MANSFIELD — The Mansfield Metropolitan Housing Authority currently manages Turtle Creek, a complex in Mansfield with 158 one-bedroom senior apartments.
The property, located at the 300 block of James Avenue, is owned by the Mansfield Leased Housing Corporation, a separate, non-profit entity created by the MMHA. All three members of the MLHC board are appointed by the the MMHA board of directors.
The Turtle Creek extension project will include 70 two-bedroom units and 50 three-bedrooms units, all of which will be affordable housing for residents of any age.
The 102 units will be rented to households earning 60 percent of the area’s average median income or less. The remaining 18 units will be reserved for those making 30 percent or less of the average median income.
In October, the MMHA secured $7.7 million in bond gap financing through the Ohio Housing Finance Agency to build additional units at Turtle Creek.
In March, the MMHA applied for a non-competitive 4-percent tax credit for the Turtle Creek extension.
MMHA executive director Steve Andrews said he likely won’t be notified until the fall if the agency has received the tax credit.
“As long as we can demonstrate that (the units) will cashflow, the performance shows that it’s a viable thing, all the investors will do it, they will award the 4-percent tax credit,” Andrews said.
Andrews said the agency will apply for $500,000 of the city of Mansfield’s $650,000 in HUD Home Investment Partnerships Program funding and another $500,000 from the Richland County Commissioners.
“The county has verbally said, ‘If the city gives you something, we will match,’ ” Andrews said.
The city of Mansfield has approved a zoning variance for the Turtle Creek expansion project, which would allow the construction of three-story buildings. The city’s zoning requires buildings to be no higher than two stories.
Andrews said once the tax credit is approved, the agency can break ground on the project. He estimated a turnaround time of about 12 months.
