Chamblee city leaders gave their approval to a planned housing development that would set aside dozens of units for low-income seniors.
Mercy Housing Southeast, a nonprofit focused on affordable housing, pitched plans for 67 multi-family units and 55 units for low-income resident who are at least 55 years old. The Chamblee Design Review Board recommended the City Council approve the developer’s plans, including several code variances.
With almost no discussion on the project during its Tuesday meeting, the council unanimously approved Mercy Housing’s Development of Community Impact and most of its variance requests.
Mercy Housing intends to transform a 2.8-acre site along Clairmont Road between 5th and 6th streets into a three-story residential building. To qualify for the low-income units, seniors must have an income between 30% and 80% of the area median income. The specific numbers for Chamblee were not provided, but an individual senior in DeKalb County would have to make between $18,100 to $48,300 annually to fulfill that criteria.
The building will include 52 one-bedroom units, 53 two-bedroom units and 17 three-bedroom units. The project also includes a 138-space parking lot, a playground and a child daycare.
The land was going to be the site of 39 new townhomes, but that project stalled out after the previous developer let its demolition and land disturbance permits expire without any activity, according to documents filed with the city.
The property was already properly zoned for this type of project, but the developer requested 13 code variances and a waiver. The City Council denied a waiver to avoid burying overhead utilities and four variances related to smaller design aspects of the project, such as fencing and brick facade requirements. The city also encouraged the developer to try to incorporate balconies on all street-facing corner units.
A timeline for when the project will begin construction or be completed was not listed in documents that the developer filed with the city.
