News and Events

Contact: Mark Sanford
Director of Planning and Development
Work 314.367.7848
Fax 314.367.2985

For Immediate Release – News and Calendar Event

People’s Community Development Corporation hosts Affordable Housing Ground-breaking Ceremony for IDA participants

St. Louis, Thursday, June 19 - People’s Community Development Corporation (PCDC) extends to the community an invitation to participate in a Groundbreaking Ceremony, at 2:00 p.m. located at 5500 Cates Avenue. People’s Health Centers (PHC), as the sister corporation, is long known as a provider of comprehensive primary health services to individuals, families and the small business community in St. Louis. KWM will be the initial general contractor for the 25 home development project. With an anticipated completion of the first five homes in six months, there are over 100 IDA participants excited about the prospect of obtaining a home that is affordable.

Asked about the importance of the development, Betty Jean Kerr said, “I look for it to signify a new era for affordable housing developments in the city of St. Louis. This new development, to begin later this month, will quickly be followed with 20 more homes as part of PCDC’s master plan, she added. These new homes will be PCDC’s first affordable housing project as we look into the future,”' she said. “I look forward to getting it under way.”

“Invitations to the groundbreaking ceremony have been sent to 250 IDA participants to share in this important phase of their dream toward the acquisition of their first major asset,” said Mark Sanford, director of planning and development. The public is invited to attend and urged to come early. Parking for the public will be on the street with a reception immediately following, at 5623 Clemens Avenue at the William L. Clay, Sr. Leisure Living Community. The honorable Francis G. Slay, Mayor; Darlene Green, Comptroller; Gwen Reed, Sr. staff assistant from Congressman William L. Clay, Jr. office and Brian Murphy, Chairman of the Affordable Housing Commission will be speaking. Representatives of the community and families involved with the IDA program who are saving toward a new home will also take part in the ceremony.

People’s Place is primarily for first time buyers looking for affordable homeownership. Potential buyers must meet income eligibility requirements and must occupy these homes as their primary residence. People’s Place will begin as a community of twenty-five homes nestled in a quiet residential neighborhood. Three bedroom units with two bathrooms, a full basement, two-car garage and a host of other amenities are clustered around ample street parking and lots of green space. These homes will provide 1,250 square feet of generous living space designed for those preferring to live in an urban environment. “This groundbreaking ceremony for People’s Place in the West End District is part of our strategic plan to further develop communities and improve access to services.” said Mark Sanford, Director of Planning and Development. “Affordable housing for working families and low income persons has become harder to find, but this new development will help alleviate that hardship for many residents of St. Louis,” said Mark Kamp, Board Chairman for People’s Community Development Corporation. The development will accomplish several objectives for the residents of the West End District and surrounding neighborhoods; 1) stabilize the community; 2) help bring access to care for families in the community; 3) provide jobs and community employment; 4) help spur additional development in the area; and 5) further People’s Health Centers mission, begun with its diverse health centers, to provide necessary health and supportive resources to the community. These objectives are also a part of People’s Community Policy and Environmental Change program that the residents and local leaders have actively been involved in since last fall.

Through the support of the State, the City of St. Louis, Community Development Administration (CDA), Land Reutilization Authority (LRA), Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority (LCRA), St. Louis City Board of Public Service, and the Affordable Housing Commission, this project is the culmination of a number of coordinated programs that have had a positive impact on resident: asset development, financial education intervention, community resource identification, credit risk reduction and rating as well as safety awareness. This project will help create an environment for active living, promote personal involvement in neighborhood decline reduction strategies and is a model on how to creatively leverage community resources. Project collaborative arrangements also exist with other local agencies to help enjoin community health awareness and promotion opportunities specifically for residents through fitness opportunities.

People’s Community Development Corporation is a full-service community development corporation with more than 250 IDA participants with offices located at 5701 Delmar Blvd.

People’s Health Centers… Celebrating 30 years of Service

For Immediate Release – News and Calendar Event
People’s Community Development Corporation hosts Affordable Housing Ground-breaking Ceremony for IDA participants

St. Louis, Thursday, June 19 - People’s Community Development Corporation (PCDC) extends to the community an invitation to participate in a Groundbreaking Ceremony, at 2:00 p.m. located at 5500 Cates Avenue. People’s Health Centers (PHC), as the sister corporation, is long known as a provider of comprehensive primary health services to individuals, families and the small business community in St. Louis. KWM will be the initial general contractor for the 25 home development project. With an anticipated completion of the first five homes in six months, there are over 100 IDA participants excited about the prospect of obtaining a home that is affordable.

