CLARION, Pa. (EYT) – Housing is the next phase in the development of Trinity Point in Monroe Township, Clarion County.
(Pictured above: Tim Redinger is requesting a support letter for funding of workforce housing.)
Tim Reddinger, general partner with Clarion Trinity Development Co., said the proposed $19 million housing project is the latest phase of a Trinity Point Master Plan that has been operating for 23 years.
“That’s how long it’s been,” Reddinger said. “We built a brand new wastewater plant with Monroe Township back in 2007. And, we’ve been working on this ever since. Trinity Point Church of God was the foundation 23 years ago for the development of Trinity Point. The church has become a central part of the community.”
In a letter of support from the commissioners to the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency, funding is requested for Alliance Housing Developments and its combined efforts to develop workforce housing. The proposed location for the development is at Trinity Point Lot 6 along East Trinity Drive and Southview Drive.
The housing could be built in the next three to five years.
Reddinger stressed the need for affordable workforce housing to attract a workforce.
“Our new housing costs right now, and rental rates for new housing, are probably about 40 percent higher than our market will provide. We have to be creative to find ways to get new energy-efficient housing built for the workforce in the community. So, they’ll focus on an average income of around $45,000 to $46,000 for the people they want to attract,” Reddinger explained.
“The reason some of our progress has been a little slow is just since 2008, the rules have changed, and Clarion County’s got hit with them. Trying to toll the interstate highway system was probably one of the worst blows that Clarion County faced.”
“Since that time, we’ve been working on this. We have all the modular home manufacturers in the area, which we hope to utilize, but each has expressed to me that they are struggling with the workforce.”
“We have a lot of workforce needs. One of the biggest problems is in the last 15 years, less than one percent of all Clarion County’s homes sold are new homes. The housing stock in Clarion County has dramatically diminished over the last 15 years.”
Townhomes will be in a group of eight and a group of seven.
Reddinger is projecting three-story townhomes. The apartment building will be 30 units on East Trinity Drive. Access will be available to both from Southview Road. There will be two entrances, one entrance for the apartment building and then access for the townhomes, both coming from Southview Drive.
