Families move into dozens of renovated affordable apartments in Kensington: 'We have a home'

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Dozens of families have a new place to call home as newly renovated affordable apartment units were unveiled in Kensington.

It's a small step in the city's goal to create thousands more units of affordable housing.

"I'm sitting on the steps of my home," said Claudia Mathieu as she sat with her four-year-old daughter on the stoop of their new apartment. "This is me and my children's home. We have a home!"

There was a time when Mathieu didn't think she'd get to say that. She and her three children have stayed in four different shelters. On Thursday, their circumstances changed, as they moved into one of 31 newly-renovated units, known as Kings Highway Apartments, in the area of Frankford and Cambria in Kensington. They are apartments that no one could live in previously because they didn't meet HUD standards until Odin Properties stepped in.

"Since 2013, we've managed former low-income housing developments throughout the city," said Philip Balderston, founder and CEO of Odin Properties.

"What could have been a setback became a success story for the residents and the neighborhoods," said Bret Holden with the Philadelphia Housing Authority.

For some of the families moving into Kings Highway, the apartments are their first home in a while.

"A lot of the folks moving in are coming from various city homeless shelters," said Balderston.

The search for affordable housing is a real struggle. About 10,000 people are on the city's housing voucher wait list. Last month, Mayor Cherelle Parker unveiled a new $2 billion plan to create and preserve affordable housing.

It can't come fast enough for residents like Erika Shipman, who is also moving into the new apartments.

"It's a two-year lease, and that will give me enough time to raise my credit, save my money, look for a home to buy," Shipman said.

Mathieu isn't looking that far ahead yet. She's just happy that her three children will know the comfort of home and the joy that comes along with it.

"We did it," she exclaimed while hugging her daughter.

The rent for the apartments varies depending on the person. The apartment will simply charge them 30% of their income. Odin Properties has committed to keeping the apartments as "affordable units" for the next 20 years.