Affordable housing complex proposed for McKees Rocks

For the last few years, a large gravel lot has sat empty along Chartiers Avenue, but now, a local organization has a vision for the space.

Action Housing Incorporated, the city’s largest nonprofit developer, has proposed building a six-story, 40-unit affordable housing complex with 1 and 2 bedrooms.

“There’s been a lot of recent development: the Roxian Theatre, new things going on in the business district,” said Lena Andrews, vice president of real estate development for Action Housing.

Andrews said the units will be income-restricted for people who make 60% of Area Median Income (AMI) or below, which is about $37,000 a year for a household of one person.

“I think it’ll be good for the community because there are a few homeless people in the neighborhood, so hopefully it can be affordable housing that can help them,” said Stephanie Long, who lives in nearby Stowe Township.

The nonprofit is behind similar complexes around the city, including one on Penn Avenue in Lawrenceville, which opened two years ago. It was designed for low-income residents, with the complex in McKees Rocks likely to follow suit and offer similar options based on need.

“We do have a number of buildings that have units specifically for veterans. We’re pretty early on in the planning process, and we would want to work with the McKees Rocks community to understand what the need is here,” Andrews said.

Action Housing is in the process of putting together an application for low-income housing tax credits. That is due in January, so they’ll have to wait until then to see if the approximately $20 million project will get the money it needs.

If the proposal moves forward, construction could begin in early 2025.

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