A consultant presenting the final housing needs analysis told Decatur County commissioners that population growth stalled after 2020 and the county risks further decline unless it expands housing supply and diversity. The study, prepared with local partners by Thomas P. Miller and Associates, recommended increasing medium‑density housing types and addressing blight to make the county more attractive to both young workers and older residents.

The presentation summarized key findings: population growth has slowed since 2020; the share of residents 55 and older grew roughly 5–6 percent (about 1,200 people); the county is a net importer of workers with roughly 4,500 daily inbound commuters; and the housing stock is heavily single‑family (about 83 percent). The presenter said these patterns contributed to rising housing costs and low vacancy rates, and that an estimated 8.6 percent of homeowners and roughly 32 percent of renters are housing‑cost burdened.

The presenter said the analysis identified development and policy options to address supply and affordability, including townhomes and duplexes, targeted redevelopment of existing pads with infrastructure, incentives for developers, and ‘‘public‑private partnership’’ approaches to fill financing gaps created by high land and construction costs. The presenter noted one target from the analysis was to ‘‘have rents under a thousand dollars’’ for certain workforce segments.

Commissioners and staff asked follow‑up questions about report distribution and next steps. The presenter said the analysis is intended to inform the county’s comprehensive plan and can be used to show developers the county’s housing mix and opportunities. The presenter offered to answer questions and noted consultant Connor Waddell could also assist with follow‑up.

The county did not take a formal vote on policy changes at the meeting. The report was distributed to commissioners for review and the presenter encouraged staff and elected officials to use it as the comprehensive plan work proceeds.