Who is MDG?
MDG is a New York based leading affordable housing-only contracting and development firm specializing in the rehabilitation and new construction of affordable residential apartment buildings. We also have an office and team members located in Philadelphia.
Since its formation in 1988, MDG and its affiliates have been involved in the renovation and or new construction of more than 24,500 units at a construction cost of over $4.3 billion. Our projects are primarily in the New York area, but we also have projects in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, South Carolina, and St Croix, U.S.V.I.
What is happening
at Mt.Olivet?
The Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) is a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) tool, created for housing authorities to make necessary improvements and ensure long-term affordability. Under this program, major repairs can be made to a development, when PHA shifts the federal subsidy supporting the development from the public housing program (Section 9) to the project-based (Section 8) program.
Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA) has selected MDG as the development partner to lead the RAD process at Mt. Olivet. The partnership with PHA and MDG will:
Bring critical resources to Mt. Olivet to address needed repairs and capital improvements
Preserve permanent affordability
Protect resident rights
Enhance on-site amenities and social services
HUD provides the following rights to the Existing Residents:
Right to Information
Residents will be informed at resident meetings.
Right to Rental Assistance
Residents in compliance with their leases have a right to ongoing rental assistance. Residents will not be subject to new eligibility screening. Residents who pay 30% of their income on rent will not see an increase in their rent payments due to a RAD conversion. In the rare event that a resident’s rent calculation would change by more than 10% or $25 per month, the increase would be phased in over time.
Right to Relocation Assistance
Residents have a right to relocation protections should there be the need to temporarily move to allow for the completion of the repairs and improvements.
Right to Return
Residents will have the right to return to an assisted unit once construction work is completed.
Mt. Olivet Plan
Mount Olivet, located at 642 N. 41st Street in University City, was built in 1967 on approximately 4.57 acres and consists of five two-story buildings containing 161 multifamily rental units: 151 one-bedroom units and 10 two-bedroom units. Utilizing the RAD program, along with financing that will include Low Income Housing Tax Credits (“LIHTCs”), we are planning to fully rehabilitate the exteriors and interiors of Mt. Olivet, create a thoughtful site improvements and amenities, and install modern safety features.
To understand the physical needs of the properties, our team and selected professionals will inspect the buildings and formulate a detailed plan on how to improve the conditions. Resident and community participation will remain critical to the success of the project – resident and community input will help to shape the overall project
Construction Overview
Kitchens and Bathrooms
Windows
Flooring
Façade and roof maintenance
Plumbing and electrical upgrades
Accessibility Improvements
Parking and Walkways
Site Beautification, Amenities, and Landscaping
Security improvements
EnergyStar Appliances
HVAC and sustainability upgrades
Remediate lead, asbestos, mold & pests
Community Center updates
Social Services and Workforce Development
PHA and MDG will be working together to enhance on-site programming and expand the available services to residents. There will be additional opportunities for job placement in construction and property management roles that will be generated through the completion of the redevelopment.
The selected General Contractor will be implementing a Section 3 and Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) /Women-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE) contracting plan – under this plan, we will maintain hiring and contracting practices to the greatest extent feasible so that 25 percent of the total labor hours expended on the project are by Section 3 Workers1, of which 5 percent are by Targeted Section 3 Workers2 as defined in 24 CFR part 75.
Documents
Click to download for more information.
What’s Next?
We plan to engage with all of the residents at Mt. Olivet. Our team will be providing updates as our plans progress.
We will be hosting resident and community meetings to outline what to expect and collect feedback for inclusion in the overall redevelopment plan.
Please fill out the form for any questions and requests for additional information.