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Lewistown's Affordable Housing: A Two-Decade LIHTC Legacy
CATEGORY
Affordable Housing
DATA
LIHTC Projects
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Population
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Affordable Housing
LIHTC Projects
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Population
Lewistown, Pennsylvania, is a small city with a history of utilizing the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program for affordable housing. The LIHTC program has funded 247 total units in Lewistown, with 238 designated as low-income units. This affordable housing inventory comprises approximately 7.6% of the estimated 3,265 housing units in the city, based on the 2022 population and national average household size.
Lewistown has received $1,687,894 in LIHTC funding for affordable housing projects. With four projects, this translates to an average of $421,973 in federal funding per project. When divided by the total number of LIHTC-funded units, it amounts to about $6,834 in federal funding per unit. The city holds 0.28% of the total state LIHTC funding, indicating its contribution to Pennsylvania's affordable housing efforts.
The first LIHTC project in Lewistown, Mt Rock Commons, was completed in 1994, while the most recent project, Mann Edge II, was finished in 2017. This 23-year span demonstrates a sustained commitment to affordable housing in the city. The 2010s saw the most activity in LIHTC development, with three projects completed during this decade: Mann Edge Terrace (2013), Kish Apts (2015), and Mann Edge II (2017).
The LIHTC-funded housing in Lewistown consists primarily of one-bedroom units, with 85 such units available. There are also 9 two-bedroom units, providing options for slightly larger households. This distribution suggests a focus on accommodating single individuals or small families in the city's affordable housing inventory.
Analyzing demographic trends over the past decade, Lewistown has experienced slight fluctuations in population. After a period of decline, the population has shown an increase since 2020, reaching 8,522 in 2022. The median income has also fluctuated, with an increase from $30,517 in 2015 to $36,020 in 2022. This rise in median income may indicate changing economic conditions in the city.
Racial demographics have remained relatively stable, with a decrease in the white population from 94% in 2017 to 86% in 2022. There has been a small increase in diversity, particularly in the Hispanic population (from 2% to 5%) and those identifying as two or more races (from 2% to 7%) during this period.
In summary, Lewistown's LIHTC-funded affordable housing inventory represents a significant portion of the city's estimated housing stock. The development of affordable housing projects over more than two decades demonstrates an ongoing commitment to addressing housing needs. While the city has seen some demographic shifts in recent years, the LIHTC program continues to play a role in providing affordable housing options for Lewistown's residents.
