Politics & Government

Air Base Plan Submission Delayed

A month after the HLRA approved its mixed-use redevelopment plan, it still has not been submitted to the federal government.

The federal government’s March 31 deadline for receipt of a  reuse plan has come and gone. Officials are hoping that the plan, , will be submitted by month’s end.  

Mike McGee, executive director of the Horsham Land Reuse Authority – the entity that adopted the sixth version of the redevelopment blueprint last month – said the delay centers around the inability to come to terms on a legally binding agreement for the homeless housing submission.

Federal law requires that a portion of any redevelopment project considered for government-owned property include a component to address regional homeless housing needs. In terms of the air base redevelopment, that component pertains to . Although homeless housing is one of the smallest pieces of the 862-acre redevelopment plan, McGee said the review and approval process is smoother with a legally binding agreement. 

Find out what's happening in Hatboro-Horshamwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The Bucks County Housing Group has been in discussion with McGee, HLRA staff and attorneys for the past several months to try to devise a legally binding agreement. 

On Tuesday, McGee said he believed the parties were close and that there were “no substantive issues,” at play. Rather, he said the five legal representatives at the table are working to ensure proper wording in the agreement. Nancy Szamborski, Bucks County Housing Group executive director, echoed similar sentiments last month.

Find out what's happening in Hatboro-Horshamwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The next meeting to iron out the agreement is slated for Thursday – a day after the HLRA’s monthly meeting. McGee said he will update the board Wednesday and advise them that if an agreement can not be reached this week that a special HLRA meeting will need to be arranged by the end of the month.

Without a legally binding agreement, McGee said the HLRA would either need to revise its homeless submission, or apply to the federal government for another extension.

“Our homeless submission is just fine if we have a legally binding agreement,” McGee said. 


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here