Study group sets goals for 3 years

Determined to turn their goals into realities, members of the McCook Housing Partnership broke into small groups to develop strategies for meeting McCook's housing needs.

In the third of five meetings organized by the Federal Home Loan Bank of Topeka, the housing study team focused attention on five areas: (1) Demolition and rehabilitation of older, dilapidated houses; (2) Home ownership; (3) New home construction; (4) Multi-family rental units; and (5) Special needs housing.

As they began their discussion of strategies at the Country Steak Buffet in McCook on Wednesday, the 28 in attendance reviewed the housing goals to be accomplished in the next three years. The goals are:

Demolition and rehabilitation -- Obtain $1.5 million in subsidies to rehabilitate 89 owner and rental-occupied homes and to demolish 28 dilapidated housing units.

Single family home construction -- Encourage and assist in the building of 84 new homes, of which 28 would be private market custom built houses, 20 would be in the $87,500 to $125,000 range, and 36 would be priced at $87,500 or less.

Home ownership -- Move 60 renters into home ownership, and hold four home buyer education classes, with a class capacity of 20 households.

Multi-family rentals -- Build 78 new rental units. Of these, 40 would be for low income families and individuals, and 30 would be for those at or near average income levels.

Special needs housing -- Expand elderly housing through assisted living, nursing care and independent living expansion; and provide homeless shelters and permanent transitional living units.

While the goals are ambitious, members of the housing partnership believe they can be accomplished with proper planning, private and public cooperation and funding assistance.

In the discussion of strategies, the committee presenters were Doyle Wineland, demolition and rehabilitation; Mark Graff, new home construction; Nancy Wilhelm, home ownership; Becky Dutcher, multi family rentals; and Kay Lavene, special needs housing. Wilhelm and Lavene were speaking on behalf of their committee chairs, Val Kircher and Dick Trail.

Among the ideas the Demolition and Rehabilitation Committee came up with was to have the fire department assist with demolition through planned training burns. Also, the committee suggested using Work Ethic Camp labor to assist with rehabilitation projects.

Concerning new home construction, the committee suggested developing an overall inventory of available lots for construction. Also, the committee stressed the need for fair, consistent city rules and regulations concerning housing developments.

Credit counseling and home buyer education were on the list of recommendations from the Home Ownership Committee. The committee also urged the establishment of a local loan program and called for the sponsorship of a Housing Fair to help educate potential home buyers.

For multi family rentals, the committee suggested the use of West Ward School, the Keystone Hotel and the large lot south of West F Street as possible sites.

In the Special Needs category, the committee suggested looking at the special needs of those in the 55-plus age category. The committee members also recommended working closely with the agencies that serve those with special needs. In addition, the committee said the community needs to pay attention to the needs of the newly poor. They were referring to those who have recently lost their jobs and the elderly citizens who have suffered severe losses in retirement investments.

At next month's meeting, the McCook Housing Partnership will hear about funding programs available for housing. Among those on hand will be representatives from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Rural Development Agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Nebraska Investment Finance Agency, the Nebraska Department of Economic Development and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Topeka.

The meeting, open to all interested persons, will take place Wednesday, Feb. 19, from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The meeting site will be the Country Steak Buffet.