Laserfiche WebLink
<br />unfinished basements, build row homes with common walls, and build <br />subdivisions with amenities added later such as sidewalks. <br /> <br />Product. There is a need for diversity of choice of products and a need to plan for a <br />mix of housing types, styles and costs. <br /> <br />Incentives. The two-year tax exemptions cause a false sense of reality. Banks and <br />Realtors have a responsibility do more education, or, let's eliminate them. Tax <br />breaks should be targeted differently, for example, home rehabilitation. <br /> <br />Expectations/Perceptions/Misoerceptions. <br />Homebuver Education and Information. While the focus groups noted <br />misperceptions among buyers, developers and public officials as well as high <br />homebuyer expectations, comments at the Forum centered on the expectations of <br />buyers for amenities that drive up costs. Current homebuyers have an "instant <br />gratification" mentality. Work ethic and credit issue are barriers/roadblocks. More <br />education of home buyers is needed. <br /> <br />Commuters. Commuters are finding affordable housing in outlying areas. <br />However, people are making housing market choices for small schools and rural <br />lifestyle. People commute to save money but don't factor in their cost of <br />transportation in their desire to save on housing. <br /> <br />Older Neighborhoods. There is the problem of older homes being turned into <br />rental housing. There is a need to find a way to curb this practice and maintain <br />homeownership while keeping housing affordable. <br /> <br />Senior Housing. Senior housing options are needed. <br /> <br />Rental Housing. Rental property managers are buying affordable property. There <br />is competition between first time homebuyers and investors. One idea proposed to <br />address this is tighter control on the number of people in a unit based on safety <br />factors Students are a market for housing, not a competitor. If it weren't for rental <br />housing, the workforce would not be housed. <br /> <br />Regarding the data on workforce and affordability gap, the low wages and <br />affordability gap were acknowledged. It was questioned why wages are so low and <br />noted that the impact of higher wages in Minnesota drives businesses to locate in <br />North Dakota. It was suggested that all the costs of homeowners hip, not just the <br /> <br />42 <br /> <br />Linda S. Donnelly. A.l.e.l'. <br /> <br />August 2006 <br />