Dozens of potential tenants lined up last week to submit applications for the affordable housing apartments that MSP Real Estate Inc. plans to build in New Berlin.
MSP Real Estate’s City Center at Deer Creek project will consist of three 34-unit buildings consisting of one, two and three bedroom apartments ranging in size from 980-1,900 square feet. Most of the units will be operated as affordable rentals with 86 of the 102 units reserved for residents earning no more than 60 percent of the area median income. Fifteen units will be rented for market rate tenants with no income restrictions. One unit will be reserved for an onsite manager.
The project was initially rejected by New Berlin aldermen as some residents opposed the development of affordable housing units in the City Center area. Last year, the U.S. Justice Department filed a lawsuit against New Berlin accusing city officials of racial discrimination in rejecting the project. The city later approved the project and settled the lawsuit with the Justice Department earlier this year.
MSP began accepting applications for the affordable units at 10 a.m. Thursday morning. By 9 a.m. more than 40 people were in line, including some who got their as early as 2 a.m., according to MSP.
“We have always been confident that there is a need for this type of housing in the New Berlin community,” said Milo Pinkerton, president of MSP Real Estate. “The response from people interested in residing at the City Center has been overwhelming and proves that this development is meeting a great need in the community.”
