The $27 million development, called the Dwight Evans Senior Residences, is planned for 20th Street and Cecil B. Moore Avenue. PHA expects construction to take 15 to 18 months. The agency held a groundbreaking ceremony Monday.

Applicants must be at least 62. All apartments will have one bedroom, and tenants will pay no more than 30% of their adjusted monthly income toward rent, with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development covering the remaining cost.

One-quarter of the apartments will be set aside for people with disabilities or people who have experienced homelessness, PHA President Kelvin Jeremiah said. About a dozen units will be accessible under the Americans with Disabilities Act or adapted for residents with hearing or visual impairments.

The building will also offer services including transportation and adult day care. Jeremiah said the project is intended to give older residents a place to live comfortably as they age.

State Sen. Sharif Street said affordable housing is important for longtime community members who can no longer manage larger homes. The development is being built by Frankel Enterprises with public financing, including PHA capital funds and low-income housing tax credits, which are intended to keep the apartments affordable for decades.

The project site was acquired by PHA through eminent domain. When completed, the building will bear the name of U.S. Rep. Dwight Evans, who is expected to retire in January after a decade in Congress. Evans previously served nearly 40 years in the Pennsylvania House, including as chair of its Appropriations Committee.

Evans described the development as a collective effort and said continued focus and determination would be needed to make a difference.