A housing facility for LGBT seniors
officially opened last month in Philadelphia with a giant rainbow bow
and a tag that reads “gift to the community.”
The 6-story 56-unit housing facility
was co-developed by the Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld Fund and Pennrose
Properties. Tenants must be 62 or older and their yearly income
cannot exceed $33,000. Monthly rents range from $192 to $768 based
on income.
The L-shaped building, named the John
C. Anderson Apartments after a city councilman who backed gay rights,
features a lobby overlooking a 6,000-square-foot courtyard and
includes retail space on the ground floor. The facility is located
on 13th Street between Locust and Spruce in Philadelphia's
predominantly gay neighbor.
“Being an LGBT friendly community,
the largest development of its kind in the United States of America
clearly shows Philadelphia as leading the way on human rights and
LGBT rights issues,” Mayor Michael Nutter told CBS
Philly of the $19 million project.
Resident Bill Lowden called the
facility “so beautiful” and “welcoming.”
The facility joins similar projects in
Los Angeles and Minnesota. Chicago and San Francisco are developing
similar complexes.
(Related: NYC
opens center for gay and lesbian seniors.)