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The Ambitious Public Housing Plan To Remake An Entire Philadelphia Neighborhood

Cities are always in a state of flux. But in one neighborhood in North Philadelphia, the change is happening fast.

On March 19, the city's Public Housing Authority demolished two public housing towers in Sharswood, a neighborhood where poverty and crime rates are double that of the city as a whole. The demolition is part of a 10-year, half-billion dollar plan to transform Sharswood into a "mixed-income community."

PHA says it's going to build more than 1,200 new housing units in Sharswood, revitalize its commercial corridor, and possibly open one of its shuttered schools, according to a story by WHYY reporter Katie Colaneri.

Read the full version of this reportat Keystone Crossroads' websiteKeystone Crossroads is a new statewide public media initiative reporting on the challenges facing Pennsylvania's cities. WPSU is a participating station.

Marielle Segarra was WHYY's Keystone Crossroads reporter. She reported for the multi-station partnership on urban policy, crumbling infrastructure and how distressed Pennsylvania cities are bouncing back. As a freelance radio reporter, her stories have also aired on Latino USA, WNYC, WBUR and other NPR member stations.