Chambers wants better affordable housing across Fort Wayne

by | Dec 7, 2022 | Affordable Housing, Media Organization, Wane TV | 0 comments

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) — By 2032, Fort Wayne City Councilwoman Michelle Chambers (D, at-large) would like to see affordable housing throughout Fort Wayne.

That journey started with an ordinance she introduced last month to incentivize affordable housing development in any part of the city, not just in economic development targeted areas (EDTA).

“This really helps us attract quality, affordable housing developers to the city of Fort Wayne,” she told WANE 15.

She cited a report that Indiana has only 38 affordable units available per 100 extremely low income families.

Chambers’ proposal moved forward Tuesday night by a 7-1 vote. It will likely receive final approval at the next meeting. Fort Wayne councilwoman to push bill to promote affordable housing

Chambers said her idea is easy to understand: put affordable housing where people want to live, work and play.

“That makes us more attractive as a city where we can attract more qualified affordable housing developers,” she explained.

“This is a win for us. We have a lot of tools for economic development for commercial real estate. Now we need to really improve our affordable housing economic development tools.”

Chambers cited red-bricked Randall Lofts, 206 Pearl Street near the Landing as an example of affordable housing done right, with its mix of great location and an income limit for residents.

Because the building was redeveloped with low income housing tax credits, residents cannot earn more than 60% of the area’s median income. The rents are calculated using federal guidelines.

“This development happened because at that time, it was an EDTA but now we can take this development and model it throughout the entire city.”

Kunal Chothani is the Vice President of Acquisitions for The Michaels Organization, which operates Randall Lofts.

“It was an easy investment decision for us just seeing the direction that the city of Fort Wayne is headed in,” he told WANE 15 via Zoom.

Chothani said affordable housing is essential to a thriving downtown.

“Think about restaurant workers, custodial workers, and even some some city employees that could qualify to live in the building. Given Randall Lofts location, it puts them in a position where they’re able to walk to work, they’re able to walk to the restaurant scene and walk to the other amenities that the city has been building out along the Riverfront.”

Chambers, a former realtor and loan officer, would like to see similar developments near hospitals and factories. She tried to dissuade people from thinking affordable housing developments would lower neighboring property values.

“Actually it helps to eliminate blight and encourages neighbors to improve their housing,” she explained. “It does not affect the average cost of your home because of the heavily-regulated state mandates.”

Chothani agreed.

“The quality of the homes is really no different than market-rate counterparts; that’s what allows them to blend right into the community. If you were to walk by, you wouldn’t be able to distinguish between Randall Lofts and any other apartment community in downtown Fort Wayne.

“In some cases, there is a higher burden of quality required using low income housing tax credits than if you were just a market-rate developer,” he said.

This article is distributed in partnership with the Fort Wayne Media Collaborative, a group of media outlets and educational institutions in Fort Wayne committed to solutions-oriented reporting. More information is available at fwmediacollaborative.com.

This story was originally published in WANE 15 with reporting by Dirk Rowley.

Dirk Rowley

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  • Dirk Rowley

    Longtime Fort Wayne broadcaster Dirk Rowley joined WANE 15 as evening anchor in August of 2018. Dirk’s history with the station goes back further. You might remember him in the early 1990s as a fill-in weatherman during some noon, weekend or holiday newscasts. “Let’s just say the meteorologists have nothing to worry about. No need to revisit that chapter. ” Prior to joining WANE 15, Dirk hosted and produced a daily half hour TV talk show, which featured leaders of government, business, and non-profit groups. During those four years, Dirk interviewed nearly 1% of the population of northeast Indiana. “Few jobs offer the chance to engage four different groups a day – roughly 1,000 a year – to learn about how they are making a difference. I spent four years in ‘listening mode.'” Before TV, Dirk spent 30 years in radio, much of that hosting perennial favorite “Majic in the Morning with Dirk and Jeannette” on WAJI-FM. The pair led the annual Riley Radiothon, raising roughly $1 million to help sick children. Dirk was often the only male reporting daily from the annual Vera Bradley Outlet sale. “The stories were more colorful than the bags.” Dirk also used his radio show to help in the early development of Kate’s Kart children’s charity. He has worked or lived in all four quadrants of the Summit City. Dirk began his broadcast career in Marion, IN, working full-time while attending Eastbrook High School. He continued working his way through college at Taylor University, where he received a B.A. degree in Broadcasting and for two years wrote a weekly column in the school newspaper. He arrived in Fort Wayne in 1989, working at WQHK, WMEE, and WBTU. He also worked briefly in Las Vegas and South Bend before returning to Fort Wayne. Dirk married a Snider grad; his three children are graduates of Carroll. His family has attended Pathway Community Church since it began. He golfs poorly, reads constantly, and goes to restaurants like it’s his job. For story ideas, email Dirk at dirk.rowley@wane.com.

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