob. In the spring, Sheilaand a classmate began ajob hunt.

R e c e n t l y , T h eWatermark at LoganSquare, an assisted livingfacility, hired Sheila. Shesays her new computerskills were critical to land-ing her new job and willgive her an opportunity tomove up in the company.

Everybody who has anopportunity should takeadvantage of these pro-grams. It can propel themto doing things they neverwould have imagined.”

Despite recent budget cuts, PHA isonce again helping needy kids enjoytheir summer vacation with tasty foodand good nutrition. The Summer FoodProgram is underway at 22 PHA sitesacross the city and will run throughAugust 17th.

All eligible children ages 18 andunder are able to receive free break-fast and lunch through the program.It operates Monday - Friday from 8am to 2 pm.

Last year, PHA’s Summer FoodService Program provided 46,000meals to low-income children through-out the city.

“This program is very importantbecause children have a place to get afull, nutritious meal for breakfast andlunch, and have a full belly. Some of

them don’t get that at home on a dailybasis,” says Janet Martin, who has agrandchild in the program.

Felicia Baker, a mother of ten, saysthe program gives her a break frommeal making while ensuring that herkids get what they need at mealtime.

Gail Glen, Resident CouncilPresident at Raymond Rosen, says sheknows of some kids who might other-wise go without food “and it’s beauti-ful that we can provide them with themeals here.”

The Summer Food Program changeddramatically in 2005 with a switch to avery appetizing, nutritious hot lunchmenu that proved very popular with thekids. In fact, some kids were asking ifthey could come back for supper,which the program does not offer.

“This year, we’ve enhanced theprogram by teaching them not onlyabout nutrition, but also about dentalhealth from participants in PHA’sSkills for Life program,” says TroyRobinson, PHA Community RelationsAsset Manager.

This year, because of federal budg-et cuts, fewer hot lunches will beserved. Still, Robinson says, childrenwill receive very nutritious lunches.He says no processed meats are used incold lunches and they feature veggiesand fruit. No meal is repeated morethan once.

The number of sites offering the

program this summer was reduced to22, down from 29 last year, also due tothe budget cuts. However, Robinsonsays no needy children will go hungry.They can go to a neighboring site toreceive a good meal or PHA will referthem to a city Department ofRecreation site that offers similarmeals. This way parents and childrendon’t have to travel too far to take partin the program.

Robinson also says they’re alwayslooking for volunteers to work at aSummer Food site.

People who want more informationabout participating in the program cancontact PHA at (215) 684-1164.

Seniors at WilsonPark were happy to havetheir poolroom andother areas paintedcourtesy of the Aetnafoundation. This is thefirst year of Aetna’scommunity day wherethe company tries to notonly put faces on themillions of seniors thathave helped make themsuccessful, but to giveback to this communityand do something forthe people they serve.

While emphasizingthat PHA is a deservingentity, Aetna represen-tatives say they had a

great time and that thisopportunity made themfeel good. Aetna plans

to make the seniorcommunity day anannual event.

Page 15The PHA

Experience • July 2007www.pha.phila.gov

What would you say if we told you - you don’thave to pay your credit card bills immediately?Most of our clients say, “Thank you.” If your onlyincome is from social security, disability pay-ments, pensions or veteran’s benefits - federallaw states that your income can’t be taken awayto repay debt. You don’t have to pay, and youdon’t have to endure frustrating calls and lettersfrom collection agencies. You can live worry freeas thousands of our clients do.

Kids chowing down at Summer Food Program

A group of young PHA residentsenjoy a tasty hot lunch at theRaymond Rosen Community Ctr.

Summer Food program locations,such as this one at the RaymondRosen Community Center, are safeplaces for kids to hang out withtheir friends and get a good meal.

Giving back pays off at Wilson Park

CCP is your key to the future

Aetna and PHA staff outside Wilson Park

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