The Georgetown Housing Advisory Board requested the city spend $195,000 to hire consultants to complete a strategic plan to add to the workforce housing in the city.
The board’s chairman Walt Doering presented the request during the City Council workshop Nov. 10.
“We need their help to effectively provide affordable housing for workers, millennials and seniors changing lifestyles with household incomes of $30,000 to $60,000,” Doering said. “ We need their expertise to educate the public about affordable housing, deal with the myths and stereotypes, and help citizens understand the benefits that accrue to them, the workforce and Georgetown.”
Doering said the consultants could gather data to craft policy recommendations for a strategic plan with recommendations that would resolve the city’s need for additional affordable housing.
“[Our population] continues to grow rapidly, so does our workforce housing availability problem,” he said.
Doering said once the study is completed with the city’s needs and proposed solutions, it would be brought back to the City Council for further direction.
“We are at a tipping point with workforce housing,” Doering said, adding that the city’s economic health and quality of life would be impaired if the city did not take steps to address the workforce housing needs.
City Councilman Steve Fought said he wanted the GHAB to show City Council three examples of cities in the United States that have solved similar problems.
“I’m Sympathetic to the idea, but I don’t think it’s the right study. I don’t think we’re ready for it,” he said. “I don’t think you’ve sufficiently explored other options.”
Fought said there were other approaches to helping people with housing affordability that should be explored before the city pay for a study.
“In order for me to move ahead, I would like you to be very specific in your objectives,” Fought told the GHAB members at the meeting.
City Council could consider approving the study at a future meeting.