The once-heralded organization was dismantled after Freeman mismanaged millions of taxpayer dollars. But even after the scandal, Freeman continued to claim legal ownership of dozens of properties that were part of the colonial empire, collecting rent from tenants while ignoring their requests for basic maintenance.
Some buildings lacked heat and water. In other places, trash piles up in common areas.
After a lengthy court battle, the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority effectively seized 45 of Freeman’s properties, an extremely rare move that saw the agency forgo collecting $9 million related to federal loans given to Settlement to develop public housing in Germantown.
PRA sued Freeman after residents derailed a deal that would have saved Freeman nearly $6 million in interest and penalties on those loans. Under the proposal, Freeman would retain control of the properties if he agreed to repair them and repay the principal on the loans.
The friendly offer disappeared after the deplorable state of these properties was revealed. A group of dedicated neighbors spent weeks photographing and documenting Freeman’s neglect, then presented their findings to authorities.
“We inherited a property that is currently uninhabitable,” Jeremiah said.
The housing authority plans to spend this year preparing for construction. That includes putting financing in place, which the agency hopes will include public housing tax credits from the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency.
Jeremiah said it will take about 18 months to complete the renovations. As part of the plan, the agency also proposed building a new rental property in East Mount Airy to replace a vacant structure that the city recently demolished because it was deemed unsafe.
