Alex Dalton

A divided Portage City Council approved a zoning change Tuesday sought by Habitat for Humanity of Porter County after Mayor Austin Bonta cast a tie-breaking vote in favor of the proposal.

The international homebuilding nonprofit's local branch hopes to put a new subdivision on property currently owned by the city at the intersection of Crisman Road and Portage Avenue. The parcel was once the site of a disused school building, which was demolished following a 2004 fire that badly damaged the structure.

Habitat for Humanity uses donated funds and materials along with volunteer labor to provide low-income individuals and families with affordable homes, offering zero-interest mortgages on newly built houses.

The organization is seeking to change the former school property's zon

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