Beaumont council backs senior housing project at 8255 Phelan with $500 fee waiver

The Beaumont City Council on Feb. 18 approved a resolution expressing the city’s support for a 66‑unit, age‑restricted senior housing project at 8255 Phelan Boulevard and committed up to a $500 fee waiver to aid the developer’s application for state housing tax credits.

Darren Smith of Pivotal Housing Partners told the council the project would offer one‑ and two‑bedroom units dedicated to residents 55 and older and asked for a city resolution of support and the fee waiver. “We’re here, seeking your support and resolution of support for a senior housing development off of Major and Phelan,” Smith said.

Council discussion focused on zoning, traffic and the mechanics of housing tax credits. City staff confirmed the parcel is zoned GCMD (general commercial multifamily dwellings), which allows multifamily development by right and therefore does not require a special‑use approval; staff noted building permits and code compliance would still be required. Council members asked whether council could require a traffic‑impact study as a condition of its support. Staff said council could include a traffic study as an additional condition in its resolution of support but cautioned that the state’s tax‑credit awarding process is competitive and external to the city.

City staff and developers discussed project finance during the meeting. Staff and a presenter described a project cost estimate cited in the discussion of about $16.5 million and said the region’s available tax credits are syndicated and typically underwrite a portion of development costs. The staff discussion described how credits are often sold to institutional investors and noted approximate syndication economics discussed at the meeting.

After discussion the council voted by voice. Those voting in favor said “Aye,” and the mayor declared the motion carried. The resolution commits the city to a fee waiver not to exceed $500 to assist the applicant’s state HTC application.

The next procedural steps are for the developer to include the city’s resolution of support in its state application and, if awarded tax credits, to proceed with the permitting and construction process. The council did not set further conditions in the motion recorded in the transcript.