Yester Square debuts in Crawford Village
Local, Allegheny County and state officials gathered Wednesday to dedicate and tour the new Yester Square housing development in McKeesport's Crawford Village.
“This project has been going on since 2007,” McKeesport Housing Authority executive director Stephen Bucklew said. “Today, there are 68 energy-efficient apartments.”
Bucklew said it replaces 204 barracks-style units built as temporary housing during the Depression era but subsequently deemed obsolete and difficult to manage.
“This is better than my one-bedroom,” Crawford Village resident Ranell Willis said.
“It is bigger than mine,” resident Susan Shuty said.
Bucklew said all of the units can accomodate wheelchairs and 24 meet the standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
“The stove is bigger than mine. The kitchen is better than mine,” resident Peterson Willis said. “It does look nice.”
The development benefits from $1.2 million in low-income tax credits from the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency. They were leveraged into $11.2 million with equity investments by Huntington and Fifth Third banks.
“This tax credit money is very competitive,” state Sen. James R. Brewster, the McKeesport Housing Authority chairman, said.
Bucklew said tax credits covered 58 units, and 10 others were built with capital funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
One requirement of the tax credits was establishment of the nonprofit Crawford Community Renaissance Board chaired by housing authority board member William Craig.
“You have to have a nonprofit separate from the authority to apply for the tax credit,” said authority deputy executive director Diane Raible, a member of the Crawford Community Renaissance board with Mayor Michael Cherepko, city administrator Matt Gergely, city council president Richard Dellapenna and Councilman Daniel Carr and authority board member LuEthel Nesbit.
“They truly exemplify what it means to be a community partnership,” Cherepko said.
Brewster said Yester Square is part of the process that has seen a reduction in the number of public housing units from 1,200 to 900 under the authority.
“Public housing isn't bad,” Brewster said. “It is to help those who can't help themselves dig out of the situations they're in. We are responsible, but fair to people who are in need.”
Brewster lauded Bucklew for reducing staff from 52 to 26, and cutting maintenance personnel from 18 to nine.
Senate Minority Leader Jay Costa Jr. hailed Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency CEO Brian A. Hudson Sr., saying he “understands what it means to make investments in the community.”
Hudson said investment is continuing despite a budget stalemate in Harrisburg, along with foreclosure protection and a mortgage program for first-time homebuyers.
“They'll continue because they're not funded by (state) appropriations,” Hudson said.
Budget negotiations continue in Harrisburg.
“We had a great meeting (Tuesday),” Costa said. “We're beginning to make progress and hope to have a resolution soon.”
Development team members were recognized, including Mullen & Lonergan (consultant and compliance), Sleighter Engineering (architectural services), general contractor FairChance Construction, legal counsel Pepper Hamilton and tax credit syndicator City Real Estate Advisors.
Partners in supportive services were noted, including the McKeesport YMCA, American Health Care Group, Neighborhood Legal Services and Allegheny County Human Services.
Other speakers at the Yester Square dedication wre PHFA western regional director Carla Falkenstein, Pittsburgh Department of Housing and Urban Development director Jane Miller and Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald's executive assistant Austin Davis, who was raised in Crawford Village by his grandmother.
Patrick Cloonan is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 412-664-9161 ext. 1967, or pcloonan@tribweb.com.
