Regional Opportunity Initiatives is conducting a housing study in the 11 counties of the Indiana Uplands
Regional Opportunity Initiatives, Inc. (ROI), encourages interested citizens to share their impressions and opinions about the current housing market in the Indiana Uplands (Brown, Crawford, Daviess, Dubois, Greene, Lawrence, Martin, Monroe, Orange, Owen, and Washington Counties).
To participate in the study, complete the online survey regarding your perceptions of the current housing market (both owner and renter-occupied housing). The survey is available at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/IndianaUplandsHousing
The survey takes 8-10 minutes to complete and will remain open through February 13, 2019.
“Employers across the Indiana Uplands are growing and poised to expand,” said CEO Tina Peterson. “For this region to support that growth, we will need to address key barriers to workforce retention and attraction. Housing is one of the top three challenges most frequently cited by employers and communities alike. ROI has selected RDG to help us understand both the realities of housing in the Uplands region and strategies for advancing our housing capacities in effective ways. Please help by participating in this survey and in local conversations taking place with RDG in counties across the region.”
ROI is working with counties in the region and RDG Planning & Design to develop a regional housing strategy for the Indiana Uplands to help identify workforce housing needs and strategies for advancing housing opportunities. The goal is to create a housing strategy that is specifically tailored to the needs and future aspirations of the Indiana Uplands region.
As part of this study, we are gathering input on the region’s housing market through a variety of techniques including data gathering, stakeholder focus groups, and market surveys. Information gathered will be synthesized to formulate a final housing report outlining strategic housing resources, issues, and opportunities on a regional and county level.
What is a Housing Study? A housing study or plan is a document focused on the existing housing stock and the demand for housing. It’s intended to give communities and housing developers a guidebook and a toolkit to ensure a healthy and functioning housing market that offers housing options to all residents. It addresses historic trends, the current condition of housing, and changes in the real estate market; it indexes affordable housing in a community; and it analyzes the demand for future housing across a range of types and price points. After analyzing this data, the plan makes specific policy and program recommendations that communities can implement to address issues and challenges facing the housing market.
Why is a Plan Needed? Counties across the Indiana Uplands are experiencing change. All communities are trying to find ways to attract talent and ensure stable economic growth. Housing has become an essential component to economic stability. A lack of available and quality units, in a range of price points, can result in stagnant or declining community growth and workforce availability, tax revenues and deteriorating or substandard housing. A comprehensive housing strategy is a way to make sure many housing market challenges are addressed, and it provides recommendations to communities and housing developers for solutions.
How is the Plan Implemented? Once completed, housing plans can be implemented through several interlocking means. Of course, many cities, towns, and counties have a role in guiding land use and ensuring safe construction and habitable residential buildings. Frequently, a local housing authority or non-profit organization will contribute their knowledge and skills in developing housing for those of the most modest means. Finally, in almost all cases, the recommendations in a housing study will be designed to create a private market response to housing need. By taking a holistic look at the region’s housing market, the document invites a broad-based response to improve the overall housing quality and market health.