A continuing need for senior housing prompted Logan’s Neighborhood Nonprofit Office to buy land four years ago to begin the process of building new units at affordable rental rates for the elderly.

The result is this week’s opening of the 40 units of the River Park Senior Housing complex and the adjacent new office complex for Neighborhood Nonprofit.

“This a dream that has been four years in the works,” said Neighborhood Nonprofit Executive Director Kim Datwyler. Datwyler said the roughly $5 million project provides some one-bedroom units and some with two bedrooms.

Datwyler said a ribbon-cutting ceremony and welcome by Mayor Randy Watts will begin at noon, Thursday (August 6) at 784 Riverwalk Parkway (about 200 West and Golf Course Road in Logan). An apartment and office Open House follows from 12:30-4:00 p.m.

The complex provides a large community room, fully furnished library, an exercise room and laundry room.

Datwyler said the new facility is not be confused with the several assisted living facilities in Cache Valley.

“This is independent living,” Datwyler said. “Meals are not provided and medical services are not provided.”

Eight of the units are already occupied, Datwyler said, and applications are arriving daily. She said income documentation is required and those applicants exceeding established limits will not qualify.

“Rents will range between $300 and $500 a month,” said Datwyler and includes all costs except telephone and electricity.

Datwyler admits the term “affordable housing” sometimes carries a bad connotation, but the new complex is carefully planned, well built and, “is a beautiful property in a very nice setting” near the south entrance to Logan.

Datwyler said the project got a significant boost in 2008 when the Neighborhood Nonprofit Housing Office was awarded low income housing tax credits through the Utah Housing Corporation, a funding agency of the state.

That led to an October, 2008, groundbreaking with Kier Construction of Ogden as the contractor.

Neighborhood Nonprofit was started in 1996 by a group of 15 citizens concerned with the continually rising cost of housing along in face of stagnant salaries in Cache Valley. Datwyler became the group’s fulltime director in 2000.

“We do a lot of grant writing here,” said Datwyler. “We’re a mix between a nonprofit and a developer.”

Neighborhood Nonprofit also does extensive coordination of “self help building programs” with first time buyers, directs down payment assistance programs, works with acquisition rehab programs (acquiring older properties and renovating them for sale) and deals with statewide programs to help the disabled purchase homes.