Trending
FAIRMONT-- At its meeting last month, the Fairmont Economic Development Authority (FEDA), along with the Fairmont City Council, heard a presentation about the results of a housing study done by Bowen National Research.
Fairmont Economic Development Coordinator, Ned Koppen, said that after the presentation it was said that a subcommittee should be formed to further discuss housing issues.
On Monday he asked what the goals and scope of work the committee would focus on, as well as who its members would be. He also asked the FEDA board members what their takeaways from the presentation and its findings were.
Board member and council liaison Britney Kawecki said what stuck out to her was the 3,000 people who come into Fairmont to work, but then leave as they don't live here.
"I think that's a big number," Kawecki said. "The other thing that stuck out to me was the number of people who spend, I think it was 30 percent of their income on housing and then 50 percent of their income on housing."
Board Member Jon Omvig pointed out both the need for single family and multi-family housing units and also how the presentation touched on numerous vacant lots in the city.
"That was a take home for me as well," said Kawecki.
Omvig also spoke about some of the demographics shared, especially age, as it was said that those ages 75 and older would have the greatest projected growth and that ages 45-54 is the only other age group that will have growth.
"That's disheartening," Omvig said.
He continued, "If we want the community to grow, we need housing options for younger population that would make them come in and it's not necessarily the young families. It's potentially singles and that would be multi-family options."
However Board Member Jeff Rouse said that if there were better options for older people, like nicer condos, they could move out of their homes and free up those for younger people and families.
"I think there needs to be both, options for younger families... but also younger people, single people, that will be able to bring in more workforce. Different types of options as well," Kawecki said.
After some more discussion, Omvig said he thought the biggest goals were to address blight, pursue new single family and new multi-family, redevelopment and also identify best practices to be pursued further.
"Out of that come up with preliminary budgets and costs," Omvig said.
Koppen confirmed a general consensus from the board and at the end of the discussion, the board briefly talked about who would sit on the subcommittee. Some names thrown out included large employers, bank lenders, realtors, FEDA board members and city council members.