Massive housing project planned

HURON — A local government partnered with a private entity to embark upon the single-largest new housing development project throughout Erie County in recent history. Come Tuesday, Huron city council members seem poised to sign a purchase agreement with Triban Investment involving the sale of 42 acres on River Road, near a county sewer treatment plant, for $700,000. Back in 2022, Huron officials purchased the site for $450,000 with ideas to possibly relocate its service complex, presently off Cleveland Road East behind a water plant, and maybe even create a commercial/light-industrial business park there. Triban represents a partnership between K. Hovnanian's Ohio division and Knez Homes, out of Painesville — the same company pursuing an initiative to build 94 townhomes at the former ConAgra site. Both companies are highly respectable and reputable within the home building industry. Lay of the land Here's what's known as explained by city manager Matt Lasko: • The count: On these 42 acres, officials envision Triban building anywhere between 170 and 220 individual units classified as single-family houses. Both Huron and Erie County officials couldn't name another new housing project within the past two decades or so topping this proposed project's scope. • The cost: Right now, projections show each home ranging in price anywhere from $350,000 to $400,000. "We understand that $350,000 to $400,000 is not affordable to every person. But we also acknowledge that we have a need for every type of housing in this city, including affordable, middle-income and luxury high-end housing. So we must take every opportunity we can to jump on opportunities like this to start addressing the need, regardless of the type of product that is being built." • The investment: It's not known how much Triban could commit to this project beyond an initial $700,000 sale agreement. • The timeline: Here's what could happen over the next year, pending approval from council members on Tuesday. "The developers will have six months to perform due diligence on the site, which will also permit the necessary time for the city to go through the rezoning process to permit the project to be built. If all goes well, we could see site work starting in late 2025 with the first home possibly up by 2026." What changed? Lasko explained why the city pivoted on the land's ultimate purpose, going from commercial/governmental to residential. "We are all well aware of the housing crisis in Erie County and the broader region in terms of there being a mass shortage of homes throughout the area," Lasko said. For many residents, housing — no matter the affordability or availability — remains the No. 1 issue. This is especially true for seniors with many fearing they can't afford to live in their residences when factoring in inflation and higher tax rates. During the past year or so, Lasko has fielded several calls from interested developers seeking to construct various types of housing throughout the city. This plan and its location made the most sense, he said. Huron also needs cash. With residents rejecting an income tax increase proposal in November, future cash projections look bleak for Huron's budget, which operates with about $5 million in its general fund or everyday operating budget. Officials stressed how the levy's failure would mean cuts to projects and services. What those reductions are, however, have not been identified yet. While not earmarked yet, $700,000 can help this projected shortfall in many different ways, city councilman Joel Hagy said. "There's no reason to hold onto the property anymore, and we are in need of cash," said Hagy, who intends to vote "yes" on Tuesday. "We have a developer that has a nice vision for that property, so we decided to sell it. This will be a good thing for Huron." Lasko applauds Hagy and others for taking this step. With projects now pegged for the former ConAgra site and River Road, Huron represents among the most aggressive public entities across northern Ohio to pursue housing upgrades. "Local governmental entities need to take a more intentional approach and have more direct involvement in addressing the housing crisis that we all acknowledge exists," Lasko said. "Our council is not just sitting on the sidelines and not just acknowledging that there is a housing crisis: They are actually taking a leadership role in starting to address the issue in Huron and Erie County." Such a housing project not only solves short-term money problems but could serve as a long-term solution as well, Lasko said. "If you assume an average of three people per household (in the new River Road development), we are looking at an approximate 10% increase to the city's population," said Lasko, referencing how about 6,700 reside in Huron, the lowest amount in decades. Furthermore, U.S. Census records show consistent declines in how many people call Huron home since 2000. "And, assuming a lot of these homes will be bought by young families, we anticipate a significant increase in enrollment to hour public school system as well," Lasko said.