Dodge County housing study: Kasson faces substantial senior‑housing shortfall, staff posts report online

City staff presented key findings from a Dodge County housing study prepared for the county and municipalities, highlighting a projected demand for roughly 981 housing units across the county over the next decade and a pronounced shortfall in senior housing.

The staff presentation summarized countywide forecasts and a municipality‑level breakdown that includes Kasson City. The study’s countywide totals included an estimated demand mix of single‑family, multifamily, market‑rate and subsidized rental units; staff emphasized that senior housing demand was especially acute, with the study estimating an excess demand of about 1,123 senior units countywide by 2035.

For Kasson City specifically, staff cited the study’s local breakdown and said the city could expect a meaningful share of the countywide need — staff estimated Kasson might account for a substantial portion of projected senior‑housing demand and said the study suggests a need for roughly 40–100 housing units per year in combination across housing types under some scenarios. Staff placed the full study on the city website for public review.

“There's a huge demand for senior housing that’s just not available in Dodge County,” staff said during the presentation, noting that supply constraints for seniors can limit turnover of owner‑occupied housing and constrain options for younger households. Council and board members discussed policy options the study recommended, including public‑private partnerships, maximizing infill redevelopment, and adjusting development regulations to increase supply variety.