In the Indiana Uplands, we are beginning to tackle the need for more diverse housing choices for those who live in our region and those we seek to attract. Like many other communities across the country, we lack housing that appeals to those who want to live in walkable communities, close to work, and near transportation arteries. Missing middle housing refers to the housing types between single-family housing and mid-to-large apartment complexes. These housing types appeal to a range of residents and are often missing from our construction mix.

Presenters Amy Haase of RDG Planning & Design and Jerry Reimer of Urban Village discuss how addressing this gap will create more housing options and more livable communities.

About Amy Haase, Principal and Project Manager with RDG Planning & Design

Amy is a Principal and Project Manager with the Community and Regional Planning group at RDG Planning & Design. Over her 20-year career, she has led a wide range of projects, providing comprehensive planning, housing market studies, and neighborhood and downtown revitalization studies for communities across the Great Plains states. Throughout her career, Amy has been involved in dozens of housing studies from small, rural communities to multi-county regions. She’s presented on various topics including the decline of housing availability for the middle class and the importance of housing options for senior living. Amy is passionate about building better communities, and this not only shows in the communities she works in, but also those she lives in. Residing in Omaha, Nebraska, Amy has been a leader in neighborhood associations and she serves on the Metro Transit Authority Board. Amy’s work is driven by a passion to work collaboratively to create a place of meaning for all residents. A trusted leader in her field, Amy has been a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners since 2004, and she became a Certified Public Facilitator in 2011.

About Jerry Reimer of Urban Village

Gerald S. Reimer of Urban Village Development is a graduate of Thunderbird, The Garvin School of International Management where he earned his MBA. He has worked for companies in domestic and international assignments that had revenue ranging from $40 million to $16 billion annually including Honda R&D, EDS, Deloitte & Touch, Omnium Worldwide, and NDS.

In addition, Gerald has managed, renovated, and built apartments in West Omaha over the past 15 years while serving in the various above mentioned corporate positions. He is now devoting 100% of his time to pursue his real estate development ambitions.

Interested in learning more? Check out the complete Indiana Uplands Housing Webinar Series.

Have questions or want to talk about housing in our region? Contact Lisa Abbott, ROI Vice President of Economic and Community Development, at lisaabbott@regionalopportunityinc.org.