A housing needs report from the Wyoming Community Development Authority paints an ominous, but not surprising, picture of our community’s current housing situation.
Housing issues have plagued Johnson County, northeastern Wyoming and the state over the past four years as population growth drove real estate prices and average rents to historic highs.
While the housing market has cooled in recent months, advocates say the situation is still untenable for many residents. According to the report, anyone working for an average wage industry in the community would not be able to afford to buy a home in the community. The most common federal designation of affordable housing is when a household spends no more than 30% of income on housing and all housing-related expenses, such as utilities and property taxes. A lack of housing — affordable and otherwise — is a significant problem in Johnson County and the state.
That fact has been demonstrated over and over again as city and county leaders have repeatedly heard from local agencies, notably the Johnson County Healthcare Center and the school district, that a lack of housing is preventing their agencies from being able to hire employees.
Recognizing the dire situation statewide, the Legislature’s Joint Corporations, Elections & Political Subdivisions Committee has identified “housing policies” as its third highest priority during the interim session. The committee will study strategies and policies intended to increase the state’s housing supply.
The Legislature’s Management Council suggested the committee examine the creation of a state infrastructure fund for things like sewer, water and roads that would incentivize construction. The council also recommended that the committee look at potential methods to lease state land for housing.
Another possibility is the creation of a statewide housing fund. Wyoming is one of three states that does not have a statewide housing fund. Housing funds can be used to support a variety of affordable housing activities, including administering funds from several federal housing programs.
Most Wyoming municipalities do not employ city managers or administrators. Like Buffalo and Kaycee, most communities in the state do not have hired staff who have the time, energy or expertise to solve their communities’ housing issues.
This is a statewide problem that will require considerable resources, and potentially changes to state laws, to solve.
We are past the point of a lack of housing stagnating economic development and to the point that a lack of housing is threatening the delivery of essential services in our communities.
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