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Lancaster City committee moves donation of Beaver Street lot to SACA for affordable housing
Summary
A finance committee voted to forward a resolution donating a vacant Beaver Street lot to SACA Development for affordable housing. The conveyance includes deed restrictions: 15-year affordability term, sale to households at or below 80% of Lancaster County AMI or rental to households at or below 60% AMI. Public commenters urged alternative uses.
Lancaster City’s finance committee on May 5 voted to forward to full council a resolution that would donate a vacant lot on Beaver Street to SACA Development for creation of affordable housing.
The resolution would transfer ownership of the parcel to SACA with deed restrictions that, according to the resolution text read aloud in the meeting, require eventual sale to an occupier whose annual family income is at or below 80% of the Lancaster County area median income (AMI) at time of sale or rental to a tenant with family income at or below 60% of AMI. "That restriction's in place for 15 years," Mayor Saracchi said while reading the deed terms.
The city previously planned a park on the lot when it was owned by Lancaster Equity and the Community Action Partnership; those plans were paused after subdivision and safety issues, and costs rose from an initial $250,000 estimate toward roughly $600,000. The parcel returned to city ownership in April 2023 after action by the city’s redevelopment authority, the mayor said. SACA told staff it could develop the parcel into roughly five housing units and has a history of projects on Beaver Street, including new construction and renovations of nearby properties.
Council members pressed staff on details during committee questions. Councillor Ahmed asked whether affordability restrictions were perpetual; staff replied the recorded restriction runs for 15 years from conveyance and that SACA and its successors must abide by those covenants. Asked about neighborhood impacts and potential street or sidewalk work, Director Delphs said typical land-development review would require developers to escrow funds to protect public assets and to repair any damaged sidewalks or utilities caused by construction.
A public commenter, Susie Gomez of the 115 North Reservoir block, urged the city to prioritize properties for the Polite and Dixon families and questioned whether transferring publicly owned parcels to a nonprofit that also sells homes served restorative-justice goals. Gomez acknowledged uncertainty about SACA’s funding, saying, "I do know that SACA is receiving this, as, a grant. So I'm not saying it's for profit. I'm just speculating." No formal sale or final conveyance occurred; the committee’s action forwarded the resolution to the full council.
The committee motion to forward the resolution carried on a voice vote. The resolution will appear before the full Lancaster City Council at a future meeting, per the committee’s motion.
