Affordable Housing Analysis in Zip Code 17104: Three Decades of LIHTC Development in Harrisburg
CATEGORY
Affordable Housing
DATA
LIHTC Projects
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Population
DATA SOURCE
Zip code 17104 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, contains a substantial inventory of Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) funded affordable housing. This area encompasses 306 total units in LIHTC-funded projects, with 248 units specifically designated as low-income. Based on the estimated 8,233 housing units in the zip code, LIHTC-funded affordable housing represents approximately 3.7% of the area's housing inventory.
The LIHTC projects in zip code 17104 have received $3,569,331 in tax credits, averaging about $11,664 per unit when distributed across all 306 LIHTC-funded units. This zip code accounts for 0.6% of the total LIHTC funding allocated in Pennsylvania, indicating a notable concentration of affordable housing investment in this area.
Affordable housing has been a consistent feature of zip code 17104 for over three decades. The earliest LIHTC projects date back to 1987, including Washington Square Apartments. The most recent addition was Paxton Place, completed in 2019. The 1980s witnessed the most significant affordable housing development activity, with numerous projects completed during this decade.
The LIHTC-funded housing in zip code 17104 offers a diverse range of unit types. The inventory includes 38 efficiencies, 63 one-bedroom units, 75 two-bedroom units, 75 three-bedroom units, and 11 four-bedroom units. This variety accommodates different household sizes and needs within the low-income population.
Over the past decade, the population of zip code 17104 has remained relatively stable, fluctuating between approximately 20,500 and 21,600 residents. The median income has shown a gradual increase, rising from $31,827 in 2013 to $39,034 in 2022. This trend suggests a slow but steady economic improvement in the area.
Racial demographics in zip code 17104 have shifted slightly. The Black population has remained the largest group, consistently representing around 45-48% of residents. The Hispanic population has grown from 25% in 2013 to 29% in 2022, while the White population has decreased from 21% to 20% over the same period. The Asian population has remained stable at around 3-4%.
Despite these demographic changes, there has been limited new LIHTC development in recent years, with only two projects (Court At Washington Square in 2013 and Paxton Place in 2019) completed in the last decade. This could indicate that the existing affordable housing stock is meeting current needs or that other factors are influencing affordable housing development in the area.
Zip code 17104 in Harrisburg has a significant LIHTC-funded affordable housing presence, covering 3.7% of the estimated housing inventory. The area has seen consistent investment in affordable housing over three decades, with the most active period being the 1980s. The housing stock offers a range of unit sizes to accommodate diverse household needs. While demographic trends show a slowly increasing median income and some shifts in racial composition, new LIHTC development has been limited in recent years. This analysis provides insight into the affordable housing landscape of zip code 17104, though other affordable housing programs may also contribute to meeting the area's housing needs.
