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Affordable Housing in West Chester, Pennsylvania: Two Decades of LIHTC Impact
CATEGORY
Affordable Housing
DATA
LIHTC Projects
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Population
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Affordable Housing
LIHTC Projects
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Population
West Chester, located in Pennsylvania, has a total of 94 affordable housing units funded by the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program. All of these units are designated as low-income units. The LIHTC funded inventory comprises approximately 1.29% of the city's estimated housing stock of 7,286 units. This percentage indicates that LIHTC funded projects contribute to the affordable housing landscape in West Chester, albeit representing a small portion of the overall housing inventory.
West Chester has received $657,756 in project tax credits through the LIHTC program. With approximately 3 projects, this translates to an average federal funding of $219,252 per project. The average federal funding per unit is about $6,997. West Chester holds 0.11% of the total state LIHTC funding, indicating its relative share of affordable housing resources within Pennsylvania.
The city's affordable housing projects span from 1999 to 2002, showcasing over two decades of LIHTC presence in West Chester. The Denny Tag Building, completed in 1999, was the first LIHTC project, while the WC Oak Place Housing Project followed in 2002. The 1990s and early 2000s were the most active periods for LIHTC project completions in the city.
West Chester's LIHTC inventory includes a diverse mix of unit types. The majority are one-bedroom units (62), followed by three-bedroom units (15), two-bedroom units (7), and one four-bedroom unit. This distribution caters to various household sizes and needs within the low-income population.
Over the last decade, West Chester's population has shown slight fluctuations, with a peak of 20,031 in 2019 before declining to 19,016 in 2022. The median income has generally increased, rising from $51,683 in 2013 to $60,105 in 2022, indicating improved economic conditions for some residents. Racial demographics have remained relatively stable, with the white population constituting the majority (71% in 2022). There has been a slight increase in diversity, with small growth in Asian, Black, and Hispanic populations. The Black population, in particular, increased from 8% in 2019 to 13% in 2022.
While no new LIHTC projects have been recorded in the last decade, the demographic trends suggest a potential need for affordable housing options, particularly given the income disparities that may exist within the growing diverse population. West Chester's LIHTC funded affordable housing inventory, while modest in scale, provides 94 low-income units to the community. The projects, developed primarily in the late 1990s and early 2000s, offer a mix of unit types to accommodate different household sizes. The LIHTC program has played a role in West Chester's affordable housing landscape, contributing to the diversity of housing options available to residents.
