In April 2021, the City issued a RFP requesting proposals for the preparation of a housing study and needs analysis. The results of this Housing Study will help elected officials, City staff, stakeholders and community members develop a meaningful sense of the housing market and understanding of key housing issues and how they impact the City of Independence. It will also serve as a platform for strategy and policy decisions. The report is intended to offer community leaders and stakeholders a basis for formulating community-specific housing priorities, policy alternatives and intervention strategies, including land use and zoning decisions, and allocation of City and other resources. Development Strategies was the selected firm and began work on the study in August.
The City-Wide Housing Study is divided into six chapters:
· Introduction – This section discusses the aspects of the study, how to use the study and the next steps towards forming and adopting a housing strategic plan.
· Housing Trends – This section looks at housing trends on a national level but also in Independence and in the region. This analysis looked at demographic, economic (including employment and job growth data), housing characteristics (including market price, age, condition, etc.), housing affordability, and race and equality and compared that data to peer communities in the region.
· Housing Market Analysis – This section helps understand current conditions and opportunity—it identifies gaps that exist in the housing supply today and likely housing needs in the future, including the specific needs of different populations based on income, age, and physical ability.
· Neighborhood Context – This section seeks to understanding of different geographical areas in a city and where they are in the development/ redevelopment cycle. The Neighborhood Cycle Analysis tool uses available demographic and market data to classify geographical areas into four different neighborhood cycles: opportunity, transitional, stable, and growing, each representing its own unique opportunities and challenges. Cycles are designated by clustering similar characteristics, with the help of indicators like household income, home value, tenure, poverty level, vacancy, and permitting activity.
· Defining the Need – This section evaluates the level of support needed to successfully deliver housing typologies to Independence. It identifies the gaps in the market were development cost exceeds market value and where development value exceeds the cost of construction. This analysis can be used to identify areas that need support from incentives or subsidies.
· Housing Strategy Framework – The purpose of this strategic framework is to give the City of Independence an outline to address its housing needs and goals. The study of existing conditions, analysis of supply and demand, community survey, and conversations with community stakeholders provides a thorough understanding of what Independence’s housing challenges are, and what types of housing the community needs to grow, while providing existing residents more suitable housing options. The final component of this study is to provide a high-level strategic framework that is intended to organize and focus the city’s future actions around housing and housing policy. The strategic framework will serve as a guide when the city is able to move forward with creating its housing strategy.
Development Strategies presented the City-Wide Housing Study to the City Council as well as the Independence Chamber of Commerce and the Economic Development Council in early December.
The intent of this study is to provide the City of Independence with detailed and useful analysis about the city’s housing context, conditions, and needs. It is designed to be an important decision-making and marketing tool for the city. While this study provides a recommended strategic framework, there is more work to be done to create a housing plan that is implementable. It is important to consult this study in a variety of contexts and discussions—policy, programmatic, regulatory, and budgetary—and it should inform future actions.