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Affordable Housing in New Columbia: LIHTC's Impact on a Small Pennsylvania Community
CATEGORY
Affordable Housing
DATA
LIHTC Projects
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Population
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Affordable Housing
LIHTC Projects
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Population
New Columbia, a city in Pennsylvania, has a specific affordable housing situation influenced by the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program. The city's LIHTC-funded affordable housing inventory comprises 24 units, all designated as low-income. These units represent approximately 4% of the city's estimated 597 housing units.
New Columbia has received $180,749 in project tax credits through the LIHTC program. This funding is concentrated in one project, resulting in an average federal funding of $180,749 per project and $7,531 per unit. The city's share of Pennsylvania's total LIHTC funding is 0.03%, indicating a relatively small portion of the state's affordable housing investments.
The sole LIHTC-funded project in New Columbia is White Deer Commons, completed in 1997. This project represents both the initial and current extent of LIHTC-funded affordable housing in the city, spanning over two decades.
White Deer Commons consists of 24 units, including 14 two-bedroom units and 1 three-bedroom unit. This unit distribution suggests a focus on accommodating small to medium-sized families within the affordable housing stock.
Demographic trends in New Columbia over the past decade reveal fluctuations in population and income. The population peaked at 2,003 in 2019 before declining to 1,559 in 2022. Median income has varied, increasing from $46,778 in 2019 to $65,030 in 2021, then decreasing to $58,957 in 2022.
Race distribution data indicates a predominantly white population, with some diversity emerging between 2016 and 2021. During this period, there was a noticeable Hispanic population, reaching 26% in 2018 before decreasing to 19% in 2021. However, 2022 data shows a return to a predominantly white population.
The lack of new LIHTC projects in the last decade may be attributed to various factors, including the relatively stable population and fluctuating median income levels. The existing affordable housing stock may have been sufficient to meet the community's needs during this period.
New Columbia's affordable housing landscape is characterized by a single LIHTC-funded project, White Deer Commons, which has served the community since 1997. While the project provides a modest contribution to the city's overall housing stock, it represents a long-standing commitment to affordable housing in the area. The demographic trends over the past decade, including population fluctuations and changes in income levels, provide context for understanding the city's affordable housing needs and developments.
