Housing is the Plan

A town is a living organism. Like all living organisms, there are myriad factors to measure the health and strength of a town.

A strong town not only has a housing strategy, but considers housing, according to the National League of Cities, a pivotal part of its economic opportunity and workforce development initiatives.

Everyone in Hopkinsville speaks to the need of more housing. So, the city decided to contract with Bowen National Research – a leading housing research firm – to conduct a site-specific Housing Needs Assessment that could be presented to the city council and to various community leaders. It will also be used as the framework for a proper housing strategy to fit the needs of a modern community.

Bowen conducted weeks of research, with a significant amount of time on the ground within the city. [It is important to note: the city asked the firm to focus on the needs of the industrial park, military installation, commuters, and blight.] The Bowen staff combed through reams of data, surveyed industrial leaders, public/government officials, healthcare, non-profits and other professionals throughout the community.

The major findings:

• More than 14,000 people commute into Hopkinsville each day for work, representing 67% of employed individuals;

• There is limited availability among the city’s rental and for-sale housing stock;

• Residential blight, at 2.8%, is nearly four times higher than the rate of comparable towns;

• Most of the people employed within the city, earn wages below the amount needed for a typical rental or for-sale housing.

The above listed are just a few of the major findings from the survey.  Bowen National also made recommendations to city leadership:

• Set realistic short-term and long-term housing goals;

• Hire a housing expert to guide the community with expertise;

• Review and consider modifying and implementing policies that encourage the development of new housing;

• Continue the focus on residential blight mitigation;

• Develop an education and outreach campaign specific to said housing initiatives.

Patrick Bowen, the CEO of Bowen National Research, in his presentation to the community, emphasized that the city needs to up its game in its relationship with developers. He emphasized three points in particular:

• Explore and encourage development partnerships;

• Market the city’s housing needs and opportunities to potential residential development partners and develop a centralized housing resource center;

• And, for the city to develop housing and to create a marketing plan that specifically targets the more than 14,000 commuters that daily travel to work within the city.

As I mentioned previously, the survey is just the beginning. It will serve as a framework for the city to establish a community-wide housing plan that meets the needs of a growing and strong town.

To read the Hopkinsville Housing Needs Assessment in its entirety, go to www.hoptown.org/housing .

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