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Many Boone County residents spend too much on housing, study finds

The city of Columbia and Boone County unveiled a housing study ahead of a housing summit Thursday.
Yasha Mikolajczak
The city of Columbia and Boone County unveiled a housing study ahead of a housing summit Thursday.

Over half of Boone County renters often spend more than the recommended 30% of their income on costs associated with housing, a new study revealed last Thursday.

The city of Columbia and Boone County commissioned a study to find issues related to affordable housing in their jurisdictions. The county has indicated it will use the study as a roadmap to address housing challenges in the future.

The city and county tasked Amarach Planning Services, a consultant firm focused on urban development, with carrying out and writing the report.

Community members can learn more about the housing study at an all-day housing summit Thursday.

The study found that Boone County residents lack affordable options as prices on homes and rentals have taken off and housing demands have exceeded available units.

Homeowners often don’t face the same levels of financial housing woes as renters, according to the study. Still, almost 20% of Boone County homeowners spend over 30% of their income on housing costs.

The bottom line is that the county will need more housing in an affordable price range for low- and middle-income residents, according to the study. Boone County will potentially need to develop around 37,000 new housing units by 2050 based on current population and growth projections. Residents will also want more diversity in housing options across income brackets, including single-family homes, duplexes and apartments.

But building more housing is costly. Developers have to deal with rising prices on labor and materials, and lengthy permit processes can delay construction. Additionally, the county will need to make sure necessary infrastructure, like water and sewer systems, is built to accommodate more homes.

The study recommended that local governments establish a housing trust fund with reliable revenue streams to fund different development projects. This enables the city or county to have more agency over affordable housing projects and not rely on federal or state funding.

Local governments could also provide developers with specific incentives, like providing benefits to offset revenue loss, to build out more affordable and dense housing. Local governments may also have to ensure that existing housing options remain affordable and well maintained. The study found that many affordable housing options or older homes lacked upkeep.

The need for developing and sustaining long-term affordable housing options requires attention and policy from local governments, but solutions vary depending on community infrastructure and population. For example, people in more urban areas expressed concerns during the study about sewer and wastewater capacity and zoning laws, while residents living in rural Boone County faced steep prices for infrastructure development.

The study recommended local governments should coordinate with agencies, non-profits and others in the private sector. Those partnerships could help promote education on financial literacy and already existing resources in the county.

The study recommended more “gentle density” housing in more “desired” neighborhoods. Gentle density refers to housing options like townhomes, multi-family homes or small-scale apartment buildings. While Boone County already has these options, they are not always in “desirable” locations. Zoning laws can get in the way of this development, so local governments might need to reexamine those ordinances, the study recommends.

The study also found that the local governments should examine mobility issues in the community and prioritize housing near employment opportunities. This also includes improving walkability, bikeability and Columbia’s public transportation system.

College students were an additional strain on housing indicated by community members in surveys and public hearings conducted by Amarach Planning Services. Downtown Columbia is home to three universities, leading to more housing needs in the central and southern parts of town. Developers hustle to meet those needs, but units intended for students can leave out long-term residents, in terms of price and layout.

The study recommended that the University of Missouri take more proactive steps in assuring housing availability to students. A partnership with MU should also extend to other community stakeholders.

The housing summit, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, will be at Memorial Baptist Church, 1634 Paris Road. If residents don’t have time to watch a full-day summit, the city and county will also host an abbreviated presentation at 6 p.m. Thursday.

The Columbia Missourian is a community news organization managed by professional editors and staffed by Missouri School of Journalism students who do the reporting, design, copy editing, information graphics, photography and multimedia.
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