Le Mars staff say housing needs assessment was updated in 2024; residents ask for affordability breakdowns

City staff reported that Le Mars completed an updated housing needs assessment in 2024 and that the city renews that assessment every three years to satisfy state tax credit application requirements. Staff said the assessment provides a high‑level picture of housing need, including occupancy rates and interviews with industry, and is used to demonstrate a shortage when applying for tax credits.

Staff said the city does not plan to redo the assessment this year and expects the next update in about three years. The staff member said the report does not always include detailed rent‑by‑unit‑type price breakdowns but does contain occupancy rates and some affordability indicators; the presenter said anyone who wants a copy may email staff to obtain the report. A resident asked whether the assessment includes detailed information about what people pay for various apartments; staff said some of that information is included but that affordability is relative to local market measures.

During the staff reports a citizen raised a separate public safety concern about speeding on Fourth Street Southwest between Central and Highway 75. The meeting record shows Chief Vandevac committed to adding the location to patrol routes and to moving the department's portable radar sign to that corridor to help mitigate speeding.

No formal housing policy decisions or new funding allocations were recorded in the meeting transcript provided; the discussion described the assessment's role in state tax credit applications and the city's planned schedule for updates.