Asked about the importance of the development, Betty Jean Kerr said, “I look for it to signify a new era for affordable housing developments in the city of St. Louis. This new development, to begin later this month, will quickly be followed with 20 more homes as part of PCDC’s master plan, she added. These new homes will be PCDC’s first affordable housing project as we look into the future,”' she said. “I look forward to getting it under way.”

“Invitations to the groundbreaking ceremony have been sent to 250 IDA participants to share in this important phase of their dream toward the acquisition of their first major asset,” said Mark Sanford, director of planning and development. The public is invited to attend and urged to come early. Parking for the public will be on the street with a reception immediately following, at 5623 Clemens Avenue at the William L. Clay, Sr. Leisure Living Community. The honorable Francis G. Slay, Mayor; Darlene Green, Comptroller; Gwen Reed, Sr. staff assistant from Congressman William L. Clay, Jr. office and Angela Conley, Executive Director of the Affordable Housing Commission will be speaking. Representatives of the community and families involved with the IDA program who are saving toward a new home will also take part in the ceremony.

People’s Place is primarily for first time buyers looking for affordable homeownership. Potential buyers must meet income eligibility requirements and must occupy these homes as their primary residence. People’s Place will begin as a community of twenty-five homes nestled in a quiet residential neighborhood. Three bedroom units with two bathrooms, a full basement, two-car garage and a host of other amenities are clustered around ample street parking and lots of green space. These homes will provide 1,250 square feet of generous living space designed for those preferring to live in an urban environment. “This groundbreaking ceremony for People’s Place in the West End District is part of our strategic plan to further develop communities and improve access to services.” said Mark Sanford, Director of Planning and Development. “Affordable housing for working families and low income persons has become harder to find, but this new development will help alleviate that hardship for many residents of St. Louis,” said Mark Kamp, Board Chairman for People’s Community Development Corporation. The development will accomplish several objectives for the residents of the West End District and surrounding neighborhoods; 1) stabilize the community; 2) help bring access to care for families in the community; 3) provide jobs and community employment; 4) help spur additional development in the area; and 5) further People’s Health Centers mission, begun with its diverse health centers, to provide necessary health and supportive resources to the community. These objectives are also a part of People’s Community Policy and Environmental Change program that the residents and local leaders have actively been involved in since last fall.

Through the support of the State, City and local and private agencies, this project is the culmination of a number of coordinated programs that have had a positive impact on resident: asset development, financial education intervention, community resource identification, credit risk reduction and rating as well as safety awareness. This project will help create an environment for active living, promote personal involvement in neighborhood decline reduction strategies and is a model on how to creatively leverage community resources. Project collaborative arrangements also exist with other local agencies to help enjoin community health awareness and promotion opportunities specifically for residents through fitness opportunities.

People’s Community Development Corporation

PCDC is very excited about this opportunity to provide incentives to low income families to help them accumulate assets by saving a portion of their income for home ownership, post-secondary education, and/or small business development. Our goal, to increase economic self-sufficiency for families while stabilizing and improving neighborhoods, has been welcomed by 250 IDA participants and their families.

Project Mission

The new home development, called People’s Place, will promote neighborhood stabilization. The current success of the IDA program allowed PCDC to obtain additional housing funds to assist a growing number of low-income participants to achieve their goal of economic self-sufficiency through the purchase of a new home. People’s Place will be constructed as an affordable housing development for residents that will graduate from PCDC’s existing IDA Program. To be eligible, participants have completed: nine-core financial literacy classes, a home repair-homeowner workshop, and saved a specified portion of their personal earnings toward the project. An IDA Savings Club will provide continuous home ownership education and support of first time low-income homeowners. Currently, of the program’s 150 participants, 85% are saving toward a first time affordable home. Twenty-five qualified homeowner participants will benefit from $250,000 in construction cost assistance and $100,000 in savings match in order to lower the cost of the new home and allow their savings to be used for land acquisition and closing cost.

