Developers present 48‑unit affordable housing concept at 651 Lincoln Street

Developers from Church Housing Corp. and the Walters Group presented a conceptual plan to Oxford Borough Council on Feb. 2 for a 48‑unit affordable housing development at 651 Lincoln Street, seeking initial guidance before advancing engineering and zoning work.

Kathryn Evans and Tracy Patches, representing Church Housing Corp., and Kevin Dowd and Edmond Speitel Jr. of the Walters Group outlined a design of two 24‑unit buildings with a community center, playground, picnic area and a half basketball court. The proposal would limit occupancy to households at or below 60% of Chester County’s area median income for a period of 45 years, with rents estimated at roughly $1,000 to $1,600 and a subset of deeper-affordability units at lower rates.

Developers emphasized high-quality construction with Energy Star and LEED features, on-site social services intended to help residents move toward homeownership, and a goal of preserving neighborhood character. They said zoning relief would likely be needed for density, building height, and impervious coverage. Council members asked questions about tax impacts, traffic and buffering; there was general interest in advancing the proposal to the next review phase, including consideration of variances or an overlay district.

Council did not vote on the project at this meeting; developers sought direction before spending for engineering. Council recognized a local need for attainable housing while indicating sensitivity to preserving Oxford’s character.