Millersburg mayor, Holmes commissioners partner on housing study to address affordability crisis

Holmes County is facing a housing crunch, and the move to create affordable housing began with a meeting Monday, Nov. 10 when Millersburg Mayor Kelly Hoffee met with the Holmes County Commissioners to discuss the housing dilemma that not only concerns Millersburg, but also the rest of Western Holmes County.

Hoffee’s reason for meeting with the commissioners was not only to hear their assessment of the needs the county is facing in the housing shortage, but also to seek their partnership.

“I’m reaching out to request your partnership in collecting a comprehensive housing study that would benefit not only Millersburg, but the villages of Killbuck, Glenmont, Nashville and other areas that are unincorporated in Western Holmes County, like Big Prairie and Lakeville,” Hoffee said. “This study will provide elected leaders with valuable statistical data to guide and inform decision-making and strategic planning for the future.”

“I’m convinced that (Holmes County) needs housing, and especially small, affordable homes,” Commissioner Joe Miller said.

The study would provide strategic planning for housing and is being spearheaded by Envision Group LLC out of Cleveland, which would create the housing needs assessment.

Envision has previously worked with OMEGA and the villages of Killbuck and Glenmont, so it is familiar with Holmes County’s landscape and needs.

According to the contract, Envision would complete the housing needs assessment over a 16-week period, identifying market potential and development opportunities for the housing types that would best fit Millersburg and Western Holmes County’s housing needs.

The three stages of the plan include eight weeks of data collection, followed by data analysis and finally housing assessment.

The assessment would explore various types of housing that best fit the area, along with considering demographics and economics. It would identify possible housing sites and include viable financial incentives.

Hoffee said United Way of Wayne and Holmes County is currently developing a housing and transportation board for Holmes County, with organizations including Keim Cares showing interest.

“By collaborating on this initiative, we can assure that our communities have access to the critical knowledge needed to support growth, future development and quality of life for residents,” Hoffee said.

She said the county needs hard statistical data to present to contractors seeking to build duplexes, triplexes, single-family homes and more. The assessment would provide all the Western Holmes County villages with concrete data on what the best modes of housing would be for specific areas.

“It’s important to provide builders and developers with the critical data to denote this is what we really need,” Hoffee said.

The cost of the proposed survey is $20,000, and Hoffee said the Village of Millersburg is willing to pay half of that. She was asking the commissioners to devote the other half of the necessary funding.

The commissioners agreed to do so, noting the county is growing, and developing affordable housing is critical to that growth.

Commissioner Dave Hall said that data can help create grant funding through organizations and groups like OMEGA. He said it could be vital information in allowing developers to decide whether they would like to invest in building residencies in the county.

Fellow Commissioner Eric Strouse said he was excited Hoffee broadened the survey structure to beyond the borders of her village to include all Western Holmes County.

Hall said one thing that will come from the study is the possibility of a land bank in Holmes County.

A land bank is a public or nonprofit organization that acquires, manages and repurposes vacant, abandoned or tax-foreclosed properties to support community goals of creating affordable housing, growing economic development and eliminating blight.

Land banks act as a kind of property holding and recycling center — taking land that’s unproductive or problem-ridden and preparing it for new, beneficial use.

“This is good because it looks at the bigger picture we are up against,” Hall said.

Hoffee said this is a step that could be critical to enticing children to return to and live in Holmes County, but she said that is difficult because of a lack of quality affordable housing.

“In looking to the future of our entire county, this is step one in many steps to give us all some direction,” Hoffee said. “It may come back and say that single-family homes are exactly what Holmes County needs.”

Hoffee said she would contact Envision immediately upon receiving support from the commissioners to get the survey process underway.