GC Community Action Requests Land For Workforce Housing Development

Jul. 3, 2008
Community Action Committee president Duane Yoder asked the county commissioners last week to transfer county-owned land to his agency for a workforce/affordable housing project.

The initiative is being planned in conjunction with the proposed McHenry Business and Technology Park, slated for the county's White Face Farm property near the airport. Yoder noted that the housing site would be a prime location for business park employees to live.

"We are asking for a contribution of approximately 50 acres," he said. "This is based on discussions with Economic Development (Garrett County) in terms of how much land they will need for the business park."

The original housing project has been scaled back because of the needs of the park and Federal Aviation Administration, Yoder said.

Community Action's vice president for development, Cherie Ross, presented the commissioners with a preliminary rendering of the site plan created by architect Doug Devlin.

Between 250 and 300 units would be constructed for people of various income levels. The actual number of units, however, would depend on the county's planned residential development stipulations (PRD) and the amount of "green spaces" that can be incorporated into the project.

"We're looking at and exploring various housing types," Devlin said. "We think modular is going to be a major player in terms of being able to provide affordable housing."

The units would be a mix of single-family and multi-family homes, duplexes, and, perhaps, "miniature" cottages, ranging from 450 to 1,000 square feet. Some of the residents would own their homes, while others would be renters.

The idea is to create a place with a traditional, neighborhood or village-type of feel. Devlin said, however, that a market study was needed to calibrate the best mix of housing types for the project.

Yoder also noted that the study was needed to see where the business park employees would fit into the housing arrangement.

The president added that one of the main features of the housing project is a parcel on the west side of the proposed site. That area is too steep to be developed, he said.

"We would ask that [parcel] also be added to the contribution by the county for the purpose of allowing us to use it to meet the PRD formula and requirements," Yoder said.

But ultimately, he said, the parcel would be put into some type of conservation district and never developed.

"Although, we would use it for recreational purposes, trails, and so on," Yoder said.

Other nearby green spaces that could be used in conjunction with the housing project are two ball fields that were established through Program Open Space. The POS sites, undeveloped parcel, business park, and other places in McHenry could all be connected with public walking trails, Devlin noted.

Yoder said the primarily targets for the homes would be the workforce and for-sale housing markets. Some of those dwellings would be sold/rented through a subsidy program, while others would be available at the market rate.

"Without those subsides, I don't think we can do it," he said about providing affordable housing for local workers. "With them, I think we can."

Under the subsidy program, homeowners and renters would have to meet certain income guidelines.

"I think we all agree that we want to promote home ownership, and, ideally, we'd like to do that through the market," said Director Jim Hinebaugh, Economic Development.

But, he noted, while local wages have increased somewhat in recent years, they have not kept up with inflation and increased housing costs. As a result, many cannot afford a home at market prices.

"I think Duane's proposal is one way to get there," Hinebaugh said about helping workers obtain affordable housing.

Yoder presented the commissioners with a workforce housing proposal, outlining ways to assure that the subsides go to the target population and that they are not misused. The proposal includes creating a land trust to provide sustainable affordable housing for the future and provisions for home sales.

If a home is sold under an appraised market, Yoder explained, a certain percentage of the appreciated value would go toward the land trust, based on the number of years of ownership.

He also told the commissioners that Community Action wants to encourage developers to be a part of the housing project. Yoder indicated that his agency did not have the time that is necessary to finish the initiative in short period of time. To speed up the project, developers could buy three or four lots and construct the homes following Community Action guidelines.

Yoder noted that Economic Development needed to know the basic boundary lines of the housing project so that it could move forward with the business park.

The commissioners discussed the issue further this week and approved the transfer of about 50 acres to Community Action for its project.

"The county is also considering transferring an additional 50-70 acres of property that has less/little development potential into a conservation easement," Hinebaugh said yesterday. "This would potentially increase the density and number of residential units in the Community Action residential development."

County administrator Monty Pagenhardt noted yesterday that the county will now benefit from real property tax revenue on the developed land that it most likely would not have received had the transfer not been approved.