As she stood inside what will soon be a newly remodeled dining room of a row home in the 900 block of Douglass Street Wednesday afternoon, U.S. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan took a moment to vent.

Every time Reading is brought up in the halls of Congress, the Chester County Democrat said, her colleagues from around the country mispronounce it. Typically, they say it the way you’d say “reading a book.”

Houlahan has to correct them, in the process reminding them of the iconic Reading Railroad that’s featured in the game Monopoly. She also reminds them of the critical role the city played in the growth of the nation.

“They don’t remember the history of the city and the industry that’s famous for being from here,” she said. “And it’s something that’s a point of pride to be able to talk about.”

Reading’s days of national prominence may be well past, but Houlahan said that doesn’t have to be the case.

She said she sees a bright future for the city, she sees the potential for a rebuilding and rebirth. And projects like the one she was checking out on Douglass Street will play a big role in that.

The home at 924 Douglass St. is currently receiving a complete makeover, thanks to the joint efforts of Habitat for Humanity of Berks County and the Reading-Muhlenberg Career and Technology Center.

Habitat owns the building and is providing the material to renovate it, while students from the center are getting a chance to hone their skills by providing the labor.

“This is such a cool example of public-private partnerships,” Houlahan  said. “Everyone is sort of working together on a shared vision. And this is the kind of thing that I love to see happening in Reading.”

The Douglass Street property was one of several that Houlahan visited in Reading Wednesday as part of a tour of properties currently being revitalized by Habitat.

The nonprofit organization has been busy in Reading, including an ongoing project that will see 11 homes built or renovated in the Buttonwood Gateway section of the city.

“We take blighted properties and we make them first-time homeownership opportunities” Timothy Daley, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Berks County, said. “And when we are done with them they are affordable.”

The idea in Reading, Daley said, is to revitalize neighborhoods that have fallen into disrepair. Houlahan said the federal government can lend a hand in those types of efforts.

The federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act can provide funding for things like sidewalks, common pathways and bike lanes, she said. And there’s still a bit of money from the American Rescue Plan Act available, too.

“I would encourage us to poke at every place that still has money,” Houlahan said. “I’ve got to be honest, this past year of Congress has been disappointing in its ability to get new legislation passed. But that doesn’t mean that the stuff we passed two years ago isn’t still making its way to us.”

And that funding can help support and bolster innovative projects like the one on Douglass Street.

There, students have been coming up with plans on how to restore a blighted property so it’s ready for a new homeowner. Work on the site is set to begin soon.

“I think the students are excited to come out and get started,” Eric Kahler, administrative director at RMCTC, said.

In all, Kahler said, students from seven different programs at the center will have a hand in the project. And each will gain invaluable, real-life experience from taking part.

“To see the students solve problems about where things should go and what the potential issues might be, those are the skills we need to make sure we are teaching these kids,” he said. “Not everything is going to be perfect.”

Dan Nemes, a teacher in the center’s plumbing and heating program, said his students will learn things through the project that will greatly aid in getting them ready for their future careers.

“We can’t replicate this in the shop,” he said. “You can’t replicate a 100 year old home but that’s what they’ll be doing when they leave the program. They wouldn’t get that experience if we wouldn’t be doing this.”

Placido Soriano, a senior at Muhlenberg High School enrolled in the plumbing and heating program, said he’s keenly aware of and thankful for the benefits of being able to work on the project.

“This is such a good opportunity for us,” he said. “It gives us real-world experience, which is really different from being in the shop working with new things.

“Knowing that I will have a part in renovating this house is such a rewarding feeling,” he added. “This is such an amazing opportunity that I have been given.”