Culver's town council last month made its first formal move in the direction of affordable -- or entry-level -- housing development, even if a few audience members at the Sept. 22 meeting had some reservations.
If the project proceeds according to council wishes, a combination of apartments and stand-alone houses will be in the works on West Jefferson Street at property owned by Kevin Berger, north of the area occupied today by the `Puter Pit Stop on that street (as far back as this 2008 entry in his Easterday Construction blog, Berger has been discussing the site, which he dubbed "Sand Hill Farm."
The endeavor is the result of months of efforts by an entry-level housing committee formed last year by the council.
Town manager Jonathan Leist explained that Culver's Redevelopment Commission recently allocated $200,000 towards the project, which earlier this year involved the housing committee's reaching out for a developer capable of handling the effort.
The council discussed that the CRC funds could be used either towards purchase of the mobile home park on the south side of West Jefferson, with the intention of developing new housing there, or alternately towards running utilities from town to the edge of the Berger property, whose larger size would allow for more development than the mobile home site.
Various cost estimates were discussed concerning the Berger property, including the lowest at $200,000, but also a price point of $393,000 to run utilities to the center of Berger's 25 acres, as well as $540,000 to run utilities to the northern end of the site. It was noted some decision needed to be made at the council meeting to allow the Carmel, Indiana-based developer to apply for federal grant funding to move it forward this fall.
CRC member Tom Yuhas listed several "pros" and "cons" of each site, noting the town could be stuck with the mobile home park property if it was purchased and the development went forward. Of most concern to several council members was another downside to that land: the displacement of nine families of individuals currently residing there.
It was noted that rent on apartments at the new development would likely come in at $400 to $800 per month. Further, some council members noted that any initial development at the Berger site could be added to in the future, given the size of the property and the willingness of Berger himself to support the project.
Audience member Sue McInturff said the mobile home park was something of an eyesore, and expressed support for having it removed.
Council member Dave Beggs expressed similar concerns, but said developing at the Berger property would also give families in the mobile homes a chance to move to the new housing. He pointed to the struggle to keep families in town and the reduction in local student populace, as arguments against forcing mobile home park residents to move.