This project’s aim was to work with the county’s Housing Development Steering Committee (comprising representatives from the public, private, and non-profit sectors) to develop a Housing Needs and Action Plan for Richland County. The process and products were intended to help Richland County housing providers, developers, non-profit organizations, and municipalities plan for affordable, attainable, and market-rate housing that meets market demand and community priorities. Key activities in developing the plan included: analyzing demographics and real estate market conditions; identifying gaps in the housing market and forecasting future housing demand; researching financing sources and suitable locations for housing development; conducting 12 focus groups, interviews, and a public input session to gather community input. The final products were a county-wide analysis and recommendations based on successful experiences of similar places. They were tailored to Richland County’s unique communities by providing separate reports and recommendations for eight municipalities. Our team also set up a publicly available updateable online data analysis of key housing indicators to aid in the implementation of the plan as well as contribute to public accountability.
825