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Committee recommends rezoning for proposed 50‑plus unit affordable housing at 111 Hooper Street
Summary
Athens planning officials reviewed a recommendation to rezone eight parcels to R-3 for a Hilltide Partners multifamily project that would seek Low‑Income Housing Tax Credit funding; the project spans 18.45 acres with 5.13 acres inside city limits and would require annexation of remaining acreage if the developer pursues it.
The Athens City Council planning and development committee on Monday reviewed a planning commission recommendation to rezone eight parcels at about 111 Hooper Street from R-1/R-2 to R-3 to accommodate a 50‑plus unit multifamily affordable housing project proposed by Hilltide Partners.
The planning commission voted 5–0 to recommend the zoning change. The project site covers 18.45 acres in total, of which 5.13 acres are inside the city and 13.32 acres lie in Athens Township. Planning staff told the committee the rezoning would align with the Athens 2040 comprehensive plan goals for affordable housing and urban infill and is consistent with nearby Monticello Village’s R-3 zoning.
Why it matters: the developer plans to use Low‑Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) administered by the Ohio Housing Finance Agency. Approval of the rezoning is an early step; the developer said it expects to submit a financing proposal later this year. Council action on rezoning would not itself authorize construction but is a prerequisite for a later Title 41 site-plan review and, possibly, annexation of the township acreage.
What developers and officials said
Taylor Cook, a development lead with Hilltide Partners, told the committee the proposal is largely unchanged from earlier concept plans and that the project was retooled to match the state’s current financing structure rather than the 9% tax‑credit round. “The only thing that’s different is the underlying financing structure,” Cook said. He said the unit count, bedroom distribution and rents remain consistent with the concept presented previously and that the site is one of the few parcels in the city that is adjacent to R-3 zoning and suitable for the intended use.
City staff and committee members pressed on infrastructure and livability issues. The planning commission record acknowledged concerns about sewer capacity and pedestrian infrastructure and suggested coordination with HAPCAP (public transit) for service expansion. Council members asked whether annexation would be required; Hilltide said the project could be built on the 5.13 acres within the city but that the developer would pursue annexation if they needed the full 18 acres to increase site flexibility.
Timeline and funding
Cook said the OHFA proposal round begins in late July with announcements expected in November; if awarded credits the team would submit final plans and third‑party reports and expects a Title 41 site plan before the planning commission in mid‑to‑late 2026, with a target of closing financing by the end of 2026. The developer said it will perform engineering work and soil borings as part of its due diligence if rezoning is granted.
Remaining questions and next steps
Committee members asked for clearer transit assurances and pedestrian access, noting the nearest bus stop is roughly a half‑mile away. Committee members also discussed whether the council can issue conditional rezonings tied to award of LIHTC funding; the law director was asked to advise on that option. The committee did not vote to grant rezoning at this meeting; the item remains under consideration and would proceed through the city’s rezoning and Title 41 processes if council directs.
Ending
The council’s planning and development committee will continue deliberations; if the rezoning is granted it will be followed by utility and site-plan review, possible annexation discussion and the developer’s pursuit of OHFA Low‑Income Housing Tax Credits.
