A 48-year-old senior housing complex on Columbus's north side is in line for a top-to-bottom, $23 million renovation, and the city council just took the first step toward helping make it happen. The Columbus Common Council voted 7-0 to advance an ordinance that would let Fairington of Columbus pay the city at least $68,000 a year in lieu of traditional property taxes for the next 30 years, rather than the roughly $160,000 in annual tax liability the property currently carries.
What the Deal Actually Does
The proposal is a Payment-in-Lieu-of-Taxes, or PILOT, agreement — a tool that sets a fixed developer payment schedule over several years instead of standard property taxes, according to reporting from The Republic. City officials say these agreements give developers greater financial predictability while letting the city participate financially in the project. Gene B. Glick Co. representatives sought council approval for the arrangement as the company pursues state and federal low-income housing tax credits to help fund the rehab.
Fairington, an age-restricted affordable senior housing community built in 1978, has 136 units supported by a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Section 8 housing assistance payments contract. Gene B. Glick Co. plans to rehabilitate the property while continuing to operate it as affordable housing, with upgrades touching residential units, elevators, common areas, exterior spaces and accessibility features. According to mojo1029.com, planned work includes new kitchens, bathrooms, flooring and doors, along with building mechanicals, a dog park and outdoor seating.
How the Payment Climbed From $40,800 to $68,000
Gene B. Glick Co. originally proposed annual PILOT payments starting at $40,800, based on a $300-per-unit rate, with 3% yearly increases over 30 years. The company and the city later negotiated that initial payment up to $68,000 by raising the per-unit rate to $500, per The Republic's reporting. Under the final proposed terms, the 3% annual escalation stays in place, and the agreement would deposit a little more than $3.2 million into the city's Affordable Housing Fund over the three-decade span — money officials say supports citywide housing preservation and other affordable housing projects.
The housing fund was established in 2025. City Council President Kent Anderson, a Republican representing District 5, described the agreement as a city contribution made through sacrificed tax revenue, calling Fairington among the city's most affordable housing and the deal a win-win. Council member Grace Kestler, a Democrat representing the city at large who also serves on the Columbus Housing Authority, said the city continually discusses retaining Section 8 vouchers because few new ones are being added, and said keeping the ones Fairington has is worthwhile.
Financing a $23 Million Rehab
The full rehabilitation project carries a total cost of $23.76 million including acquisition, with an expected construction cost of $6.9 million — about $51,344 per unit. The PILOT request is directed specifically toward those construction costs, which the project says require significant public and private financial support to close the funding gap. Financing is expected to draw on mortgage tax-exempt bonds providing $12.5 million, LIHTC investor equity contributing about $7 million, a $2.5 million sponsor loan and $1.7 million in deferred developer fees.
A Columbus 2024 housing study found the city needs housing of all types, including affordable housing, senior downsizing options and housing for higher earners. Janine Betsey said investments in Glick properties enhance and preserve them long-term, and that Glick does not convert these properties into market-rate apartment homes. She said Glick will sign a Land Use Restriction Agreement at tax-credit closing to keep Fairington affordable, and that the LURA combined with agency requirements create at least a 40-year affordability commitment. Betsey also noted that Section 8 contracts limit residents' rent payments to no more than 30% of their income.
What Renovation Means for Residents
Fairington residents will be temporarily relocated for two nights while kitchens, bathrooms and mechanical rooms are renovated in their units, while exterior work, roofs and other items will be completed separately with residents typically remaining in place, according to Betsey. Residents in ADA-accessible units face longer displacement, roughly 30 to 45 days, due to more extensive renovations. A Glick relocation team works with residents to prepare them for those temporary moves, and the company provides hotel accommodations and transportation during the process.
Betsey said Glick works hard to make the process easier for residents, and the company is also setting aside a small fund letting residents choose project-end improvements, such as new community room furniture or a grill station. Council members Chris Bartels, a Republican representing District 1, and Elaine Hilber, a Democrat representing District 2, were both absent from the vote. A second reading of the ordinance is scheduled for a future meeting, potentially as soon as November 4.
A Growing Tool Across Indiana
Columbus is not alone in turning to PILOTs to support affordable housing preservation. In Indianapolis, the City-County Council approved nine PILOT proposals in 2025, and 25 more had been introduced by June of this year, according to Mirror Indy. That outlet reports PILOT agreements there typically run 15 years but can be renewed, while housing financed through the low-income housing tax credit program stays affordable for at least 30 years.
One comparable Indianapolis project from developer TWG plans annual PILOT payments starting at $72,000 in 2029 for a 160-unit apartment building on County Line Road, climbing 3% annually to nearly $109,000 by 2043. The same report notes TWG estimates that arrangement would save the company $4.2 million in property taxes over the payment period — illustrating the kind of trade-off Columbus officials are now weighing as Fairington's own agreement heads toward a final vote.
