County Housing Coalition makes pitch for six new housing units on Bellefonte Avenue, Lock Haven

LOCK HAVEN, PA – Citing a continuing homeless situation in Clinton County, County Housing Coalition Vice-Chairman Jeff Rich has made a pitch for county support for converting a former fitness center on Bellefonte Avenue, Lock Haven, into the county’s first disability supported housing.

Rich went before the commissioners at their work session on Monday and detailed the housing problem in the county, stating there has been a homeless situation for years and is “edging upward slightly.” He said the problem for many is they are facing rents on the open market of $1,200 a month and these “working poor” are being paid from $8 to $10 an hour. He said, “There is a large population in our county…they don’t make enough or are one crisis away from failure.” He added that a “tremendous amount” of the residents at Clinton County Housing Authority units are working.

The Housing Coalition is seeking support towards a $1.3 million proposal to acquire and convert a former fitness center at 426 Bellefonte Avenue into six one-bedroom units, including five of which would be the county’s first permanent units for tenants with disabilities; he said there are currently between four and eight county residents who would qualify for the units and the supportive services available.

He said the project has been approved for a HUD Special Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for Rural Housing grant of better than $815,000, with $735,000 towards rehabilitation of the site. The rest of the funding, he said, would ideally come from $200,000 from a future sale of the vacant Mills Park housing in Renovo and $100,000 from the housing coalition through future grants. He also expressed hope the cost will be less than $1.3 million but that won’t be known until bids are received.

Rich said a number of agencies and organizations have approved the proposal, including the City of Lock Haven. And he said the site now has a name: the Hope Mitchell House, in honor of the late social worker with the Clinton County Independent Living Program; she passed away in April of this year.

In a new development, Rich disclosed the project developers want to keep the property on the tax rolls. He said in an effort to show good faith and support for the community, the coalition will not request a tax exemption for the property. He said best case scenario the units would be ready for occupancy in January of 2025.

The commissioners had little or no comment on the presentation from Rich and Jackie Condor, Northern Tier Coordinated Entry Manger for the Clinton County Housing Coalition.