Dee Dowling lives in Ferguson Township.

“It’s not a cheap place to live, by any means,” Dowling said.

She says she knows a lot of young professionals, who either have to stay living with their family, or move outside state college to Bellefonte or Philipsburg for cheaper rent.

“I have a daughter who is a vet tech, would love to have her own place, but instead she’s living at home, because she can’t afford to live on her own in State College,” Dowling said.

Monday, Ferguson Township Board of Supervisors approved real estate developer, HFL corporation’s plan for an affordable apartment complex.

The rent price will be determined from a percentage of the average income in the area.
So, there will be apartments for 20, 50 and 60 percent of the area median income.

Jeremie Thompson with the Ferguson Township Planning Commission says, there aren’t always a lot of affordable options in State College, causing some people to have to commute from as far as Lewistown or Clearfield.

“As for current existing inventory of affordable housing it’s very very limited and very competitive,” Thompson, said. “If there is any options out there that come available they will go quickly.”

The developer plans to tear down the existing two houses and garage on West Cherry Lane, near North Atherton Street.
In their place, the company will build a complex with 16 offices for HFL on the first floor, nine apartments on the second floor and nine apartments on the third floor.

Hfl has some more paperwork to complete, if they want to start construction in April.