MANSFIELD — From senior housing in the west end to affordable apartments north of downtown, the gears are moving for multiple special housing projects in Mansfield.
The Richland County Land Bank board voted Wednesday to commit multiple parcels of land to the North End Community Improvement Collaborative for its affordable housing initiative. According to sketches submitted to the land bank, the NECIC intends to build two structures on the parcels, each containing four rental units.
The board agreed to provide a letter of intent committing the parcels to the NECIC until Dec. 15. The commitment of land will allow the NECIC to apply for funds from the U.S. Department Housing and Urban Development to complete the project.
Adrian Ackerman, the city’s new community development and housing director, said there’s quite a bit of need for affordable, safe housing in Mansfield.
“There’s a need for suitable housing, so having an agency like NECIC that would have the ability to maintain a property to a health and safety standard is absolutely a need. We do receive a lot of complaints that rental properties are not up to standards that could potentially cause health and safety issues,” she said.
“The main point of this housing is to create suitable housing for low- to moderate-income people so they don’t feel obligated to rent something that’s less than safe,” she said.
Land bank manager Amy Hamrick also provided an update on the Area Agency on Aging’s affordable senior housing project, Ritters Run. The land bank transferred parcels to the agency for the project at its March meeting.
The city of Mansfield recently gave preliminary approval for $600,000 in funding for the proposed project, a twelve-unit housing development for area seniors.
“It still has to go in front of the city council and they have to fill out the right paperwork, but this is going in the right direction,” Hamrick said.
Ackerman said she expects to present AAA’s updated application to Mansfield City Council at its June 16 meeting. If all goes according to plan, the council should be able to vote on the funding at the following meeting on July 21. If approved by city council and HUD, construction could begin by mid to late August.
“This is a perfect project to work with the Area Agency on Aging on. They’re aware of their seniors’ needs, the type of housing they require and it’s going to be suited for them specifically,” Ackerman said.
The land bank also voted in favor or transferring seven parcels to the Richland County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board. The parcels, located on East First Street, will be used to build apartments to house stabilized individuals with a behavioral health diagnosis.
“We have a five-year plan to try to expand our permanent supportive housing for adults with severe and persistent mental illness,” said Joe Trolian, executive director of the board. “Treatment works so much better if people don’t have to worry about where they have to lay their head at night.”
The board is currently working on securing funding for the project. No timeline for construction has been set.
