City council votes in favor of using $250,000 toward low-income senior housing

Jackie Bergeron
April 17, 2013

Kent City Council unanimously voted to give $250,000 to the Maplebrook at Golden Pond project, a low-income senior housing project located on Sunnybrook Road near Route 261, at Wednesday’s meeting.

The 68-unit development project is geared specifically toward seniors, 55 years or older, living at or below 60 percent of the median area income level.

“The city has a shortage of housing for seniors,” said Bridget Susel, the community development director for Kent. “We actually lost one of our facilities when Silver Oaks converted to University Oaks, so there was a need. We were willing to use some of our funding that was geared towards low income housing to support this project, which would bring in 68 units of much needed senior low-income housing.”

Council voted to use allocated City Housing Improvement Program funds “to be used as a local match commitment supporting [the] low income housing tax credit project,” according to ordinance draft number 13-37.

Stipulations in tax credit applications require the complex to remain a low-income senior living center for at least 30 years.

The Maplebrook at Golden Pond development is managed by NRP Group, a Cleveland-based developer. NRP Group also operated the Four Seasons at Kent on Horning Road.

The city’s planning commission and architectural review board have already approved the project, and council’s ordinance is effective immediately.

Construction on the complex is already underway. It is expected to be complete in December 2013.

Contact Jackie Bergeron at [email protected].

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