Gov. Shapiro & LeSean McCoy Open New Affordable Housing in Harrisburg

Grand Opening of J&B Gardens

• 🎯 The event celebrates the grand opening of J&B Gardens, a new affordable housing community in Harrisburg, PA, located near where Governor Shapiro grew up.
• 🤝 The project is highlighted as a successful public-private partnership, emphasizing the need for collaboration to address the affordable housing crisis.

Addressing Pennsylvania's Housing Needs

• 🏠 Governor Shapiro stressed the critical need for safe, affordable housing across Pennsylvania, noting that 60% of the state's housing stock was built before 1970.
• 📈 The administration has significantly increased funding for the FAIR initiative (Funding Affordable Housing) from $60 million to $100 million, aiming to fund the construction of 270 new units and repair over 2,000 more.
• 🔑 Over the past two years, the state has funded over 1,000 projects, resulting in the construction or repair of more than 8,000 housing units.

LeSean McCoy's Commitment to Community

• 🌟 Former NFL player LeSean McCoy, known as "Shady," is recognized for his dedication to developing affordable housing in his hometown of Harrisburg.
• 💡 McCoy's motivation stems from his grandmother's teachings about having a purpose beyond football, leading him to focus on impactful community development like housing.
• 🏘️ J&B Gardens, named after McCoy's grandparents, represents a significant investment of $17 million in affordable housing, transforming a previously drug-infested area.

Partnerships and Future Vision

• 🤝 The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania invested $1.3 million in the J&B Gardens project, with $750,000 specifically from the FAIR initiative.
• 🏗️ Developers and community leaders emphasized the importance of community input throughout the planning process, holding multiple meetings to gather feedback.
• 🚀 Governor Shapiro expressed a commitment to supporting similar large-scale, impactful projects in Harrisburg, encouraging local officials to develop bold plans for further development.

Budgetary Priorities and Challenges

• 💰 Governor Shapiro highlighted progress in budget negotiations, emphasizing the need for compromise and urging the Senate to move forward.
• 📈 Key priorities include investments in schools, public safety (with crime down 38% statewide), and economic development, citing Amazon's $20 billion investment as a major success.
• 🚗 Discussions also touched upon the critical importance of mass transit funding for all 67 counties, with Shapiro prepared to invest in both transit and infrastructure.