Hope for Mercy Housing in Seneca?
Seneca’s city administrator, Scott Moulder, wants city council to delay by two weeks a vote on whether an Atlanta outfit may use EN 1st Street property to build an affordable housing project. City planning commission last month recommended against allowing Mercy Housing Southeast a zoning change to build 74 units, which Mercy’s representative predicted would be ideal for teachers, fire fighters and other segments of the workforce who need affordable housing. Mercy’s Ronita Hoffer insisted the project would not house homeless individuals. Last night city council, in a 6-2 first reading vote, approved the zoning change. At the planning commission hearing in February, there were concerns whether the units would create the type of appearance that city government wants along a major entry way to the downtown. The property in question sits between Monarch Park and the Hampton Inn and Suites. Moulder hopes to work out a mutually beneficial solution and wishes to discuss the viability of the project with planning Chairman Barry Duvall.