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Affordable Housing in Shenandoah: A Single LIHTC Project's Impact on a Changing City
CATEGORY
Affordable Housing
DATA
LIHTC Projects
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Population
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Affordable Housing
LIHTC Projects
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Population
Shenandoah in Pennsylvania has a unique Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) funded affordable housing inventory. The city has 34 affordable housing units, all of which are designated as low-income units. These units represent approximately 2.07% of the city's estimated housing inventory of 1,643 units.
Shenandoah has received $65,785 in project tax credits from the LIHTC program. This funding is associated with one approximate project, resulting in an average federal funding of $65,785 per project. When divided by the total units, it amounts to about $1,935 per unit in federal funding. The city holds 0.01% of the total state LIHTC funding.
The sole LIHTC project in Shenandoah is Shenandoah Village, completed in 1993. This project has been providing affordable housing in the city for nearly three decades. All 34 units in this project are one-bedroom apartments, catering to individuals or small households.
Shenandoah has experienced a steady decline in population over the past decade, from 5,002 in 2014 to 4,288 in 2022. Despite this decline, the median income has shown an overall upward trend, increasing from $22,936 in 2014 to $29,563 in 2022, with some fluctuations in between.
The racial composition of Shenandoah has also changed. The white population has decreased from 77% in 2014 to 59% in 2022, while the Hispanic population has increased from 20% to 36% during the same period. The black population has remained relatively stable at around 2%.
These demographic shifts, particularly the population decline and increasing median income, may explain why no new LIHTC projects have been initiated in the past decade. The existing project may be sufficient to meet the current affordable housing needs of the community.
Shenandoah's LIHTC funded affordable housing inventory consists of a single project, Shenandoah Village, providing 34 one-bedroom units. While this represents a small percentage of the city's estimated housing stock, it has been serving the community for nearly 30 years. The city's changing demographics, including a declining population and rising median income, suggest that the current affordable housing inventory may be adequate for the community's needs. However, the increasing Hispanic population might warrant attention to ensure that affordable housing remains accessible to all segments of the community.
