October 15, 2006

Lancaster Online

Affordable Housing Lancaster Online

BY PAULA WOLF
Sunday News Staff
Writerpwolf@lnpnews.com

The Ingerman Group, consisting of companies that develop, construct and manage affordable housing in several states, is making its first foray into Lancaster County.

Manor Heights, a 70-unit Manor Township rental community created by Ingerman, is expected to be completed and fully occupied by the end of the year. It’s a tax-credit project with rents starting at more than $400; residents must meet income requirements.

The apartments are a combination of two- and three-bedroom townhomes and handicapped-accessible flats.

Not typical
The vinyl exteriors are a variety of colors, such as light blue, pale green, yellow and white. Lynn Keifer, senior property manager of Manor Heights, said the homes remind her of beach houses.

Ingerman “really takes pride in keeping this looking nice,” she said. “They believe low-income housing shouldn’t look like low-income housing.”

Keifer said her annual budget includes $5,000 to spend on flowers. Ingerman operates around 4,000 rental units in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland and Delaware, said Mary French, regional property manager.

The Manor Heights apartments come with a patio or a balcony; a living/dining room area; Berber carpeting; “a fairly large kitchen” with oak cabinets, a refrigerator, a stove, a garbage disposal and a dishwasher; bathrooms with ceramic-tile floors; “good-sized closets”; and washer and dryer hook-ups, Keifer said.

They also have central air conditioning and gas heat.

There are 58 townhomes. Twenty-six have two bedrooms and one bath, and measure 930, 975 or 990 square feet. Thirty-two feature three bedrooms and 11⁄2 baths and cover 1,145 or 1,220 square feet. The full baths have tub/shower combinations.

The nine two-bedroom flats are 930 square feet and have one bath. The remaining three are 1,160 square feet and include three bedrooms and two baths. Keifer said the tubs/showers in the flats are equipped with seats.

Rents in the complex are $416 to $660 a month, she said. Tenants are responsible for their phone, TV, electric and gas bills.

The units are for people who earn no more than 40, 50 or 60 percent of the county’s median income.

According to the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency, 40 percent of median income is $20,520 for a family of two, $23,080 for a family of three and $25,640 for a family of four. At 50 percent of median, it’s $25,650, $28,850 and $32,050. At 60 percent of median, it’s $30,780, $34,620 and $38,460.

Keifer said Tabor Community Services will be on site 21⁄2 days a week for support.

Off Columbia Avenue near Mountville Borough, Manor Heights is in Penn Manor School District.

It has a community building that houses Tabor’s offices, coin-operated laundry facilities, a maintenance shed, a conference, room, a business area with two computers boasting high-speed Internet access, and a room with a kitchenette that can host all kinds of gatherings. A tot lot is next door.

Keifer said the complex will hold five parties a year for residents, most around holidays.

'About 15 of the apartments are rented,' she said. Keifer expects many children will live in the community; younger ones will attend Central Manor Elementary School.

So far, she said, tenants are coming from different parts of the county. The first ones moved in last month. Manor Heights held its open house Saturday. For more information or an application, call 285-2492.

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