The real estate downturn is hurting property tax collections, but Hanover County has found one way to ease the pain — buy office space to replace leases in seven locations.

Over the next five years, the county will save $830,000 by converting seven leases into owned space, all of which will be completed by next spring, said county spokesman Tom Harris.

The most recent move was for several programs of the Community Services Board, which relocated from Dow Gil Road to 9743 Atlee Commons Drive in late July.

The Intellectual Disabilities Case Management, Residential, Supported Employment, Hanover Industries and Hanover Recycling programs now share six adjoining office condominium units.

The 14,400 square feet has space for the 41 CSB employees who work in those programs plus the 21 clients who are employed on site by Hanover Recycling and Hanover Industries.

This year, the CSB Day Support program moved from rented space into the former Mechanicsville Library location.

The Department of Economic Development will move into the Rutland Center next month.

New office space on Bell Creek Road will be home to CSB programs for adolescents, mental-health services and a satellite office for social services next spring.

The first-year savings from CSB moves to Atlee and Mechanicsville will be more than $110,000, Harris said.

Over five years, with the other projects added in, the total savings will reach $830,000.