Decatur Affordable Housing Study
The City of Decatur faces what many communities might consider one of those "good problems" to have — having achieved economic momentum that is driving up values and prices and demand across the City. However, the byproduct of this "good problem" is the loss of some of the diversity of the community itself. It can also mean that those people who work and serve in the community are no longer able to live there. Affordable housing is a critical component of smart growth and long-term sustainability for any community, not an isolated consideration.
We performed this study and focused on defining what affordable housing means in the City of Decatur specifically — who that is, what type of product, how many units, etc. While honing in on defining specific affordable housing needs for the City, we also provided realistic, implementable solutions related to recommended programs and policies in conjunction with MetroCenter Associates. We conducted a process that included the following steps: Key Statistics Review; Stakeholder Input; Gap Analysis; and Strategic Plan Recommendations.
The Key Statistics Review included the results of socioeconomic analysis, along with rental supply and for-sale supply overviews, as well as recent market activity. The Stakeholder Input summarized input from four focus groups conducted with municipal staff, employers, residents and employees, and developers. The Gap Analysis provided results of shortages and surpluses from supply and demand comparison, along with an inventory of assets and barriers to affordable housing in the City. It also established a working definition of the affordability gap in the City and highlighted affordability findings that impacted policy direction. The Strategic Plan Recommendations included strategic and specific policy and programming recommendations in the categories of Economic Development Strategy, Rehabilitation/Preservation/New Development of Mixed Income Rental Housing, Workforce Affordable Homeownership, and Determination of Appropriate Density.
