The South Haven City Council will issue a request for proposals for developers interested in building housing at the Overton property.
At a meeting this week, the council reviewed a report from consultant Ryan Kilpatrick on community requests for the six-acre, city-owned property off Indiana Avenue and Elkenburg Street. The main request has been housing for middle incomes.
There was some discussion about how specific the RFP should be, but council member Letitia Wilkins said there’s been enough talking while housing remains badly in need.
“Teachers can’t live here,” Wilkins said. “Police officers can’t live here because there’s no place that is affordable. South Haven is turning into the haves and the have-nots. So, are we going to keep sitting around saying, ‘Oh, we’re going to wait? No. What are we waiting for? There’s nothing more to wait for. We know what we want. We said this two years ago. We need housing, and we need housing today.”
Council member Joe Reeser said homes developed at the Overton site should meet the demand.
“I do think we need both apartments for young people, for seniors, Reeser said. “We also need home ownership. That’s the best way people in this country develop equity, and some groups have less equity than others. We all know that. To give the people of color in our community a chance to own a home is extremely important.”
Council member Mary Hosley questioned if environmental issues could lead to delays if they’re not studied, but in the end, the body instructed City Manager Kate Hosier to draw up the request for proposals.
Efforts to develop the site have been going on for several years. Last year, a plan by the Habitat Company to construct low-income housing there was withdrawn, resetting the entire Overton question.
