What is a Choice Neighborhood?
Kingsessing – Bartram Village is a choice neighborhood. This is a designation and program from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for neighborhoods anchored by public housing where public and private dollars are leveraged to support locally-driven strategies in a comprehensive approach to neighborhood transformation. Choice helps communities revitalize neighborhoods by improving distressed public and/or assisted housing, catalyzing critical improvements in the neighborhood and helping residents with educational, workforce, and health programming.
PHA received a Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grant in 2017 leading to the Blossom at Bartram! Transformation Plan in 2020 and an Implementation Grant in July of 2023.
Thank you!
The Bartram Choice Team is proud to present Blossom at Bartram!
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development just awarded PHA a $50 million Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grant. This is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to bring together Bartram Village residents, neighbors, business owners, police, and non-profits to join the effort to revitalize the area and units to modern, attractive housing. The grant also provides funding to implement some physical enhancements in the neighborhood to help build momentum and attract new investment
Click here to view the final Bartram Choice Neighborhood Plan online.
You may also download a small version of the plan by clicking here.
Stay tuned to this site for updates on next steps in the implementation of this plan.
Children’s Workshop
On July 1, 2019, summer campers at Bartram Village helped the planning team think of ideas for playspaces. Each child designed their own playground. Afterwards, the children also shared their paintings of what they hope the redeveloped site might look like.
Neighborhood Walkshop
What’s a “walkshop?” A walkshop is a walking workshop that is a great way to take a closer look at existing conditions in and around a neighborhood. On Saturday, May 4, 2019, several Bartram Village and neighborhood residents and stakeholders took two different walking paths through the neighborhood, recording specific areas of concern and discovering a few surprises along the way.
Leaders graduate!
In February 2019, the Neighborhood Leadership Series wrapped up with a bus tour of housing communities, recently redeveloped by PHA, and a graduation celebration.
BIG MILESTONE: OUTLINE OF THE PLAN SUBMITTED
The first big milestone in the planning process is to present an outline of the plan to HUD. We submitted this document for review on February 27, 2019.
Click here to see the Outline with Content that we presented.
COMMUNITY MEETING #3 Materials are NOW AVAILABLE
missed the meeting? no problem!
Click here to see the presentation.
Click on this link to see the materials used for discussion.
The Bartram Choice Neighborhoods Transformation Plan is an opportunity to create a comprehensive plan to revitalize Bartram Village and the surrounding area to improve the quality of life and attract additional investment.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded a Choice Neighborhoods Planning & Action Grant to the Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA) to guide a two-year, community-driven planning process followed by a year and a half to implement physical neighborhood improvements. Centered around the redevelopment of Bartram Village, the Transformation Plan will also explore ways to revitalize the surrounding Kingsessing neighborhood.
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