A new affordable housing project dubbed Harbour Village has commenced in the South Middleton Township of Cumberland county, Pennsylvania. Recently, Safe Harbour officials and the community broke ground on the new project, which will bring 40 units to the location. The Carlisle-based nonprofit organization, Safe Harbour aims to reduce homelessness in the county by providing affordable housing services.
According to Safe Harbour’s CEO, Scott Shewell about 245 households in Cumberland county are on the coordinated entry community queue list. In other words, these people are already homeless or about to be homeless. Consequently, Safe Harbour intends to alleviate this increasing homelessness by providing its Harbour Village affordable housing services.
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Development plans for the Harbour Village affordable housing project
The Harbour Village development is taking place on a five-acre site at the Smith Farm development. Upon completion, the property will consist of six residential buildings and a community building. It will include a mix of four one-bedroom units, 20 two-bedroom units and 16 three-bedroom units. A total of 92 new beds will be available for residents. Additionally, the property will have four fully accessible units, while one unit will be reserved for the hearing and visually impaired.
All homes at Harbour Village will be either one or two stories high and include a front porch, with a private patio or balcony. The community also features a full kitchen, common room for residents and offices for management and supportive services. In addition, residents will have access to outdoor amenities such as a pavilion and a playground. Sidewalks and walking paths will be available on the property, to connect the village to neighboring areas.
Some units at the Harbour Village will be available for households earning 20% or less of the area median income. Safe Harbour will reserve 5 units for people earning 30% or less and 14 units for those at 50% or less. There will also be 19 units available on the property for individuals for 60% or less.
The entire construction cost of the Harbour Village project is about $18.15 million. In 2021, Orrstown Bank made an $11.25 investment million of low-income housing tax credits to fund the project. In addition to this, more funding will come from the county’s Home funds, Federal Housing Trust Fund support and a first mortgage. The project will be completed in several phases, with its start date set for September 2024. Safe Harbour expects the property to be ready for occupancy by November ending 2024.
