A representative from Kosciusko Economic Development Corporation updated the Kosciusko County Redevelopment Commission Thursday on projects KEDCO was working on.

Greg Fitzloff, business development partner at KEDCO, said housing was one of the big issues in the county.

He told the Commission about the Hoosier Homes program, which is a down payment assistance tool that helps individuals and families buy homes in approved areas of the state. The Kosciusko County Commissioners passed a resolution which authorized the Hoosier Homes program to be implemented throughout the county.

Fitzloff said he believes the benefits of the program will be seen in the county.

Fitzloff also informed the Commission of projects in towns in the area.

He said KEDCO is at the end stage of choosing a developer to build a project in Milford.

The local area planning committee will review the options and possibly narrow down the options and get that project underway, he said. He said he gave the Milford Town Council a sense of what the price range of the houses were, between $250,000 and $300,000. The potential developers were asked to give proposals for the development of the exact price range with the current information on building prices.

On Tuesday, KEDCO met with the Etna Green Town Council. Fitzloff said he believes back in December or January, KEDCO had talked to the Commission about serving as the agent for Etna Green since the town doesn’t have a redevelopment commission of its own.

Etna Green has a housing project where a site assessment has been done. The assessment came “back very positive,” he said. KEDCO talked a little bit with some developers.

KEDCO updated the Council Tuesday on where the project was. Fitzloff said at the Council’s June meeting, it will look at possibly passing policies that will allow KEDCO to pursue a purchasing agreement for the property.

In terms of the Commission’s role, Fitzloff said KEDCO will come back in front of the Commission for the memorandum of understanding for the Commission to act as an agent for Etna Green. He plans to have a conversation with the Triton Schools superintendent if the superintendent feels comfortable with a residential tax increment finance district in that area.

Etna Green also recently voted to annex property on Old 30, east of Winona Powder Coating, into the town of Etna Green. The property is at the extreme west end of a county TIF.

Once the owner starts building on the property, which is expected to start in 2023, the property will be taken out of the TIF and be included in the town boundaries, he said.

Commission attorney Adam Turner asked if the recently annexed property would be part of the residential TIF. Fitzloff said it would not be in a residential TIF. There may be something in the future where that property is wanted to be put in a different TIF.

Turner said if it is decided to put the annexed property into a TIF, the timeline is being pushed to take care of setting the TIF up by 2023. Fitzloff said the Council has already approved asking the Commission to be their agent to get the process started.

Commission member Joni Truex asked if the Commission could have a summary of what KEDCO is asking of the Commission. Fitzloff said KEDCO is not asking anything of the Commission at this time. He brought up the topic of TIFs to make the Commission aware so when they brought anything in front of the Commission, they would know about it.