LeSean McCoy, known for dodging tackles on the turf, is now tackling a different kind of challenge in Harrisburg.
He is putting his skills to work off the field, bringing affordable housing to his hometown of Harrisburg.
‘JMB Gardens,’ his affordable housing complex, is named after his grandparents and aims to give kids in his neighborhood safety and security.
LeSean McCoy explained, "When I was a kid, I walked the street up here all the time, and sometimes it wasn't always safe. Certain hours of the day you probably didn't want to walk past these streets, but now can I change that? Yes.”
McCoy's playbook includes giving families something different from the standard apartment living.
The $16.7 million project will feature 41 townhomes with yards, parking, and a community center.
Although he’s new to building, McCoy is no stranger to the neighborhood, and that is what makes this project a hometown touchdown.
“Things that I might've wanted when I was a kid, now I can say, 'let's do this.' And go out there and physically do it myself,” commented McCoy.
However, McCoy is not the lone player in this game.
The City of Harrisburg is also on the field, tackling affordable housing issues.
Their biggest challenge right now is trying to get the appropriate land pieces available to actually use.
Jason Graves, the director of business development for Harrisburg stated, “You look at a lot of areas that are in the city that are dilapidated or blight or vacant lots. It’s just trying to get the right pieces together to actually make things happen. It’s going at a snail’s pace, probably not as fast as everybody wants it to go.”
McCoy's team is playing the long game, making sure every move counts for the community.
Ryan Sanders, the vice president of development at Vice Capital said, "You know, it's easy to do a book bag giveaway and haircuts and all of those things, but when you're providing families with a place to stay that is safe and comfortable, it means something much more."
The construction is expected to be completed in about 12 to 14 months and applications will be available several months before completion.