Dickinson County Supervisors Talk About Housing Incentives
Dickinson County Supervisors Talk About Housing Incentives
June 14, 2022Steve Schwaller
(Spirit Lake)– Dickinson County Supervisors today (Tues.) heard a presentation on the Iowa Workforce Housing Tax Credit Program and how it could be used for a housing project proposed in the Lower Gar area. Drew Hage, who presented the information, told the supervisors a $20,000 local match is needed in order for the developer to apply for the program. As we reported previously, the city of Arnolds Park recently turned down the request but did sign off on a letter of support. The proposal also got a cool reception today (Tues.) from the supervisors. Chairman Bill Leupold was among those expressing concern…
“I don’t know if it would be legal for us to set up a fund and, say, fund one housing project a year. But then you get into, well, who gets that fund. Let’s say you have three developers apply for it, which, you know, you don’t want to show favoritism to cities, either, you know, which city would get this development?”
Supervisor Steve Clark said he’s concerned over premium prices being paid on average homes that are being snatched up by people from outside the area to be used only as seasonal residences…
“If a retired couple buys it and it comes up for sale in two years because they have to move to a nursing home, are we going to lose that level on that specific one because people oh, that’s in the lakes area and I’m willing to pay 250 or 300 or, you know. It’s not on the lake, but it’s in the lakes area so I can be there for everything else. I know you can’t regulate that but it bothers me a little bit that they’re willing to spend that money and it actually competes against, you know, affordable housing competes against people, you know, housing that people want to do in the lakes area and they aren’t here year around.”
Fellow supervisor Tim Fairchild said he does feel there could be opportunities though for the county to get involved in housing programs outside of the immediate lakes corridor…
“I mean you have to be realistic. The people that we’re trying to target probably are going to have to live a half a mile from the lakes or a mile from the lakes, and if we can find some niches there, I think the county could certainly be a player in those instances.”
The supervisors today (Tues.) took no action on the matching fund request.
