HACE’s mission is to combat community deterioration through economic development initiatives that address commercial revitalization, employment opportunities, the creation of safe affordable housing, and the provision of support services to meet the needs of the community residents toward re-building the neighborhood’s economic base. We focus on the possible and work to restore our primary neighborhood so that residents will benefit from sound investments while improving their quality of life.

HACE seeks to empower people economically by providing affordable housing and supporting businesses

In the housing area, HACE has one of the most productive track records of any CDC. Since 1990, HACE has developed over 300 units of housing.

• Somerset Villas, developed through a joint venture with Episcopal Hospital, provides 100 units of affordable housing for the elderly and disabled (1991).
• Villas De HACE, 24 units of affordable rental housing financed with Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (1992).
• Scattered site rental housing: Fourteen (14) units completed with 3 under development.
• Scattered site homeownership projects: Since 1990, 50 fully rehabilitated homes sold to first time home buyers many of whom were single female headed households.
• Villas Del Caribe, 81 units of affordable rental housing financed with Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (1997). This project received the 1998 Building Excellence Award of the Delaware Valley, sponsored by Commerce Bank and The Philadelphia Business Journal;
• Casa Caribe, a HUD 202 development is the result of a joint venture with Episcopal Hospital and provides 52 units of affordable housing for the elderly.
• In collaboration with PNHS, HACE provided financial and program support to homeowner’s in the St. Hugh community to create "Model Blocks." Revolving home improvement loans and grants were obtained to improve the overall physical appearance of targeted blocks. The model block program generated a $500,000 investment within a two-year period (1997) in helping to preserve current housing stock.

In the area of economic and commercial development, HACE has:

• Founded the Fifth Street Business Association. From inception, HACE has provided technical assistance to the merchants in marketing, financing, personnel management, licensing, and other technical areas.
• Assisted in reducing the number of vacant buildings in the commercial district from 15 to 2.
• HACE has been able to seize market-based opportunities by bringing new lines of business to the Latino commercial district, by developing over 23,000 square feet of office/retail space, 12,500 of which comprises the HACE Mall. Over the years, the HACE Mall has been home to HACE and a great number of community organizations creating hundreds of jobs. In the selection of commercial tenants for the commercial space developed and owned by HACE, the goal is to bring needed services and businesses into the community. To this end, HACE was able to bring a variety of health care organizations, drug & alcohol abuse, and recreation / tutoring agencies that provide comprehensive services to the community.
• Developed the first CDC-owned property management company in the region. The HACE Management Company, a solely owned subsidiary, assumed property management duties for HACE’s developments consisting of 300 residential units and over 23,000 square feet of commercial space. Initial start up capital was provided by Philadelphia Neighborhood Development Collaborative (PNDC) and Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC). HACE Management Company has created fourteen (14) full-time jobs since July 1997 and anticipates additional employment opportunities for community residents.
• In seeking to promote and provide access to business loans, bonding and contract opportunities for local Latino contractors, HACE co-founded the Latino Contractors Association. HACE has assisted several contractors in obtaining bank lines of credit and provided contract opportunities of nearly $2,000,000 in our recent developments.
• HACE was able to receive Main Street designation for its Commercial Revitalization Program on 5th Street from the renowned National Main Street Program, a program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation and LISC. The Main Street model offers neighborhood revitalization based on four critical areas: organization, promotion, design, and economic restructuring. HACE added a fifth element, crime and sanitation. The Main Street Program provides the needed staffing, expertise and technical support to develop, coordinate and implement a successful revitalization strategy. HACE is working closely with the Fifth Street Business Association, merchants, LISC, community residents and community organizations in the implementation of the program. The initial program was funded by the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED). and is currently funded by the City of Philadelphia Commerce Department.
• In addition to the development work, HACE also provides Housing Counseling Services to tenants and homeowners throughout Eastern North Philadelphia and citywide. The program serves families seeking to become first-time homeowners, homeowners facing mortgage default and tenants. Since 1991, collaboration started for two (2) years with PCCA in 1989, HACE’s Housing Counseling Program has serviced nearly 2,000 families. The program is funded by Philadelphia’s Office of Housing and Community Development (OHCD).