City officials will consider measures related to a senior housing development during a meeting tonight as demand for the housing type continues to grow.

The Wilmington City Council's agenda includes a resolution to provide gap funding to a company, Wallick Communities, that wants to build a $14 million, 48-unit affordable senior housing development at 710 N. Kerr Ave. The project, which would be situated at the northeast corner of North Kerr Avenue and New Centre Drive and called Onyx Place Apartments, also needs a rezoning.

Officials with Wallick Communities say they believe the site is most suitable for senior housing for a variety of reasons, including its 2.11-acre size.

"With seniors, they don't drive as much, and there's less dependence on cars. They have smaller households, so the parking requirements are less for senior housing than families," said Jake Gill, development manager for Wallick, on Tuesday before the city council meeting.

Wallick applied to the city for $98,000 in gap funding to support the four-story development, for which Wallick officials also hope to get low-income housing tax credits (LIHTC). Such credits allow property owners to lower a property's debt financing by exchanging tax credits for equity investments, according to the N.C. Housing Finance Agency. The agency's LIHTC application deadline is Friday.

While the bulk of the funding for Onyx Place would come from tax credits, and $98,000 might seem like a small amount, Gill said, "That additional component from the city is kind of that final missing piece to make it a whole project."

The gap funding, for which city staff has recommended approval by the council, is expected to come from the city's HOME Investment Partnerships Program.

Onyx Place units are expected to be affordable at varying rates: 12 units at 30% area median income (AMI), eight units at 50% AMI, 14 units at 60% AMI and 14 units at 80% AMI, documents state. The AMI for a household was $63,900 in the city of Wilmington, as of 2023, according to census data.

Before the gap funding is considered, the council will hear about the project's rezoning request, which would change the 2.11-acre site from an R-10, medium-density, single-dwelling designation to MD-17(CD), a high-density multiple-dwelling residential district (conditional district). The staff also recommends approval of the rezoning.

"The Comprehensive Plan states that the development of accessible housing for residents with disabilities, particularly near transit stations and corridors, should be encouraged," the agenda documents state. "The plan also supports dispersal and production of affordable and workforce housing units and senior housing units throughout all areas of the city."

Without the rezoning, the project can't move ahead, Gill said.

The Onyx Place Apartments measures will be considered during the council's regular meeting, which begins at 6:30 tonight in Council Chambers at 102 N. Third St.