Housing

Clay has twice the participation, O’Brien at half the size of BV has nearly as many families in program

by Tom Cullen

Low-income residents in BV County get far less in government housing assistance than their neighbors in area counties.

 Only 64 Storm Lake families receive $239,195 in rental assistance under the U.S. Housing and Urban Development’s Section 8 rental assistance program, less than half the participation level and dollars received in similar population bases.

ISU might do it for free, and that’s where private firms draw their data

The Storm Lake City Council tabled a housing needs assessment Monday from Maxfield Research and Consulting for a second straight meeting, as the council felt it could have received similar services from Iowa State University Extension.

Council moves to annex 32 acres for new houses

Land bought from Brecher family

by Tom Cullen

West Loc Developments of Alta hopes to develop 50 to 60 houses on a 32-acre property west of Hwy. 110 and south of West Lake Estates starting this year, according to West Loc owner Laura Millard.

Shortage is 10 times larger than working estimate

By Tom Cullen

Storm Lake must build another 5,000 housing units over the next five years and deal with a host of other issues, according to City Manager Jim Patrick.

The Storm Lake City Council met Thursday afternoon for its yearly strategic planning retreat. The Elim Group President Mike Conduff conducted the retreat and the council and city staff on how to better job performance.

You can’t fault Storm Lake for lack of trying. The city has been trying for years to incent developers to build more housing in The City Beautiful. We have two new apartment complexes in town, thanks to the city’s assistance. The school board has benefited from two presentations on what to do with South School by developers sent the school’s way by City Hall. Sometimes proposals work, sometimes not.

Developer won’t build until home is sold, city shares risk

By WHITNEY ROBINSON

Twenty-four housing units were proposed at the Storm Lake City Council meeting on Monday.

Waiting list of 50 on 32-unit complex; 42 more units going up

By WHITNEY ROBINSON

Overland Property Group of Leawood, Kan., has set a grand opening for The Reserves at Storm Lake, a 32-unit apartment community located on North Seneca Street. The ribbon cutting is Oct. 22 at 1 p.m.

The Storm Lake City Council has been talking about the need for more housing as the community has grown rapidly over the past 20 years. All that tillage appears to be paying off as more housing starts actually gain traction. And that is more important than ever, as The City Beautiful is on something of a roll right now.

Council wades in with plat for 24 lots, city park

Work to start this summer

By JOEY AGUIRRE

City officials estimate that Storm Lake is 400 to 500 housing units short to fill a growing need for its largely blue-collar workforce. The city has had good fortune in attracting developers who use federal tax credits to develop apartment buildings for low-income renters. One such project is going up and another is about to. We are resigned to that reality even though we do not like tax-subsidized projects that can end up as mini-ghettos owned by foreign corporations.