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Consultant—inds Lennox will need roughly 156 rental units and 267 owner units over next decade; council accepts report
Summary
Parkside presented an updated housing study showing demand for about 156 multifamily rental units and roughly 267 owner-occupied units in Lennox from 2023'033; the city council voted to accept the report and asked staff to return with implementation options.
Parkside presented an updated housing study to the Lennox City Council and the council voted to accept the final report.
Consultant Burke summarized the study—indings: Lennox—ase population of 2,587 in 2023 is projected to rise to about 3,098 by 2033, and the town will likely need roughly 156 multifamily rental units and about 267 owner-occupied units over the next decade. Burke said rentals are the greatest gap for households earning under $50,000 annually and that mobile homes are currently filling part of that lower-income demand.
"Lennox, your housing is in very good shape," Burke told the council, noting the visual inspection categorized most homes as sound or in need of only minor repairs. He also said the consultant found that many renters earning less than $50,000 are cost-burdened (paying more than 30 percent of income for rent), and that mobile homes provide an important, if imperfect, option for lower-income households.
Burke recommended focusing on rental housing accessible to moderate incomes, preserving single-family character while managing growth, a collaborative approach to mobile-home remediation, and investing in community amenities to match new housing. He said small-scale multifamily projects and townhomes may be a realistic path for Lennox rather than large apartment complexes.
After the presentation the council moved to accept the report; the motion passed on a voice vote. Councilmembers directed staff to develop implementation options, explore partnerships with the Lenox Area Development Corp. and others, and return to the council with priorities and cost estimates.
What the study found (high-level) - Demand 2023'033: ~156 multifamily rental units (about 15—6 units per year) and ~267 owner-occupied units. - Rental-affordability gap concentrated among households earning under $50,000 per year; many of those households are cost-burdened. - Mobile homes are currently filling lower-rent demand in town but also present remediation and code-enforcement challenges. - Median household incomes clustered in the $75,000—00,000 range; owner-occupied housing remains broadly affordable for typical households.
The council did not adopt any ordinance at this meeting; instead, members asked staff to present options and potential funding or policy steps at a future meeting.
