Simple Homes is a tax-deductible 501c3 nonprofit organization dedicated to creating dignified, affordable housing for low-income families in Philadelphia.
For 20 years, our community here at The Simple Way, has been working to build a neighborhood that we are proud of. And part of that vision is seeing abandoned houses come back to life.
We have over 20,000 abandoned houses in Philadelphia. That means there are more abandoned houses than there are homeless people. And yet there are thousands of families in need of housing. One Philadelphia family we know recently received a housing voucher… after waiting for 15 years! We are convinced it doesn’t have to be this way.
In 2014, The Simple Way teamed up with the housing experts at Fuller Center for Housing – and Simple Homes was born! Millard Fuller, who started Habitat for Humanity, also founded Fuller Center for Housing which specializes in helping communities like ours turn abandoned houses into dignified homes. The model they use has proved effective, measurable, and scalable in 60 cities across the country and in 16 countries around the world.
It’s not easy to be a friend and a landlord, so that’s why we created a new paradigm for housing. We are not just building houses… we are building healthy homes and stable families, and we are building a little village here on the north side of Philly that we are proud to call home.
We are well aware how powerful the forces of gentrification can be to displace people in need, which is why we know that creating affordable home ownership is one of the most stabilizing things we can do for the future of families we love. We believe in development without displacement.
We don’t fix up abandoned houses and sell them for a profit. We don’t rent properties. We create dignified housing for our most vulnerable neighbors. We are thrilled to partner together with Fuller Center for Housing… and we are thrilled to partner together with YOU!
