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Developer pitches modular workforce housing near Milford hospital; council urges planning review
Summary
Logan Hill of Millstream presented a 50–100 unit modular housing plan for a 21-acre site near the Milford hospital, seeking redevelopment-agency support or deferred tax mechanisms to make a roughly $300,000 horizontal-development cost pencil; council asked staff and planning and zoning to vet utilities, zoning changes and financial options.
Logan Hill, introduced to the council as a Millstream partner, told the Milford City Council on June 16 that his firm can deliver 50 to 100 modular, furnished housing units quickly to serve an expected influx of workers tied to a nearby geothermal/data center buildout. He said the company typically finances land acquisition, completes horizontal development and operates units as rentals rather than selling them to occupants.
Hill described a preferred 21-acre parcel just south-southeast of the hospital that already has utilities nearby and said the units are shipped flat-packed and can be set up and ready to rent in about four months. He gave a range of product sizes, saying the basic units are about 380 square feet while a lofted bungalow-style option can reach roughly 490 square feet to accommodate additional occupants. He estimated the useful life of the units at 20 to 25 years and said the developer would consider longer-term redevelopment (townhomes or single-family homes) if demand changed.
Hill acknowledged the project “does not pencil” without public help. He estimated horizontal-development costs in the neighborhood of $300,000 for the site and said his group needs roughly $1,500 per-unit monthly revenue to meet investor return targets; that figure would need to drop toward $1,100–$1,200 to be more broadly affordable, he said. He also said he had discussed corporate leases with nearby employers but had not secured commitments.
Council members pressed for clarity on ownership, long-term management and infrastructure. One member asked whether the firm would manage on-site maintenance; Hill said the company provides on-site staff in projects such as Odessa, Texas. Several council members stressed the need to involve planning and zoning before any land-use change, noting the hospital-adjacent parcel is currently zoned for lower-density residential and that curb, gutter, sidewalks and street infrastructure would be required under Milford City standards. Staff and council also suggested exploring state-owned lots on the south end of town that already have some infrastructure and could shorten the timeline.
The council did not take any formal action or commit financial incentives during the meeting. Members asked the developer to provide a portfolio, site-specific cost estimates and contact information for possible corporate partners and recommended follow-up with planning and zoning and with state staff about the 20 state-owned lots being discussed. The discussion ended with a request that staff return options and analysis to a future meeting so the council could consider whether an RDA (redevelopment agency) or other tax-deferral tools would be appropriate.
