WILMINGTON, Del., July 29, 2019 – Today, Gov. John Carney and Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) were the special guests at an event celebrating The Flats, a multiphase housing project that is redeveloping Wilmington property from the early 1900s into quality affordable housing for low-income individuals and those with disabilities. Developers recently completed Phase II of the project, which is being led by Woodlawn Trustees, Inc. through its partnership with Todmorden Foundation, and have begun work on Phase III.
“The State of Delaware is pleased to support this important project, and we share in the vision of the partners working to bring new life to The Flats community by providing safe, affordable housing for its residents,” said Gov. Carney. “As the project progresses, I want to congratulate those who have worked so hard to see this come to fruition and commend them for their efforts to address a crucial need in this area of the city.”
FHLBank Pittsburgh and its members Fulton Bank and Wilmington Savings Fund Society have provided a total of $1.75 million in grants for The Flats through FHLBank’s Affordable Housing Program (AHP). Additional funding support was provided by JPMorgan Chase, Cinnaire and FHLBank Atlanta. Delaware State Housing Authority also provided $9 million in funding support for the project through the state’s Housing Development Fund.
“It’s rewarding to see the hard work of so many people and organizations give more Delaware families a safe, affordable place to call home,” said Sen. Coons. “By working together, these housing partners are providing a valuable service to our neighbors and helping to revitalize Delaware communities.”
Once completed, the development will have 434 modern, affordable units with access to public transportation, on-site supportive services, 24-hour maintenance services, free wireless internet service to help residents complete schoolwork and other important house tasks, and an on-site community center.
In addition to Gov. Carney and Sen. Coons, participants in today’s celebration included Rod Lambert, President and CEO, Woodlawn Trustees, Inc.; Ben Lovell, Chairman of Woodlawn Trustees, Inc.; Dana Hanchin, President and CEO, HDC MidAtlantic; Mike Purzycki, Mayor, City of Wilmington; Anas Ben Addi, Director, Delaware State Housing Authority; Winthrop Watson, President and CEO, FHLBank Pittsburgh; Tom Horne, President, JP Morgan Chase; Susan Frank, EVP Business Development, Cinnaire; and Steve Clark, Executive Vice President, WSFS.
The Flats has become a major driver of Wilmington’s economic development, representing a capital investment of over $110,000,000 in the city. The project has created hundreds of construction and auxiliary-service jobs and spurred new development in the neighborhood.
“Woodlawn Trustees is proud to be a part of The Flats redevelopment and to help individuals and families here in our home community of Wilmington thrive,” said Lambert.
About FHLBank Pittsburgh
FHLBank Pittsburgh is a congressionally chartered cooperative of local financial institutions operating across Delaware, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The Bank uses private money, not taxpayer funds, to assure the flow of credit and services to local lenders and helps them serve the affordable housing and community and economic development needs of the communities in which they operate. Each year, FHLBank sets aside 10 percent of its net income for AHP grants, which are awarded to project sponsors on a competitive basis.
About Woodlawn Trustees, Inc.
Woodlawn Trustees, Inc. was founded in 1901 by William P. Bancroft to continue his interests beyond his lifetime. Woodlawn’s core objectives are the preservation of open space for public enjoyment, affordable rental housing in the City of Wilmington, and orderly planned development to benefit the community and provide funding for Woodlawn’s activities. Woodlawn, together with Todmorden Foundation and HDC MidAtlantic, are in the midst of rebuilding the historic community known as “The Flats” originally built by Woodlawn over 100 years ago. Woodlawn celebrates its continued innovation in quality affordable housing and reaffirms its commitment to its residents and the community at large.
Every voice matters. At HDC, we are committed to raising up resident voices and opening doors so that residents can actively participate in the democratic process, speak out on issues important to them and their communities, and communicate how policies affect their everyday lives. We believe it is important to make the time and space to listen, and to support resident leaders in effectively using their voices. We support resident advocacy opportunities through our Resident Academy of Leadership & Inspiration, Voter Registration Drives, and holding constituent meetings and tours with elected officials.
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Finding a place to live that meets one’s basic needs and budget can feel like a never-ending challenge. The complexity of lower-income families and individuals extend far beyond simply finding a safe, affordable, and welcoming place to call home. At HDC, we are committed to being an ally in speaking to issues, programs, and policies that improve quality of life of our residents. Issues that we know are important to our residents include:
We know we can’t solve the affordable housing challenge alone. We need champions to help change the conversation around what home means and why it matters. We are committed to educating elected officials to understand the needs and challenges of their constituents. We are here to provide solutions that work and offer affordable housing expertise that demonstrates the impact policy decisions have on lower-income families, seniors and those with disabilities. We work closely with and participate in alliances and coalitions to educate and advance shared policy priorities. Our advocacy partners include:
Wendy Smith serves as the Vice President of Property Management, responsible for the overall strategic direction for HDC’s management portfolio and the organization’s largest staff team. Previously, Wendy served as Asset and Operations Manager for a leading real estate firm based in New York City which owned over 11,000 affordable homes. Since 2008, Wendy has held roles in regional level operations for commercial and for-profit housing agencies. Wendy holds a degree in International Studies.
