How can the City of Decorah encourage housing construction?

A survey of housing in Winneshiek County concluded 300 new housing units need to be built by 2024 in Winneshiek County--210 of them in the City of Decorah.

Currently, an average of seven new homes are being built each year in Decorah.  So members of the Winneshiek County Development organization met Monday evening with Decorah City Council members.

WCDI Director Randy Uhl told city council members "The housing need is clear."  WCDI Board President Ben Grimstad agreed, urging the city council members to consider ways in which the city could give "a little shot" to home construction.

City Administrator Chad Bird said awarding tax abatements would be a good choice.  Under the plan, a developer would pay property taxes on the value of their property before improvements are made.  Subdivision developer Keith Bruening said the tax abatement choice would mean "no risk to the city," since nothing would happen unless construction begins.

Bird said the city council could consider extending the tax abatements in other cases as well, noting "We have a lot of aging homes."