At the March 10, 2015 meeting of the Cook County/Grand Marais Economic Development Authority (EDA), the board reviewed the first draft of the Affordable Workforce Housing study being completed by Northspan for the EDA.
High hopes for housing legislation
Randy Lasky of Northspan gave the report to the EDA over the phone, first noting that there is some important legislation currently under consideration which could benefit Cook County. And, said Lasky, if it were not for a team of workforce housing advocates, Cook County would have been left out.
Lasky said a Cook County group— Cook County Chamber Director Jim Boyd, Scott Harrison of the EDA, and the chamber’s legislative representative Judy Erickson of Conservation Strategies— have been working to establish housing tax credits and housing grants. A legislative initiative of the Greater Minnesota Partnership looked promising, but the first legislative draft was geared toward cities of more than 1,500 residents.
The Cook County advocates, led by Erickson worked with Senator Tom Bakk and Representative David Dill to ensure that the county was included.
Lasky said the legislation calls for housing tax credits, workforce housing grants and the establishment of a branch of the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) that focuses primarily on workforce development in rural areas.
Lasky said although the Cook County advocates made a “pretty compelling case,” it won’t be known if the legislation benefitting Cook County will pass until December 2015.
Survey and focus groups findings
The EDA board reviewed a draft of the Affordable Workforce Housing Survey. As requested by EDA Board Member Abby Toftey at the last meeting, the report includes the summary of the housing focus groups held in October- November 2014. There were about 40 participants in five focus groups.
Lasky said this is the first time his company has focused on people in or in their mid- 30s. In the focus groups, participants were asked what barriers they faced in finding affordable housing in Cook County. Answers ranged from lack of rental properties and high rent prices to limited housing options and high land and development prices and more. Zoning restrictions and wetlands were another concern, as well as the difficulty to obtain financing.
“For the most part, the survey bore out what the focus groups felt,” said Lasky.
Lasky said 308 responses were received and he said there was a good breakout of ages of people who took the survey. “Overall, I think we got some very good information,” he said.
The report is not yet complete, Lasky said, explaining that Northspan is reaching out to area employers. EDA Board Member Scott Harrison said this piece of the study is the “fourth leg of the chair.”
Harrison said the housing study has four parts—the study, focus group, the survey and data from community employers.
Finally, Lasky said Northspan is looking at properties in the county that could be developed for housing. Lasky said he is putting together profiles of potential properties. “Our next job is to whittle these [properties] down to the targeted properties that make the most sense,” he said.
Lasky said he has also contacted John Powers, the consultant who is working with the county on its land use plan update. They will talk about some of the zoning issues that have been identified in the survey and focus groups.
Before ending the call, Lasky said, “We’re getting closer and closer to finding out what we need.”
Financial support for legislative work
Board Chair Howard Hedstrom, also a member of the Cook County Chamber, said the chamber retains lobbyist Judy Erickson, who was instrumental in working with the legislature mentioned by Lasky.
Hedstrom said much of Erickson’s retainer was “burned up” during that process. Scott Harrison interjected, “And we will be burning more.”
Hedstrom suggested that the EDA contribute $4,000 toward the chamber’s lobbying efforts, reminding his colleagues that they had agreed that affordable workforce housing was a priority.
Treasurer Scott Harrison said the EDA has $70,000 budgeted for administration. A unanimous motion passed to reimburse the Cook County Chamber $4,000 for its work on behalf of the EDA.
The survey said:
. 47.9 percent of respondents lived in Cook County 10-plus years
. 23.3 percent of the respondents grew up in Cook County
. 64 percent of respondents have no children in the household
. 7.6 percent of respondents make $0 – $24,999
. 21.6 percent of respondents make $25,000 – $49,999.
. 31.4 percent of respondents make $50,000 – $74,999.
. 20.5 percent of respondents make $75,000 – $99,999
. 9.7 percent of respondents make $100,000 – $124,999
. 2.7 percent of respondents make $125,000 – $149,999
. 3.2 percent of respondents make $150,000- $174,999
. 3.2 percent of respondents make $175,000+
. 82 percent of respondents have a spouse, partner or roommate contribute to mortgage payment.
. 90.3 percent of respondents prefer a single-family home
Respondents are looking for:
. New construction 15.7 percent
. Land (to build yourself ) 11.2 percent
. Renovated 11.8 percent . Older home in need of renovation 5.1 percent
. Does not matter 56.2 percent
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