FROM UPTOWN HARRISBURG. A BIG CROWD BEHIND ME HERE AT EMERALD AND SIXTH STREETS IN HARRISBURG. LASHAWN MCCOY BACK IN HARRISBURG TO ANNOUNCE A NEW PROJECT THAT’S GOING TO BRING A LOT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING HERE TO THE CITY. TWO, THREE TOM ALL DAY APPLAUSE AND SMILES AS GROUND IS BROKEN ON JMB GARDENS. FORMER EAGLES RUNNING BACK TURNED BROADCASTER LASHAWN MCCOY SAYS THE PROJECT COULD HELP TRANSFORM THE COMMUNITY WHERE HE USED TO LIVE. MAKES THE ENVIRONMENT SAFER SO KIDS CAN GO TO SCHOOL AND BE HAPPY. RIGHT. IT’S NOT SO MUCH AN ABANDONED BUILDINGS OR DRUG INFESTED AREAS. WE’RE NEVER GOING TO KNOCK IT DOWN TO FIX EVERYTHING UP. UM, AND I ALWAYS THINK ABOUT, LIKE, AS A KID, MAYBE YOU DON’T HAVE THE BEST LIVING CONDITIONS, RIGHT? OR THE BEST FAMILY STRUCTURE, BUT IT FEELS BETTER. YOU CAN COME HOME AND THEY CALL IT HOME, RIGHT? YOU CAN BE SAFE. THOSE THINGS THAT THAT REALLY MATTER TO ME BECAUSE I WAS AN EIGHT YEAR OLD KID, SEVEN YEAR OLD KID, YOU KNOW, AND IF I COULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THEIR LIVES, THAT’S WHAT MATTERS THE MOST FOR ROWHOME STYLE BUILDINGS ARE PLANNED AROUND THE SITES AT SIXTH AND EMERALD, WITH 41 AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS INSIDE, ALONG WITH A COMMUNITY CENTER AND POCKET PARK. FORMER PENNSYLVANIA HOUSING FINANCE AGENCY DIRECTOR BRIAN HUDSON IS CONSULTING MCCOY’S REAL ESTATE FIRM, VICE CAPITAL, ON THE PROJECT, HE SAID THERE’S A HUGE NEED FOR MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING. WE’LL BE DOING OUTREACH, COMMUNITY OUTREACH FOR THOSE WHO ARE LOOKING FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR THE RENTS ARE TOO HIGH. THE QUALITY OF THIS UNIT, WHAT IT WILL LOOK LIKE. MCCOY IS ALSO INVOLVED AS A FINANCIAL BACKER FOR ANOTHER PROJECT THAT WILL BRING SOME AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS TO THE CITY THAT’S JUST DOWN THE STREET ON SIXTH STREET IN HARRISBURG.