Decatur County RDC reviews TPNA housing study and approves consultant invoice

The Decatur County Regional Development Commission heard a presentation of a housing needs analysis conducted by TPNA and agreed to pay the consultant invoice the county had already committed to support.

The analysis, summarized by an unidentified presenter, found that 83% of the county’s housing is single-family and that new construction in recent years has been similarly dominated by single-family homes. The presenter said the county grew about 7.8% from 2000 to 2020 and that projections since 2020 show limited growth unless housing supply changes. The report identified low rental vacancy and rising sale prices as signs of unmet housing demand; the presenter said the rental vacancy rate was about 1.5% in 2024 and that the county’s median sale price rose substantially in the last five years.

The consultant noted the county has about 370 low-income housing units and that 171 of those will reach affordability expiration within 10 years, which could further reduce the stock of subsidized units. To address those pressures the report recommended diversifying housing types (including duplexes and townhomes), addressing blighted properties through proactive restoration programs, streamlining permitting and code enforcement consistency, and developing a strategic housing plan linked to the county’s comprehensive-plan update.

At the meeting the chair said the county had committed to pay a $10,000 invoice for the study. An unidentified board member moved to approve payment, another seconded, and the motion carried by voice vote.

The RDC asked staff to incorporate the consultant’s findings into the county’s comprehensive-plan work and to consider the recommendations as options when preparing development and grant strategies.