Veterans Foundation Plans Housing on Cameron Street
A proposed three-story project would convert a long-vacant Harrisburg social club into 14 apartments for homeless veterans.
Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in Philanthropy
Live Poll
Should Harrisburg allow new housing for homeless veterans on vacant lots?
The 1321 North Cameron Street Veterans Foundation has proposed a mixed-use housing project in the 1300 block of North Cameron Street, where a vacant three-story building that formerly housed the German-American Friendship Society's social club would be demolished. The project team presented a sketch plan to the Harrisburg Planning Commission last week.
Why it matters
The foundation's mercantile license application was denied because the property is in the Residential Medium Density zoning district, and non-community-center uses would require zoning hearing board approval. The property also sits in a flood plain, factors that will shape whether the project moves forward in Harrisburg.
The plan calls for 14 apartments of 650 to 660 square feet each, each with a bedroom, kitchen space and bathroom, on a site vacant for at least 25 years. Whether the zoning hearing board will approve the non-community-center use required for the project has not been resolved.
The players
1321 North Cameron Street Veterans Foundation
The foundation is the organization proposing the housing project for homeless veterans on North Cameron Street in Harrisburg.
Profitt from the Experience Inc.
Profitt from the Experience Inc. is a consulting firm providing advisory services to the proposed housing project.
The details
Profitt from the Experience Inc. provides consulting for the project, and the foundation applied for a mercantile license to serve displaced veterans before that application was denied. The existing building will be demolished, and the foundation plans to submit a land development plan in the summer.
Timeline
The property has been vacant for at least 25 years.
The sketch plan was presented to the Harrisburg Planning Commission last week.
The foundation plans to submit a land development plan in summer 2027.
Construction is planned for completion by the end of 2028.
The building is planned to be occupied no later than early 2029.
Market Landscape
The proposal runs up against the Residential Medium Density zoning district, which blocked the foundation's mercantile license and now requires zoning hearing board approval for non-community-center uses. Projects that combine housing with service functions in this district face the same procedural hurdle.
Residents near the 1300 block of North Cameron Street could see a long-vacant building replaced with 14 apartments for homeless veterans. The project's timeline depends on zoning approval, since the current district limits the non-community-center use the foundation requires.
The takeaway
Zoning rules, not just funding, will determine how quickly veteran housing can be built on older commercial parcels in Harrisburg. Nonprofit developers should confirm district use rules before committing to a project timeline.
What happens next
The foundation plans to submit a land development plan in summer 2027, and construction is planned for completion by the end of 2028.
Further reading
Explore more local giving and nonprofit coverage in Philanthropy for context on community housing efforts.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Pennlive.
Live Poll
Should Harrisburg allow new housing for homeless veterans on vacant lots?
