Some North Philly residents are getting new homes to keep them in their ‘heavily gentrified’ neighborhoods
The teal home was developed in the first phase of nonprofit Xiente's Mi Casa project, which built 10 single-family rental homes for low-income families in the Norris Square neighborhood.Courtesy of Xiente
The nonprofit Xiente provides subsidized rental housing and financial coaching to move low-income families into middle class through its Mi Casa program. It plans to develop 100 single-family rentals.
The call that changed Analicia Hernandez’s life came from an unexpected place — the local nonprofit that runs the Norris Square preschool her daughters attended.
Xiente was developing 10 new single-family rental homes for low-income families right in the neighborhood, and the nonprofit would help tenants pay the rent. Would she be interested in living in one of the properties?
Hernandez, who was staying with family, jumped at the chance for her own home.
In November 2024, Hernandez, 26, moved with her two daughters — now in kindergarten and first grade — into a two-bedroom house painted bright pink. The property was part of the first phase of Xiente’s Mi Casa initiative, which aims to keep longtime residents of the Norris Square area from getting priced out as home costs continue to rise, said Michelle Carrera Morales, chief executive officer of Xiente, formerly known as Norris Square Community Alliance.