City of Altoona pays $770,000 for vacant building, will turn into affordable housing

Friday, April 26, 2019
Clint Berge | WQOW

Altoona (WQOW) - A big building just sitting empty in Altoona could soon be home to a couple dozen apartment units for people looking for a cheaper place to live.

Altoona City Administrator Mike Golat told News 18 the city is in the process of purchasing a vacant senior living complex for $770,000 at 1511 Devney Drive. That road is just north of Highway 12.

Golat said affordable housing is an initiative announced last year by the mayor at the State of the City. He said an affordable housing task force was launched at that time to define the problem. Golat said it was important to get something done on the issue instead of just talking about it.

C&M Construction and JONAH are contributing to the project and providing labor for the renovations.

The building with house 24 families and they hope to have it ready to live in by September.

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