Tacoma-Pierce County Habitat for Humanity made room this week for its first townhouse development.

The low-income housing provider joined Lakewood officials Tuesday for demolition of the blighted Woodlawn Cottages in the city’s Tillicum neighborhood. Habitat will construct eight townhomes in the cottages’ place, starting in early 2013, on Commercial Street near Harry Todd Community Park.

Habitat has committed to construct up to 33 homes in one of Lakewood’s poorest neighborhoods. It has started construction of two single-family homes elsewhere in Tillicum.

The nonprofit organization has developed some duplexes in the past, but it traditionally builds single-family homes. The group’s move to townhomes recognizes that people are less inclined to want to own and maintain a larger home, said Gomer Roseman, director of site development and construction.

Sue Potter, Habitat’s development director, added that townhouses are a “better way to serve families on that site. We can help more people.”

Habitat relocated the eight residents living at Woodlawn Cottages to other homes and apartments. Habitat checked to see if they’d qualify for one of its homes, but none met minimum income and credit requirements, Roseman said.

Lakewood officials have focused on redeveloping Tillicum, including investing $17 million to extend sanitary sewer into the area. Councilman Don Anderson said the project represents the first major residential redevelopment in the area.

“This is removing blight and replacing it with owner-occupied housing, which will have a really stabilizing effect and create a great visual” for the further redevelopment of Tillicum, he said.

Habitat provides homeownership opportunities for qualified low-income residents. In exchange, the residents provide 500 hours of labor on their home or another Habitat project.

Christian Hill: 253-274-7390 christian.hill@thenewstribune.com Twitter: @TNTchill