The Erie Housing Authority was created in March of 1938, and will soon celebrate its 75th anniversary. The Housing Authority issued a press release in April of 1943 to inform people of its properties:
"Five hundred dwelling units at Franklin Terrace, a defense housing project and the first one built in Erie. It consists of 465 acres of property between Victory Road and Franklin Avenue, adjacent to the General Electric Plant. It is bounded on the north by East Lake Road, and on the south by East Twelfth Street. The Project is built as a temporary one to house the large numbers of defense workers who have come to Erie.
The E. H. A. also has under management 224 dwelling units at Harbor Homes Project which is located on Buffalo Road and is destined to be of a more permanent nature. It is built on a tract of land from the New York Central tracks on the north to Buffalo Road on the south; from Downing Avenue east to Brooklyn Avenue; 29 acres in all, and located 2.8 miles from 10th and State Streets.
The third project is the Lake City Homes Negro Project located at German Street, between 16th and 17th. It consists of 40 dwelling units and is also of a permanent nature. These first three housing projects represent an investment of $3,129,000.
A fourth defense project is now (June 1943) under construction. It will consist of 200 dwelling units at 12th and Delaware Avenue and will be ready for occupancy soon. This again is of a temporary nature, the total cost being only $716,000. Owing to scarcity of materials, the houses will be heated with old-fashioned coal stoves, and refrigeration will be with ice-boxes. This project is to be known as the Delaware Avenue Housing Project and is about two blocks from the west city limits."
-Know Erie compiled by Emelia Bark, Teacher of Civics, Gridley Junior High, Erie, Pennsylvania.
Did you grow up in the projects?
Yes, a large amount of us grew up in the Delaware Housing Unit Project! We are actively reliving that past life in great ways on the facebook page called Delaware Housing Project Reunion Page. Search us out on facebook! We are planning a SECOND Annual Reunion this August 16, 2014!
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