PRESS RELEASE – In a significant move to address the ongoing housing shortage in Williams County, Frontier Community Services and the Williams County Port Authority have officially announced their partnership to develop affordable and workforce housing.
The two entities have been working closely together since 2022, demonstrating a commitment to improving housing options for local residents.
As part of this collaboration, the partners have submitted a pre-development application for a senior living project in Bryan, Ohio.
The Williams County Port Authority will act as a co-developer on this project, aiming to gain valuable experience under the qualifications set forth by the Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA).
This initiative follows years of discussions with local and state elected officials regarding the pressing housing crisis in rural Ohio and the need for oversight and funding to support these communities.
A co-developer is an entity that partners with another organization, typically the primary developer, to collaboratively plan, finance, and execute a real estate development project.
“We are incredibly excited to be working on this collaborative approach, showcasing a well-rounded team, and enhancing our project’s credibility. We are all committed to addressing the housing needs of seniors in Williams County in an all-inclusive manner.”
Dawn Fitzcharles said “We have profound and distressing signs of the need for affordable housing for older adults.”
“Even if every current household moved out and the people moved in, there would still be hundreds of people who could not be accommodated for senior living or services within Williams County.”
In December of 2023, representatives from the Williams County Port Authority met with Governor Mike DeWine and his top officials to discuss the challenges facing rural communities in Ohio.
Key issues such as housing, employment opportunities, and collaborative solutions were addressed during these meetings.
The Port Authority has been proactive, engaging in multiple conversations with state and local officials to secure resources for the county, including delivering four testimonies to the Ohio Senate Select Committee on Housing.
Despite these efforts, Williams County continues to face a housing crisis similar to the one experienced in 2021. In response, the Port Authority has worked diligently with elected and appointed groups to address the shortfall.
Their advocacy led to the establishment of a specific rural set-aside funding source through the OHFA, designed to support rural counties with housing development.
This new funding approach aims to ensure that rural areas are not competing against larger counties, such as Franklin County, for resources.
According to the OHFA’s qualified allocation plan for the 2024-2025 plan years, only one project in Williams County will be funded from the newly created rural set-aside.
This puts the Stryker project in direct competition with the senior living project proposed by the Williams County Port Authority in Bryan.
While all parties acknowledge the need for various housing solutions, it is essential to recognize that the Stryker project would not have been feasible without the foundational efforts of the Williams County Port Authority and Frontier Community Services.
The goal remains to place housing projects in every community within Williams County, but it is important to highlight that not all groups will be operating under the same conditions or rules.
As the competitive funding landscape unfolds, it is crucial for stakeholders to be transparent about the work that has gone into these initiatives.
The community can benefit from projects that emphasize genuine collaboration and ongoing effort, rather than those that take advantage of opportunities that come after the initial groundwork has been established.