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Goodhue County board authorizes staff to apply for NAR grant to update 2019 housing study
Summary
The county will seek up to three National Association of Realtors grant awards to update a 2019 housing study, officials said, citing pandemic-era shifts in prices, commuting and housing demand; commissioners approved the application on a voice vote.
Goodhue County commissioners voted to allow county staff to apply for National Association of Realtors housing opportunity grants aimed at updating a county housing study first produced in 2019.
Laura Qualley, a CETA representative who said she works with Cannon Falls and Dodge County, asked the board for permission to apply on behalf of the county. She told commissioners the previous study’s data was gathered before the COVID‑19 pandemic and distributed in March 2020, and that local housing markets and commuting patterns have since changed.
"I wanted to basically ask permission to apply for a grant that I've discovered," Qualley said, describing three grant levels available through the NAR program: $3,000, $7,500 and $15,000. Qualley said the county would be eligible to apply for all three, which she said would total $20,500, and that local communities had indicated willingness to contribute additional funds if needed.
Commissioners asked how much of the previous study would be reused. Qualley said staff would not discard the old study but would update key metrics such as starter‑home prices, vacancy rates and commuting patterns to reflect recent housing and work‑from‑home trends.
One commissioner urged the board to focus the update on the kinds of housing likely to be occupied by long‑term residents rather than only by older homeowners, saying officials should build for the people expected to live in that housing for the next 30 years. Another commissioner noted the economic benefits to the county when new residents shop and use local services.
The board voted to approve staff applying for the grant. The motion passed on a voice vote; no roll‑call tally was recorded in the transcript.
Background and clarifying details: the prior study was produced in 2019 and distributed in March 2020; Red Wing is conducting its own city study and obtained a quote from Maxfield Consulting of about $24,000 plus expenses. Qualley said additional housing has been built in municipalities such as Red Wing, Zumbrota and Cannon Falls since the 2019 study, and developers have approached local leaders seeking current demand information.
Next steps: staff may submit applications for the NAR grant levels on behalf of Goodhue County; if awarded, commissioners indicated communities may be asked to contribute toward any remaining cost.
