If the study, which the commission proposed on Feb. 6, determines that affordable housing is the best use for the properties, it will be roughly five years before apartments are ready to be rented, according to commission chair Bob Strauss.
The town of Hanover owns 6 School St., which is currently a parking lot, and 10 School St., where there was previously a community center, Strauss said. To implement the plan, the town would have to buy 8 School St., which is currently rented by Dartmouth students from Trumbull-Nelson Construction.
There is a high demand in Hanover for affordable housing, Strauss said, adding that such housing will also cut down on commuting and pollution."We can bring our workers to their jobs," he said, adding that the new residents will become customers for Hanover businesses.
The properties may also be made available for parking. If housing is determined to be the best option, however, the study will examine the resulting parking needs, Strauss said.
"They're always worried about parking," he said.
One of the few affordable housing options in the area is Gile Hill, a housing community opened late last year near Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. Gile Hill consists of apartments available at relatively low prices, in addition to condominiums that can be bought at market price. One-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments cost $600 and $800 per month, respectively, according to Strauss.
"There is very little, if any, decent, safe, affordable housing in the Lebanon-Hanover area for people who can't afford to buy," Strauss said.
While Gile Hill apartments have fire sprinkler systems, other affordable options in the area are not as safe, Strauss said.
Families who rent the Gile Hill apartments send their children to Hanover schools, but most of the people who have moved to Gile Hill thus far are not families -- there is one school-age child for every two units, according to Strauss.
If the School Street lots are used for affordable housing, the commission plans to rely on funding from charities to develop housing plans and then submit those plans to the Hanover Planning Board. Federal funds will be used to finance the construction, Strauss said.
Many students rent houses in the neighborhood of School, Maple and Prospect Streets, creating "a pretty lively off-campus neighborhood," said Madhavi Menon '09, who currently lives at 8 School St. The arrival of Hanover residents would impact that community, Menon said, adding that she would be disappointed if Hanover converted 8 School St. into affordable housing because it is prime off-campus student housing.
