Newton Citizen

COVINGTON - The Covington City Council pledged its support Monday night for a planned senior citizen living development that would be located downtown in the Harristown area.

The development is proposed for up to 70 units, including a three-story, 48-unit building and 12 separate cottage units fronting Emory Street, according to Jim Markel with Affordable Equity Partners out of Columbia, Mo.

Affordable Equity Partners is a financial resources company that helps developers and investors make use of state and federal low-income housing and historic rehabilitation tax credit programs. The developer of the project is listed as MACO Development Company LLC of Clarkton, Mo.

Markel was on hand Monday night to ask the City Council to authorize Mayor Kim Carter to sign a resolution of support of the proposal. The resolution will be submitted to the Georgia Department of Community Affairs as part of the application for a low-income housing credit.

Called Harristown Park, the approximately $8.6 million development would be located at the intersection of Lee and Reynolds streets.

It would be for residents age 55 and older, Markel said. Rent is based on income and in some cases could be as low as $175 a month.

Carter and Councilwoman Hawnethia Williams recently visited a similar facility in Milledgeville and said they were impressed with what they saw.

"The location's ideal, because those folks can get out and walk right to town," the mayor said.

Carter said property managers will work with organizations in the community, such as Newton County Senior Services, to provide transportation to and from services for residents.

One-bedroom units would be about 860 square feet and two-bedroom units would be about 1,000 square feet, Markel said.

The facility would be constructed to meet the standards of Southface, a nonprofit organization that promotes sustainable homes and workplaces, and will be Energy Star certified.

Markel said there is a July 1 deadline to get the application to DCA. If everything goes as planned, construction could begin this time next year, he said.

Crystal Tatum can be reached at crystal.tatum@newtoncitizen.com.