Bailey Project Awarded Low Income Housing Tax Credit

Image: artist’s rendering of the proposed daycare space as would exist at the redeveloped Bailey Community Center

The Capital Area Housing Partnership (CAHP) is one step closer to redeveloping the Bailey Community Center as planned. The City of East Lansing announced on behalf of the group today that CAHP “has officially received a Low Income Housing Tax Credit funding reservation from the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA)” for the project.

The credit is for $681,900 annually for ten years according to East Lasing Mayor Mark Meadows, who is on the board of CAHP. The announcement says this credit, "in conjunction with other committed financing, will allow for the construction of 25 low-income senior apartments within the project. The senior housing within the project will include one- and two-bedroom apartments for senior residents (55+) with an income that is 30-60% of the Area Median Income (AMI).”

The project plan also calls creation of space for a daycare that would be operated by a licensed provider. Until last year, the City had been operating a daycare at the Bailey Community Center, but it was closed in a controversial 3-2 vote by the last City Council. Whether a new daycare might include infant rooms, of which there is said to be a shortage in East Lansing, remains to be seen.

If plans are carried out as approved, the new space at the Bailey Community Center will also include office space for CAHP and others, including potentially businesses that need offices but have low-traffic needs (like law offices). There will also be community space developed.

According the announcement, CAHP's Executive Director Mikki Droste “anticipates the timeline for the project to include a construction start in late summer of 2016, with construction completion and occupancy in the fall of 2017.” Droste is encouraging “prospective residents, private daycare providers and commercial tenants” to contact her at (517) 332-HOME or mdroste@capitalareahousing.org for additional information.

The City of East Lansing will continue to own the property but will lease it for 45 years to CAHP for the redevelopment. Council approved the site plan for the project last September, after the plan was adapted by CAHP to address some of the neighbors’ concerns.

As ELi reported, the pottery studio that had been at Bailey is being moved to the Hannah Community Center. ELi also reported that the complicated legal issues surrounding this project are resulting in “No Name Park” officially becoming a City park.

UPDATE: We corrected this article on January 23, 2016 when Meadows wrote to explain that the credit for $681,900 is not a one-time credit but an annual credit for ten years. (The article is now corrected.)