Bloomington will build a new complex of income-restricted apartments

Bloomington, Indiana – The Arlington Park Development, a 344-unit rental complex with income restrictions situated on Bloomington’s northwest side, is now under construction, according to the city.

On October 13, the City of Bloomington hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Arlington Park Development. The 41-acre property has 45 shovel-ready lots, which means that construction can begin and workers can be hired. In March 2020, the Arlington Park Development was approved by the Bloomington City Council and Mayor John Hamilton.

The Arlington Park Development is the first Community Land Trust project, according to Nathan Ferreira, director of real estate development for the Bloomington Housing Authority. According to him, the apartments will only be available to people and families with greater earnings than those who still struggle to obtain a home despite being eligible for federally subsidized affordable housing. Indiana Public Media states that a household’s income must fall between $42,533 and $63,799 in order to be eligible.

The lots will be repossessed by Summit Hill Community Development Corporation (SHCDC), a nonprofit arm of the Bloomington Home Authority, which will collaborate with affordable home developers. The development will be supervised by the Community Land Trust that SHCDC formed.

According to the City of Bloomington, Bloomington Transit will also enlarge Route 10 to enable bus services to the region.

Ferreria stated that they anticipate finishing the development by the end of 2026.

According to Ferreria, Bloomington is experiencing a housing crisis. According to him, there isn’t enough housing in Bloomington to accommodate everyone who wants to live here.

The U.S. Census indicates that Bloomington’s median household income is $41,995. In 2019, the median sale price of a house increased from $167,000 to $217,00, and it continues to rise.

A Point in Time Count revealed that 335 persons were homeless in Monroe County in 2021, according to an IDS report.

A 2020 research estimates that in order to accommodate Bloomington’s population increase over the next ten years, 2,592 more housing units—a combination of rental and mortgage housing—will be required.

“Working people keep getting priced out of the city,” Ferriera said. “People who work here have to keep living further and further away from the city.”

According to John Zody, Director of Housing and Neighborhood Authority, the City of Bloomington is working to address the housing situation in the community. According to him, the city is addressing the issue from three angles: homeownership, rental housing, and housing security.

Zody stated that because many Arlington Park Development homeowners are paying more for housing than their monthly income, the development is concentrating on housing security.

“People simply do not have enough money to do other things,” Zody said. “Housing insecurity can make you homeless.”

Zody stated that in order to improve housing stability, they have been collaborating with Heading Home of South Central Indiana, an organization that focuses on decreasing homelessness.

According to Zody, rent is expensive for almost two-thirds of Bloomington’s population who live in rental units.

According to the 2020 study, the households with the lowest incomes have the most scarcity of units. They discovered that the hardest thing to do is find homes for this particular market, and that students who receive housing aid from parents or student loans make up a very small share of this demographic.

Zody reported that HAND is developing a rental housing project in the Hopewell neighborhood. Where the former IU hospital was on West Second Street, a community with several rental houses is being constructed.

Additionally, the city is concentrating on assisting those who want to buy their first home, move from an apartment to a house, or need home repairs.

According to Zody, the Arlington Park Development will be unique for the community. He claimed that a lot of people who earn more money but are unable to purchase a home are caught in the system.

“Just because someone makes a high income doesn’t mean they can afford housing,” Zody said. “The working needs housing.”

The Arlington Park housing application period is currently open. People must attend an information session to determine if they qualify for a house before obtaining an application. For information regarding information sections, interested applicants can send an email to info@shdc.