Oshkosh RDA approves $77,000 offer to sell city lots for 23-unit townhome infill

The Oshkosh Redevelopment Authority voted to approve an offer to purchase ten city-owned parcels between West Eighth and West Ninth avenues (Oregon to Nebraska) by Pangea/Dimensions LLC for $77,000, staff said during the meeting. The developer team presented a conceptual plan showing 23 townhome units on city-owned parcels, with an option to expand if remaining private parcels are acquired.

Developers Kuluak Palumi Oguntade ("Kulumi"), Jabril Adubba and architect Evan Williams described the project as townhome-style rentals with sustainability features, two-car garages, and a shared back green space open to the public. Williams said the units are roughly 900 square feet with two bedrooms and 1.5 bathrooms, and the team estimated average market rents around $1,700.

Staff explained why the sale price is $77,000: "Many of the sites, 8 of the 10 were acquired using CDBG grant funding. And tied to that, we either have to sell it for a fair market value, or it's gotta be used for basically low income type policy," the staff member said. That constraint, the staff member said, anchors the listed sale price (about $7,700 per parcel on average) and limits the city's ability to transfer parcels at a deep discount unless the project qualifies under HUD/CDBG low-income provisions.

Board members asked whether the parcels expire, whether the developers had completed appraisals and how financing would work. Developers said they have prepared preliminary pro formas ('back-of-the-envelope' analysis), expect equity of roughly 20–30%, have discussed terms with Milwaukee lenders and plan to engage local banks. The applicants requested up to one year to try to acquire remaining private parcels and work through design, permitting, stormwater and developer agreement details.

On affordability, the developers said they are targeting workforce housing around 80% of area median income (AMI) but remain open to mixing income levels and adjusting unit counts if incentives or funding require different affordability levels or accessibility features.

The board approved the offer to purchase by roll call. Staff said they will work with the developer on next steps and indicated incentives could be considered later in the process if warranted and available.

What this means: The sale advances a proposed infill townhome project intended to add workforce rental housing to a downtown block, subject to developers securing remaining parcels, financing and any required land-use approvals and incentives.