Loading Content...
Affordable Housing in Churchtowne: A Singular LIHTC Project's Impact on a Changing Neighborhood
CATEGORY
Affordable Housing
DATA
LIHTC Projects
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Population
Loading Content...
Affordable Housing
LIHTC Projects
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Population
Churchtowne, a neighborhood in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, has one Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) funded affordable housing unit. This unit is designated as low-income housing. The neighborhood's 2022 population was 999, and using the national average household size, there are approximately 383 housing units in Churchtowne. The LIHTC funded affordable housing represents about 0.26% of the estimated housing inventory in the area.
The LIHTC program has provided $4,072 in tax credits for affordable housing in Churchtowne. This single unit translates to an average federal funding of $4,072 per unit. The LIHTC project, located at 435 Howard Ave, was completed in 1991, indicating that affordable housing has been present in Churchtowne for over three decades.
The project consists of one four-bedroom unit, suggesting it may be designed for larger families or multigenerational households. No specific target population was identified for this project.
Churchtowne's population has fluctuated over the past decade, peaking at 1,192 residents in 2020 and decreasing to 999 in 2022. The median income has varied, reaching a high of $39,292 in 2017 and declining to $29,419 in 2022. This decrease in median income may indicate an increasing need for affordable housing options.
The racial composition of Churchtowne has changed. The Hispanic population remains the largest group, decreasing from 63% in 2019 to 50% in 2022. The Black population increased from 20% to 30% during the same period, while the White population increased from 14% to 19%. These demographic shifts may influence future affordable housing needs in the neighborhood.
Churchtowne's affordable housing is characterized by a single LIHTC-funded project that has existed for over 30 years. This project provides a four-bedroom unit for low-income residents but represents a small fraction of the estimated housing inventory in the neighborhood. Recent trends in population fluctuation, decreasing median income, and changing racial composition suggest that Churchtowne's affordable housing needs may be evolving. Future housing initiatives may need to consider these demographic shifts to adequately address the community's changing needs.
