Elyria committees decline to object as plan advances to convert Wilkes Villa to RAD-funded apartments

Joint Community Development and Finance committees on July 14 voted not to object to a proposal by the Wilkes Villa project team and the local housing authority to pursue Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA) funding and low-income housing tax credits for a Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) conversion.

The vote followed a lengthy presentation and questions about resident relocation, construction phasing, workforce requirements and financing. Colleen D'Tilio, chief financial and development officer for Lorain Metropolitan Housing Authority (rebranded Raise Up), and developers from TFG Housing Resources described the project timeline, resident protections and funding sources.

D'Tilio told the committees that the project team submitted its financing plan to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development on the day of the meeting. She said the team expects to close financing in November 2025 and to begin construction thereafter, with an estimated construction period of about 18 months into 2027. "We submitted our financing plan to HUD for the RAD," D'Tilio said during the presentation.

TFG president Brad Carmen said TFG is an affordable-housing developer and financial adviser with experience on RAD conversions elsewhere in Ohio. Dan Sheindon, TFG’s senior vice president of finance, and Carmen answered technical questions about underwriting and lender expectations.

Committee members focused questions on how residents would be relocated during renovation, whether tenants would keep existing protections, and local hiring. Developers and D'Tilio said a relocation specialist has been hired, relocation costs are in the development budget, and current residents are guaranteed a right of return. The team said vacancies are already being held on-site to facilitate phased renovations, and that temporary off‑site leases (up to a year or more if needed under the budget) would be used only when an on‑site unit is not available.

The developers confirmed federal requirements on wage and hiring: the project will follow Davis‑Bacon wage rules because of federal funds, and Section 3 obligations will apply to encourage hiring from lower‑income residents. Carmen and Sheindon also described past RAD conversions they have worked on and said the program has been used in Ohio and nationally for more than a decade.

Law Director Dery explained the OHFA notification process that triggered the committee briefing: a letter sent to jurisdictions within a half‑mile gives local legislative bodies a 30‑day window to submit written objections signed by a majority of voting members. The committees decided, by motion and vote, not to object; Law Director Dery noted that with no objection the city will not send a written comment to OHFA but the meeting record can be memorialized and attached to the committee report.

Committee members requested that the transcript of the meeting and the questions raised be attached to the committee report for the record. Several council members reiterated concerns about school district impacts, transportation and the need for ongoing resident engagement; developers said they will continue meetings with residents and school officials as the project moves toward closing.

The project team described the funding mix as led by the RAD conversion and supported by construction lending and permanent debt; they said tax credits and other funding partners are involved but provided financing details only at a high level during the session. The team estimated a total hard‑cost and project budget in the tens of millions and repeatedly described the financing process as multi‑checklist and subject to underwriting approvals.

The committees’ "no objection" recommendation moves the application forward in the OHFA process and clears the city’s legislative objection pathway, but does not change resident protections or finalize financing. Developers and the housing authority said they will return to city staff and to residents with further details as permits, closings and construction schedules are finalized.