FORT WAYNE, Ind. (ADAMS) – Construction is now underway on the first two homes that are part of the City of Fort Wayne’s A Lot to Love program. Fort Wayne Mayor Sharon Tucker visited one of the sites today at 2806 Fox Ave. to celebrate the milestone in the program, which is designed to encourage infill housing development on City-owned vacant lots.
The City released the following:
“It’s exciting to see the enthusiastic response to A Lot to Love,” said Mayor Tucker. “This program has so many benefits – it provides new opportunities for emerging small-scale developers, offers affordable options for entry-level homebuyers, puts vacant lots back on the property tax rolls and helps strengthen neighborhoods. I want to see this program expand. We need to see our community grow and have more heads in beds. That’s why I’ve asked City Council to pull the I-69 gateway sign project so we can re-program that money to support successful initiatives like this and the Southeast Implementation Strategy.”
When the program opened in March, 29 City-owned lots were identified as having potential for infill development and as of today, 27 of the lots have been or will be transferred to new owners for development of new homes. Most of the homes will be single-family but several will be duplexes or tri-plexes. The lots were discounted and some developers received incentives, supported by the Fort Wayne New Markets Revitalization Fund, to help address financial barriers to infill housing development such as site preparation and infrastructure redevelopment.
Ben Gresham, the developer of the home on Fox Avenue, is excited to be part of the program. The home he’s building is a three-bedroom, two-bath ranch that will be affordable for first-time homebuyers. It’s expected to go on the market in early spring.
“This is a dream come true, I’ve always wanted to build a house,” says Gresham. “I grew up in this neighborhood and I love that I can give back and help revitalize it.”
Construction is also underway on a lot owned by Devin and Rachel McElveen at 3311 Smith St. That home will also be a single-family home and the McElveens already have a buyer secured.
“I’m proud of our team’s work to pilot this innovative program,” said Jonathan Leist, director of the City’s Community Development Division, which oversees A Lot to Love. “After seeing the initial success, we are looking for resources to expand it and offer another round of applications in the spring.”
Several of the selected developers took part in the City’s SEED Small-Scale Developers BUILD program, which is designed for entrepreneurs focusing on real estate development. The Small-Scale Developer progam is supported in part by the Don Wood Foundation.
The City of Fort Wayne’s Community Development Division works to enhance economic opportunity, build strong neighborhoods and ensure a dynamic framework for growth and development. The Division’s departments include Neighborhood Code Compliance, Neighborhoods, Office of Housing and Neighborhood Services, Redevelopment/Economic Development, and Planning and Policy.
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