Deluzio Secures $1.66 Million for Wilkinsburg Affordable Housing

August 12, 2024

WILKINSBURG, PA — Today, Congressman Chris Deluzio (PA-17) announced a $1,666,279 federal investment for the multi-use Penn Lincoln Apartments affordable housing construction in Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania. Congressman Deluzio in collaboration with Senator Bob Casey secured these funds to support the construction of 41 units of affordable housing (at or below 60% area median income) as well as 12,000 square feet of retail space near the heart of Wilkinsburg’s business district. Local organizations ACTION-Housing, Inc. and Hosanna House are spearheading this effort on the ground and have also secured funding through other federal and state funding opportunities for affordable housing.

“I came to Congress to fight for the Common Good, and I’m proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with local leaders to tackle housing costs and deliver federal funds for new construction in Wilkinsburg,” said Congressman Deluzio. “That’s why I am so proud to announce that Senator Bob Casey and I have secured more than $1.66 million dollars to help build the new Penn Lincoln Apartments in Wilkinsburg. This project will provide new and more affordable housing, help more families stay in their community, and grow the local economy.”

“The Penn Lincoln Apartments is a mixed-use development led by ACTION-Housing, Inc. in collaboration with community-based partner Hosanna House,” said Larry Swanson, Executive Director of ACTION-Housing. “It represents a unique opportunity to build on the neighborhood’s recent development momentum while addressing critical affordable housing needs. As the affordable housing crisis grows and projects like this become increasingly complex and difficult to fund, support from and partnerships with our elected officials are even more vital for a project’s success. We applaud Representative Deluzio’s leadership on the issue of affordable housing and thank him for his support and collaboration with Senator Casey in garnering the critical resources needed to make projects like this a reality.”

“Hosanna House celebrates imminent transformation the Penn Lincoln Development will bring. This project will transform a prime real estate corner that has sat vacant for 30 years into an affordable mixed-use development that anchors the business district,” Leon E. Haynes, III, Founding CEO & President of Hosanna House, Inc. “With intentional planning, this development will spur economic mobility for the Wilkinsburg community with increased ground floor retail space and 41 units of housing – with half designed for families. We are grateful for Representative Deluzio’s leadership in sponsoring this investment in Wilkinsburg. We also recognize that this project gained momentum thanks to Senator Costa leadership along with support from Allegheny County for the RCAP funding to support the retail space for the community.”

The groundbreaking for the Penn Lincoln Apartments is expected in the fall of 2024. Along with the more than $1.66 million announced today, this project is also funded through the Federal Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) Program and GOME funds (administered through Allegheny County Economic Development).

Specifically, the Penn Lincoln Apartments project includes:

Mixed use-development with 41 units of affordable housing and 12,000 SF of ground-floor commercial space
Residential (4 floors)
41 apartments (20 1-BR, 12 2-BR, 9 3-BR - more family-size units than typical of a LIHTC project, in response to community need)
All 41 units are affordable at or below 60% area median income
9 fully ADA units; all units are visitable
Preference for individuals with physical and intellectual disabilities.
Supportive Services provided for all tenants, with an additional suite of services for the specific needs of the preference population provided in collaboration with partner service organizations.
Commercial (1 floor)
~12,000 SF of ground-floor commercial space in the heart of the Wilkinsburg business district
Separate condominium structure to be owned by a partnership between Hosanna House and ACTION-Housing

Photos from the site visit and press conference are available to the media here.

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