Paseo Verde: Childhood Wellness through Healthy, Affordable Housing

In a low-income Philadelphia community, for-profit and non-profit developers partnered to create Paseo Verde, a high-quality housing development with an emphasis on resident and community health. Paseo Verde, a project of Jonathan Rose Companies and APM, includes a mix of market-rate and income-based rents that make healthy housing accessible even for families in poverty. The development supports children’s health through its environmentally sustainable design, on-site health center and pharmacy, resident service programs, and social service programs headquartered there.

Major findings:

• Green affordable housing can support children’s health by improving air quality, reducing exposure to toxins, and offering opportunities for physical activity.
• An on-site health care center further supports underserved residents and extends health benefits to the broader community.
• A for-profit and non-profit partnership allowed Paseo Verde to blend two experienced development teams to maximize Jonathan Rose Companies’ history of award-winning, environmentally-responsible TOD and APM’s understanding of the local market and the community’s needs and values.
• Supporting residents' health also extends to local recreational opportunities and using the principles of crime prevention through environmental design to support public safety in the surrounding area.

Image courtesy Jonathan Rose Companies.