Adams County EDC Leads Effort to Address Workforce Housing Challenges
Adams County, IN - The Adams County Economic Development Corporation is taking action to address workforce housing challenges throughout the county by engaging the Housing Resource Hub (the Hub) to create and implement a dynamic workforce-driven Housing Strategy. This effort will include measuring local market potential, prioritizing sites for catalyst housing developments and launching a community-wide housing initiative to address the needs of the local workforce through partnerships with local employers, banks, lenders, realtors, developers and builders.
“This is a bold step for our community to address long-time workforce housing challenges,” said Colton Bickel, Executive Director, Adams County Economic Development. “We are looking forward to identifying our specific housing needs, both for new housing units to be developed and the buyers and renters who are looking for housing here in the county.”
This effort is being financially supported by the following organizations, in addition to the Adams County EDC: City of Decatur, City of Berne, Town of Monroe, Town of Geneva, First Bank of Berne, Farmers and Merchants State Bank, Three Rivers Credit Union, and Adams County.
The Hub will facilitate the Housing Strategy using a proprietary methodology developed by the organization’s co-founder, Heather Presley-Cowen. The Housing Optimization Market Empowerment (H.O.M.E.) Method is a framework for executing high performance housing strategies and focuses on the following:
1. Engaging local leadership to direct the effort
2. Measuring Adams County’s housing market potential
3. Identifying and overcome barriers to development
4. Prioritizing sites for catalyst development projects
5. Designing workforce housing programs to address talent attraction and retention
6. Building a pipeline of local buyers and renters.
“We are excited to get to work with Colton and other leaders throughout the county on this important work,” said Heather Presley-Cowen, president and CEO of the Housing Resource Hub.
About the Adams County Economic Development Corporation
The Adams County Economic Development Corporation (ACEDC), a not-for-profit corporation, was originated to assist business development needs. We partner with local, regional and state agencies to create a strong link for industry interests. The ACEDC also partners with local, regional, and state agencies on community development needs. The ACEDC represents 5 municipalities in Adams County, including Adams County, Decatur, Monroe, Berne, and Geneva. For more information, visit www.adamscountyedc.com
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Colton Bickel
Executive Director
Adams County Economic Development Corporation
260.724.2588