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An affordable housing project in Athens Township will go before the city for review
By: Amanda Pirani
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ATHENS, Ohio (WOUB/Report for America) — Athens Township could see 60 units of new low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) housing next year, but some residents already have concerns.
The affordable housing project, named Avanelle Crossing, will be located at 6251 Avanelle Drive off of Hooper Road. Its developers are Columbus-based Sunset Development and Athens company Capstone Property Management.
Sunset Development Principal James Hunley said the project will include two three-story buildings and two to three townhouse units. There will also be a community building containing the managers’ office and laundry facilities.
He hopes construction will begin by late summer or early fall but said that’s subject to change.
Before then, the development will need approval from the Athens Planning Commission and City Council.
That’s because major subdivisions trigger city review when they’re within three miles of city limits.
City Service-Safety Director Andy Stone said there are a few reasons a project might be considered a major subdivision under Ohio law. In this case, it’s because the developer will pursue alterations to Donna Lane, a public right-of-way, and the extension of utilities.
The project will require replacing the water line up Avenelle Drive in order to provide adequate water pressure to the new buildings.
The roadways involved are under the jurisdiction of Athens Township, while utilities are managed by the Athens County Water and Sewer District.
Stone said both bodies will have to be consulted during the review process.
The development is set to be discussed by the Planning Commission for the first time on Wednesday.
Proposed affordable housing development sees some concerns
Avanelle Crossing has already faced criticism from some soon-to-be neighbors.
Maryanne Hartwick, who lives across from the development on the other side of State Route 32, said during a May Planning Commission meeting she’s concerned about how far residents would be from resources in the city.
“I feel like it’s disingenuous of the developer to do that there,” she said. “It’s putting people who need the most city services as far away from the city services as possible.”
Hartwick pointed out that those without transportation will have to cross four lanes of traffic on State Route 32 to reach the nearest bus stop at United Lane and Fruth, near The Dollar General.
The Athens City transit system is run by Hocking Athens Perry Community Action, which is a partner on the Avanelle Crossing development.
Hunley said the organization, along with Integrated Services, will connect tenants to resources as needed.
Capstone Property Management Founder David Funk said he would like to see a bus stop added to the project.
HAPCAP Mobility Coordinator Ben Ziff said in an email the organization isn’t currently planning to add a bus stop at Avanelle Crossing because a bus can’t safely reach the area without significant improvements to Avanelle Drive and Hooper Road. He said residents could still access Athens on Demand Transit in the meantime, which will provide free, scheduled minivan rides until April 2027.
Stone said the city will have to take public safety into consideration when reviewing the project.
He’s concerned residents will attempt to reach the nearby Dollar General and gas station by crossing State Route 32 and US-50 as pedestrians.
It’s not the first time a LIHTC development in the area has faced public scrutiny.
Another development in The Plains saw pushback from residents who said it could cause damage to The Plains Earthworks, a series of indigenous mounds. Last year, developers pulled the plug on a project on Pomeroy Road citing public opposition and misinformation.
Avanelle to use out of state developer because of LIHTC requirements
Funk presented to council on LIHTC last winter, around the same time the Pomeroy Road project was under consideration.
He said Athens continues to see out-of-town developers profiting off of the low-income housing projects and would prefer those dollars remain local.
“For most of these projects they haven’t had local jobs … no local developers,” Funk said. “So $128 million has been infused in the Athens economy, but it hasn’t been circulated at all … it’d be $282 million of local economic impact if these projects had been done locally.”
For Avenelle Crossing, Funk will be partnering with Sunset, which is based in Columbus. He said it would be impossible to lead an entirely local project at this time because of state requirements.
“In order to get LIHTC funds you need to partner with someone who already has a proven track record,” he said. “That’s a requirement to submit.”
He said that with this project on Capstone’s resume, it can take the lead as a local LIHTC developer in the future.
Athens County, like much of the region, continues to see high demand for affordable housing. The city of Athens is an appealing location for LIHTC-focused developers because it scores very high in the application process, unlike most of the region.
Developments receiving LIHTC funds must pass income and rent tests outlined by the federal program. Those tests ensure tenants are low income in the context of the area’s median income.
According to a proposal summary submitted to the state, Avanelle Crossing will provide housing along the following breakdown:
| Percentage of median income | Number of Units |
| 30% AMI | 17 (28%) |
| 50% AMI | 5 (8%) |
| 60% AMI | 18 (30%) |
| 80% AMI | 20 (33%) |
Though, as Funk pointed out in his presentation on LIHTC last winter, the income caps don’t reach one of the groups most in need: those on supplementary security income.
People on SSI cap out at $994 a month, meaning they could not afford rent even at 30% of the area median income in Athens County.
“Our phone rings off the hook for folks getting ($994) a month,” he said. “What a LIHTC project will do is try to select the best candidates right up at the limit of income, which isn’t necessarily that pool of the most desperate folks in Athens looking for housing.”
Update (6/15/2026 5:21 PM): This story has been updated to reflect a response from HAPCAP.