Click here to view - Walnut Square: A Community Rebuilt

The Freddie Mac Foundation Highlights the Work of NHPF

The NHP Foundation honored the Freddie Mac Foundation for their $900,000 investment to housing-based social service programs in New Orleans, serving more than 700 families affected by Hurricane Katrina. With this investment, The NHP Foundation’s resident services division, Operation Pathways has made a significant impact on children and families at three housing communities in the greater New Orleans area.

A grand opening event was held on January 21, 2010 at the community center of NHPF’s Walnut Square Apartment community in New Orleans East. The community center is equipped with a fitness room, computer learning center, and two separate spaces for after school programming for children and youth. The open house event included a short program featuring presentations by Ralph F. Boyd, Jr., President and CEO of the Freddie Mac Foundation; Richard F. Burns, CEO of The NHP Foundation; Dawn Lawrence, a resident of Walnut Square and a performance by the children in the after school program.

Foxwood Manor Apartments – Levittown Pennsylvania

 A new initiative for The NHP Foundation (NHPF) is the rehabilitation of Foxwood Manor Apartments in Levittown, Pennsylvania. Foxwood has 304 units totaling 253,384 square feet, and while it was well-maintained, the aging community was in need of a makeover. 

 

NHPF will be using the Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program to finance the rehabilitation, which will include new doors and flooring. Kitchens and baths will see major updating including Energy Star-rated appliances and paints and new carpeting will complete the updating throughout.  

 

The buildings will also receive fully upgraded mechanical infrastructure, including re-piping gas, HVAC, and plumbing and insulation and vapor barriers will be added to every crawl space to help prevent the units from losing heat or air conditioning.  

 

An additional major change that will take place is that five percent of the units will be renovated to be accessible to those with disabilities, making those units compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. 

 

The renovation is expected to be complete in 2010, and thus far there have been minimal disruptions to residents. Maintaining an open line of communication with residents has proven a worthy effort. NHPF notes that the project is on time, under budget and proceeding smoothly.