LAFAYETTE — City officials are against a proposed $32 million low-income housing project that would add 248 apartments on Lafayette's south side.
Lafayette Mayor Tony Roswarski said he rejected the idea during initial discussions with an Indianapolis-based developer, which had proposed building on Teal Road West across the street from Romney Meadows.
"I had met with potential developers early on, and they had described the project to me. I had told them at that time I was not interested," Roswarski said. "I didn't feel it was a good spot. I don't think right now is a good time for developing more low-income housing, unless it's senior housing."
To his surprise, Roswarski said he recently received notice from the Indiana Housing & Community Development Authority that the company was moving forward with the project at a different location and was applying for tax credits available to low-income housing developers.
Mike Rodriguez, development director for Herman & Kittle Properties, said the project now is being planned near the northeast corner of Elston Road and U.S. 231.
The company "met with Mayor Roswarski in April to discuss his support of a different site located just south of the current proposed site," Rodriguez said in an email. "During this meeting, the mayor indicated that he would not support a rezone of that property, at which time we pursued the properly zoned site that we have under contract currently."
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