Shortage of Housing in Marshfield
Friday, December 21st, 2018 -- 9:06 AM
(Marshfield News Herald) -A shortage of single-family housing in Marshfield is forcing people to look outside city limits and is hindering economic development in the city.Members of the city’s Economic Development Board met earlier this month to address the issue. According to a 2014 Marshfield Housing Study, “a disproportional number of Marshfield units are in buildings with 20 or more units.” It also references a lack of townhouses or condos. The study said "approximately 34% of the 5,515 single-family units were constructed before 1950, indicating a likely need for upgrades and repairs." On top of that, there aren't many available lots on which to build. Century 21 real estate agent Ashley Fredrick said single families don't want to live in apartments, they want move-in ready homes and they won't build around properties that would depreciate the value of their home. If there is an available lot and it’s in an older part of town, that could be a hindrance, said Ben Kautza, who owns Legacy Homes, a Marshfield company that specializes in residential construction.
He said that’s one of the reasons 80 to 85 percent of the homes he builds are in rural areas outside of city limits. The lack of available lots, houses and rental properties for single families also means businesses are having a difficult time retaining and drawing workers to Marshfield. This isn't a new issue, but solutions continue to elude the board. A member said this is an "issue we've talked about," but now they need to take action.
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