Project Description

People’s Place will be located in the 5500 block of Cates Avenue, in the West End District of the 26th Ward in the City of St. Louis. Engraved concrete markers will note the entrance. Presently, People’s has options for land on both sides of the street. Several dilapidated buildings have already been demolished for the new home project. A small number of occupied buildings in good condition are scattered throughout the site. The remaining homes will not detract from the look and feel of the People’s Place community. The site of the project is in close proximity and will complement other People’s developments, including the community health center, the HUD senior living center and disabled families apartments, the Social Security Administration building and a new Sculpture Park at Clara and Clemens Ave. Twenty-five new single-family homes will be developed on the site at a cost estimated at $3.1 million. Based upon Federal income guidelines, IDA program participants’ annual income must be at or below 200% of the Federal poverty guidelines, creating a gap in the amount of mortgage that a participant can afford relative to the actual cost to build a new home. The construction assistance and savings match will provide the needed assistance to allow the cost to be more affordable.

Selection of Target Areas

Compared to other locations, this area was targeted not only because of the “West End District Community”, but also because of its proximity to the offices and central location of the newly opened elderly and disabled families housing complex. This development will accomplish several objectives for the West End District of the City of St. Louis and surrounding neighborhoods; 1) stabilize the community; 2) help bring families back into the community; 3) provide construction jobs and community employment; 4) help spur additional development in the area; and 5) further PCDC’s mission which includes the provision of affordable housing and related housing supportive services to the community. Residents of People’s Place will form and become a part of a neighborhood association to work with other neighbors, the developer and city administrators to assure a continuously clean, safe, family environment. The project is a part of the Delmar Business Development Plan put together by the City of St. Louis Planning & Urban Design Agency.

People's Place Housing Development

People’s Community Development Corporation has received funding to help support the development of this new housing. PCDC will develop 25 new units of affordable housing for persons interested in building a new home in the 26th ward of the City of St. Louis in the area surrounding the William L. Clay, Sr. Leisure Living Community. The new development will call for infrastructure improvements including sidewalk development, building demolition, sewers, water services and the development of a new community. The availability of this new funding allows PCDC to invest in this specific area and will enhance public safety, encourage resident and business retention and promote neighborhood stability. Within a year, we plan to have a showcase community of new affordable homes for low to moderate-income households. The People’s Place new home demonstration project will also impede the deterioration of accessible, affordable properties in adjoining neighborhoods.

“We are pleased to provide IDA participants funding support to help with the development of new affordable housing for residents that will graduate from PCDC’s existing IDA Program. To be eligible, participants must have completed the: nine-core financial literacy classes, a home ownership workshop, and saved $2,000 of their personal earnings toward home ownership. Funding will be used to help further bring down the cost of a new home to make it even more affordable for IDA participants interested in purchasing a new home in the designated area.” commented Mark Sanford. PCDC remains excited about the opportunity to provide more assistance to help families accumulate assets by saving a portion of their income for home ownership.

The plan is to develop 25 new affordable homes for persons interested in a new home in the City of St. Louis. The current success of the IDA program allowed PCDC assist participants to achieve their goal through the purchase of a new home. The typical new home developed will consist of a living room, dining area, kitchen, three bedrooms, two baths and a two car garage with a basement. Other amenities include a new stove, microwave oven and alarm system. Within a year, we plan to have a showcase community of new affordable homes for low to moderate-income households. The new funding assistance is just the beginning of our efforts to provide more help to allow the cost of homeownership to be more affordable.

History

Last winter People’s Health Centers, as a corporate sponsor, completed construction of two HUD housing developments in the city’s West End District, at 5623 Clemens and the adjacent 5600 block of Cates. Those developments were made possible with $5.86 million in grant funding, including a five-year housing subsidy to provide up to 75 percent rental assistance to eligible residents. This funding represented the first-ever dual housing award to a private community-based corporation. The project, named The William L. Clay Sr. Leisure Living Community, is comprised of 78 newly constructed apartments that provide an opportunity for dignity and independent living for seniors 62 years and older, and for persons with disabilities. The community consists of a newly constructed affordable, three story 60-unit apartment complex and four ground level buildings comprised of 18 units of multifamily apartments for persons with disabilities. People’s Place will be a part of this community.

People’s Community Development Corporation is a full-service community development corporation with more than 250 IDA participants. Corporate offices are located at 5701 Delmar Blvd. where the company was founded 4 years ago.

People’s Health Centers… Celebrating 30 years of Service