Construction on Avanelle Crossing, a proposed affordable housing development near Hooper Road in Athens Township, has been paused — and developers say the project is unlikely to continue at the site as planned.
The developers told local officials in an email that the project was being put on hold while they explore alternative locations, according to Steve Pierson, vice chairman of the Athens Township trustees. The pause is a setback for a region where affordable housing has become increasingly difficult to build and find.
Avanelle Crossing had been positioned as a new option for residents struggling with rising rents and limited housing stock in the Athens area, which is home to Ohio University and a student population that keeps rental demand high. The township had been working through the approval and planning process for the development when the pause was announced.
The news lands as southeast Ohio communities continue to wrestle with housing affordability. Advocates have argued that more affordable units are needed to serve working families, older adults on fixed incomes and students alike.
Officials have not said whether a new site will be identified or when the developers might move forward elsewhere. For now, the project joins a growing list of planned developments across Ohio that have stalled amid rising construction costs and tighter financing.