Columbus to work with Purdue on factory-built housing grant

The city of Columbus is working with Purdue University on a grant application to help build factory-constructed affordable homes in the city.

Jake Sipe, community development director for the city, told the City Council this week that Purdue reached out to him, to see if Columbus wanted to apply for the program the Capitol One Foundation. The program is a nationwide competitive process that will eventually lead to five communities across the country receiving $4.6 million for the home constructions.

Columbus will be working with Purdue and the Project 46 coalition on a proposal, Sipe said. Of all the proposals submitted nationwide, 10 will get the go-ahead this year for further development and $200,000 in funding to refine the proposal. Indiana University has offered to help with that refining process. In 2027, the five finalists will be chosen.

Sipe said that the city’s goal would be to encourage homeownership at or below current market rates. He said the factory built homes would be a way to reduce construction costs and get homes down to around $200,000. He said this would be an innovative way to encourage affordable housing without the use of taxpayer funds.

Sipe and Jeff Bergman, head of the city planning department, updated the council on the city’s affordable housing and homelessness initiatives.