Consultants present 2025 Norfolk–Madison County housing study, recommend five‑year action plan

Keith Carl, a community planner with Hannah Keelin Associates, presented the 2025 Norfolk–Madison County housing study to the City Council on Feb. 2, saying the work updates the 2019 study and offers a five‑year outlook through 2031.

Carl said the study compiles U.S. Census, American Community Survey, Department of Labor and other data, supplements that research with countywide and community surveys, and produces target demand estimates for owner and rental housing across price points and population sectors. "We have a five‑year housing action plan broken out by Madison County, also the city of Norfolk," Carl said, describing recommendations for new construction, rehabilitation and land‑use actions to meet identified demand.

The report, Carl said, also lists local, state and federal funding sources and recommends partnership approaches—using combinations of grants and local match dollars—to help buy down project costs. Rita Heinman, a city staff member who worked with the consultants on the study, said staff will serve as a point of contact for council and committee questions as the city considers the study's findings.

Why it matters: City officials said the study gives a practical implementation road map—data, project lists and an action plan—for addressing low vacancy rates and shortages of both affordable and market‑rate housing, senior housing and housing for special populations. Carl recommended the study be updated again around 2031.

Next steps: Council members were invited to submit follow‑up questions to staff; the consultant said additional background tables and appendices (including survey raw data and a funding‑source appendix) are available on request.