MOLINE, Ill. — The Moline Housing Authority has its sights set on its next project to add more affordable housing to the Quad Cities. This week, the Housing Authority formally expressed its interest to Moline City Council to acquire the old Manual Arts building.
The building, located at 855 17th Street, near Central Fire Station, has sat vacant for years.
"The building was constructed in 1908 and the last writing on one of the chalkboards was from 1993, so there's really been no activity there for 30 years," said Moline Community Development Manager K.J. Whitley.
Moline Housing Authority President and CEO John Afoun said he's had his eye on the property for the 13 years he's worked there. He said its location and space make it an ideal spot for affordable housing units. However, its previous owners weren't interested in selling. The City of Moline acquired the property last year.
"We went with the city officials to tour the property to see how it looks inside and to determine its potential and possibilities," Afoun said. "We have concluded that the possibilities are endless. It's a grand old building that can be converted into affordable housing and still preserve the outside to reflect its past glory."
If approved, the Housing Authority would build about 20 affordable housing units there, something Afoun said is desperately needed.
"We have over 1,370 people on our waiting list," he said. "Moline is one of the most expensive cities within this side of the river. So housing is really not affordable and people are struggling. There's also homelessness. What people don't realize is, we're not like Chicago, or New York or Los Angeles where you see people on the street, sleeping under bridges. It's people sleeping in their cars, people sleeping in the basement of their grandparent's, people are sleeping on the floor in their friend's apartment. So there is the need. Tremendous need."
In the Quad Cities, there's a need for 6,500 affordable housing units, according to Whitley.
"We're trying to find a purpose for the building," she said. "We don't want the building to be tore down. We feel that it can be repurposed. And one of our first thoughts was affordable housing."
According to HUD data released earlier this week, the median family income in the Quad Cities is $88,400. A family of four can make $70,700 and still qualify for housing assistance programs in the Quad Cities.
"Both of those numbers increased," Whitley said. "For the last few years, the trend has been they have increased."
The Moline Housing Authority is currently building 18 new affordable housing units in a complex near the intersection of 12th Avenue and 41st street. It's the first new housing it's been able to build since 1972. Work on the Spring Valley Village began last November and is on track to be completed by the end of this year.
Afoun is hopeful the units at the old Manual Arts building will be greenlit.
"Every little help helps. So if we are able to get similar units out of the current building that we're interested in, it would have added at least 30, almost 36-40 units, which would make a difference," he said. "If we can help one person, we will go all out to help that one person. One less homeless we have in the city the better. That's our philosophy."
If Moline City Council approves the project, which there's no timeline for currently, Moline Housing Authority would hire an architect and structural engineer to do assessments of the building and cost analysis of what the project would cost. The Housing Authority would then apply for tax credits to help fund the project.