The Ypsilanti City Council is expected to approve a "PILOT" – or Payment in Lieu of Taxes – for an affordable housing development on Clark Road.
The developer,Lincoln Avenue Capital, is proposing to build more than 300 affordable housing units. One of the main concerns is the cutting down of an old-growth oak forest.
Another is a financial one, according to council member Steve Wilcoxen from the 2nd Ward. He says the city could potentially end up paying for any overflow in the costs of providing police and fire services for the property, which could ultimately be a loss for the city.
“Unfortunately, this has become a dichotomy here. You’re either for affordable housing or you’re not. And that’s just not true. I’m totally for affordable housing, but it needs to be done in a way that’s responsive to the city’s budgetary constraints.”
If it passes at tonight’s meeting, the only thing left before breaking ground is some financial details on the developer’s end.
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