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Adams County gets housing needs assessment: 37,000 units needed by 2036, county eyes qualifying strategy
Summary
Consultants told commissioners Adams County needs roughly 37,000 new housing units by 2036, with more than 8,000 units in unincorporated areas; staff will use the Housing Needs Assessment to frame a balanced housing plan and a qualifying land‑use strategy required by DOLA.
Consultants from ECON Northwest presented Adams County’s Housing Needs Assessment, reporting the county will need approximately 37,000 new housing units by 2036 and recommending that unincorporated areas plan for more than 8,000 of those units.
Andy Taylor, project director, said the unincorporated parts of Adams County are younger, more diverse and growing faster than the state average. "We see the need for about 37,000 new units by 2036, and the unincorporated share of that would be over 8,000 units," Taylor said.
The consultants highlighted affordability pressures: median multifamily rent countywide is about $1,600 and median renter income roughly $65,000, while median home sale prices have risen above $500,000. Using 2025 CHFA figures, ECON Northwest mapped affordability by area median income (AMI) and found the largest gaps among households near 50% AMI.
Engagement work included three in‑person events, two online surveys, and focus groups with developers and service providers. Consultants said barriers to development include high predevelopment and entitlement costs, discretionary approvals that add time and expense, infrastructure and utility capacity constraints, and design and parking rules that raise costs for smaller‑scale housing types.
Staff and commissioners discussed next steps. The presentation noted the county applied for a Strong Communities planning grant to fund the work and that the county must adopt at least one qualifying land‑use strategy by Sept. 30, 2026, to meet grant requirements. Staff said a draft HNA will go through a courtesy review and a final assessment is targeted by the end of 2026; the balanced housing plan and housing action plan work will follow.
Commissioners pressed for action: Board members asked for an implementation timeline that breaks out near‑term steps for 2026, identifies priority geographies for new units, and describes funding paths (including HOME and private activity bonds) staff will pursue to accelerate production and preserve at‑risk units (including mobile home communities). Staff committed to producing annualized milestones and a one‑page game plan for public communication.
Next steps: staff will finalize the HNA for courtesy review, pursue additional DOLA funding to cover the housing action plan requirement, and present a 2026 action plan with short‑term deliverables and funding options.
