CICADA's Fall 2021 Newsletter: Serving Those Who’ve Served Us

Oct 13

Written By Victoria Lydon

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Housing for Homeless Veterans

Early in his first term, President Obama declared that too many of those who once wore our nation's uniform now sleep in our nation’s streets. In 2010, his administration released Opening Doors, the nation’s first-ever strategic plan to prevent and end homelessness. Among other things, this plan set forward an aggressive strategy to end Veteran homelessness. From 2010 to 2019, the number of veterans without stable housing decreased by more than 50 percent. However, that figure grew in 2020 by 6%, or 859 veterans, increasing the HUD’s annual point-in-time estimate to 37,252 in total. With the COVID19 pandemic, finding stable housing for the men and women who have served our country is urgent now more than ever- it is time our country better serves them.

Photo courtesy of CATCH.

To assist in decreasing these figures, CICADA partnered with The Women’s Community Revitalization Project (WCRP), and The Citizens Acting Together Can Help (CATCH), to develop the Mamie Nichols Townhomes in Point Breeze, Philadelphia. The project consists of 33 accessible units in rowhouse form, scattered over two city blocks, and a welcoming, brightly lit community space. 11 of these units will house veterans and their families who are experiencing homelessness.

“Point Breeze has a tremendous need for more affordable housing,” said Nora Lichtash, executive director at WCRP, which develops homes for low-income women and their families. “We’re proud to be in a position to help meet that need for the families and veterans who will occupy the homes of Mamie Nichols someday soon.” Raymond Pescatore, president and CEO of CATCH, has said “This (Point Breeze) neighborhood has experienced a lot of change over the years, and we’ve seen it first-hand. This project is about uniting new and old residents and making sure everyone has a place to live, including those who have served our country.”

Graphic courtesy of Mojave Bloom.

The design and layout of a home occupied by a veteran can be a major factor in their path to recovery. Awareness of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) generates design that creates a low-stress environment. In a study conducted by the Health Environments Research & Design Journal, it was found that open spaces allow veterans suffering from PTSD to see their surroundings and provide them with feelings of security. Sharp turns and blind corners cause stress due to the inability to see what is around the bend. The Mamie Nichols floor plans balance the security of an intimate, accessible scale with open-ness between spaces. Overlaid is CICADA’s conviction that generous windows make the most of natural light and connect residents to the cycles of nature and their neighborhood.

Mural of Mamie Nichols by David McShane and Photo by @SteveWeinik, courtesy of Mural Arts.

Mamie Nichols Townhomes are named after the late, long-standing Point Breeze resident and community advocate, Ms. Mamie Nichols. She played a pivotal role in fighting for affordable housing and other community amenities and believed that doing something positive, like beautifying a vacant lot, starts a wave of pride that washes over the entire community. The townhomes are named in her honor because they continue and sustain the work to which she dedicated her life. CICADA is proud to be a part of helping continue those efforts, helping maintain affordability in this rapidly gentrifying neighborhood.