RHA Upgrades Laundry Facilities at Center City High-Rises

Residents of the Reading Housing Authority’s (RHA) Center City Campus high-rises are now benefiting from newly installed washers and dryers, marking a major step forward in modernizing laundry facilities. These state-of-the-art machines offer a range of improvements, including enhanced energy efficiency, advanced technology, and smart features designed to conserve both water and energy—delivering convenience and sustainability to residents.

The upgrade comes in response to the growing challenges of maintaining the previous aging laundry equipment. Repairs had become increasingly difficult and costly for RHA, with replacement parts often unavailable and maintenance demands consuming over 156 staff hours per year. To address these issues and ensure more reliable service for residents, RHA entered into a comprehensive contract with an outside vendor for laundry room service and maintenance across five Center City high-rise locations.

Under the new agreement, the vendor will assume ownership and maintenance of all washers and dryers, relieving RHA of the ongoing upkeep responsibilities. Along with installing modern equipment, the vendor is collaborating with the RHA maintenance team to upgrade the laundry rooms—removing hot water feeds from boiler rooms, installing dedicated water meters and hot water tanks, and enhancing overall facility conditions.

The service contract also includes key resident-focused features. The vendor will provide clear signage and training for residents to ensure a smooth transition to the new machines. New laundry cards have been distributed, streamlining payment and usage. Additionally, if any machine breaks down three times in a month, it will be automatically replaced—ensuring uninterrupted access to laundry services.

According to Center City Campus Property Manager Grisel Saez, “Residents have expressed their appreciation to RHA for these much-needed upgrades.”

These upgrades reflect RHA’s continued commitment to improving resident services while advancing energy-efficient solutions that benefit the entire community.