What used to be a cluster of forgotten lots in the uptown section of Harrisburg, PA, is now a fully realized vision of hope and housing, thanks to NFL veteran and hometown son LeSean “Shady” McCoy.
The former Philadelphia Eagles star returned to his old neighborhood not to bask in past glory but to plant seeds for the future, according to PennLive.
On North Sixth Street, 41 brand-new affordable housing units now stand where blight once lived, anchored by a community center and a sense of pride that can be felt in the air.
JMB Gardens, the $16.7 million project, is named after McCoy’s late grandparents, James and Maryann Branch. At the June 24 ribbon-cutting ceremony, McCoy described the initiative as a response to the conditions he witnessed growing up.
“In some of these areas, it was drug-infested. It was abandoned buildings,” he said via WGAL. “Now, the purpose is bringing $17 million affordable housing. So, people that grew up in these neighborhoods, when we talk about purpose, I finally understand what my grandma was talking about.”
PennLive further reported that the development includes one-, two-, and three-bedroom units, all of which are reserved for affordable housing. Six homes are ADA accessible, and one is designed specifically for residents with hearing or vision impairments.
In addition to the townhomes, the site features a pocket park and a community center meant to serve as a resource hub for the surrounding neighborhood.
The land for the project, comprising 28 previously vacant parcels, was made to address a growing need for low-income housing in Dauphin County. Data suggests there are only 31 affordable rental homes available for every 100 low-income households in the area, according to PennLive.
JMB Gardens aims to address that shortfall by offering new construction at below-market rates.
This effort also contributes to a broader statewide response to Pennsylvania’s housing shortage, including in Philadelphia, where the need for affordable options remains urgent.
According to Axios, earlier this year, the Philadelphia Housing Authority received over 36,000 applications two weeks after reopening its Housing Choice Voucher Program waitlist for the first time in 12 years. Only 10,000 applicants will be selected through a lottery, and many may wait several years for housing.
Officials estimate that nearly one in five applicants were identified as homeless, and almost half were at risk of becoming homeless, underscoring the severity of the housing crisis.
The project also aligns with growing efforts by Philadelphia’s leadership to address the affordable housing gap.
In a separate Axios report, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker recently announced a $2 billion housing initiative, known as Housing Opportunities Made Easy, which seeks to build 13,500 new homes and preserve 16,500 existing ones.
Parker’s plan includes converting city-owned properties into housing, offering tax incentives, and simplifying zoning rules to expedite development.
While McCoy’s project is not officially connected to the initiative, it reflects similar priorities, as it adds another layer of personal relevance, given his years of playing and living in Philadelphia.
Harrisburg Mayor Wanda Williams, who grew up near the development site, called the transformation “a promise kept.” He noted that the area had long been impacted by neglect and that the new homes mark a significant shift in both appearance and opportunity.
Governor Josh Shapiro and Senator Patty Kim joined McCoy for the grand opening, praising the effort as an example of meaningful public-private collaboration.
The state contributed $1.3 million to the development, including $750,000 from the Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement (PHARE) fund, as noted by PennLive. That program has expanded under the Shapiro administration and has helped fund over 270 new affordable units and repairs to more than 2,000 homes across the state in the past two years.
“So we need to vote [to] build more affordable housing. And we need to be able to target investments in our aging housing stock to allow people here to stay in their homes,” Shapiro said during his remarks.
Applications for the new units opened this week. The first residents are expected to move in within the next two weeks. McCoy’s nonprofit foundation will help program the community center with financial literacy classes, job training, and youth services.
Officials involved in the project have framed JMB Gardens as both a response to urgent housing needs and a blueprint for future development efforts in similar communities. The project was coordinated through a mix of public funding, private partnerships, and McCoy’s philanthropy.
McCoy, who graduated from Bishop McDevitt High School and played 12 seasons in the NFL, said he hopes the project will contribute to lasting change in the neighborhood.
“I do these things to bring everybody closer,” he said to Penn Live. “People can’t see the things that I’ve seen and do the things I’ve done, but you can still impact the community.”
