TIPTON – Reflecting on 2016, Tipton Mayor Don Havens said he believes it was a positive year for housing projects in city limits, as it saw the issuance of 10 housing permits in the city.
The year brought a reversal to a trend of declining residential building permits, Havens said, expressing confidence 2017 would also be a good year for housing projects.
2016 housing projects had an average value running in the $195,000 range, according to permit values.
“I find that to be a favorable trend,” said Havens.
Developers, Havens believes, were drawn to the area because of available, reasonably priced lots.
Havens mentioned conversations with a Hamilton County developer could materialize into a number of houses in the $250,000 range.
“It’s not unusual right now for local relators to see existing homes selling this spring in the $250,000 to $300,000 range,” he said.
A separate project includes plans for a 48-unit senior living facility in the area of 900 E. Jefferson St. He mentioned there’s “good chance” the project will be approved in 2017.
The Tipton Common Council had recently amended the city’s comprehensive plan with wording that was more favorably geared towards affordable senior housing.
That section of the comprehensive plan states the city is to “accommodate the growing need for senior affordable housing by promoting the development of affordable housing for seniors, enabling current Tipton residents to ‘age in place’ and remain in the community through all stages of life.”
On the other end of the spectrum, a number of houses will be torn down as part of the second round of a flood remediation plan in conjunction with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
After destructive flooding in 2013, Tipton entered talks with FEMA, resulting in a deal where the city fronted from the EDIT fund to obtain and demolish houses in the flood plain, and FEMA in turn provided 75 percent reimbursement.
The project is being down in clusters to lower risk in case reimbursement were to be for some reason delayed, with the second round taking place within 2017. The city acquired seven properties, including one vacant structure as a gift from First Farmer’s Bank & Trust.
Havens expressed interest in the past of going through with a third round of the flood remediation plan, saying he believes there are several other homes in the flood plain whose owners would take advantage of the purchase.
Another part of the plan with FEMA is for the lots to remain permanent green spaces once the house is demolished. Havens said the city is working on installing “pocket parks” in those lots, and 2017 could see the first of those parks. Plans to maintain the parks are being formulated.
“I’m not so concerned about getting them set up as I am keeping them maintained after they are set up,” said Havens.
Developments inside and outside the county could help continue what Havens views as optimistic housing trends, including the much-discussed interchange that opened at the U.S. 31 and Indiana 28 intersection earlier this year, as it lessens travel time.
According to Havens, more jobs to the south could draw more people into the Tipton municipality, as some people employed as far south as Indianapolis might look for smaller schools for the kids, and roads with less traffic congestion.
“It’s not measureable, but we just know that people in the area are paying a little more attention to Tipton,” he said.