Boone County is asking residents’ input in a study it will use to plan the development of future housing opportunities.
The county posted the housing survey on its website and asks questions related to respondents’ current housing situation, hypothetical housing arrangements if a respondent were to move and demographic information.
The survey is three pages long and likely won’t take more than five minutes.
The survey is part of a larger study to assess future housing development in Boone County. The consulting firm Columbia and Boone County hired to analyze the data from the survey says it hopes is to get as many responses as possible.
“When you reach out to a lot of people with different perspectives, that anecdotal evidence adds up, and it’s very insightful,” said David Boston, owner of Florida-based consulting firm Amarach Planning Services. “You just can’t get that from a lot of the stakeholders we’re talking to.”
However, identifying keep stakeholders is still crucial in the process. Boston said it’s part of the public outreach phase of the study.
“We’re talking to elected and other government officials, nonprofits involved in the housing production process, builders, engineers, anybody involved in day-to-day housing work,” Boston said.
Amarach hopes to develop a list of policy recommendations for Columbia and Boone County by the fall.
Boone County Commissioner Janet Thompson said the data and recommendations will factor in the next county master plan. The data will help the county cater to the needs of all income levels by evaluating what types of housing can be built at different locations.
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“When you have a subdivision and you it put out way out of other services, you are presupposing that those people have access to either public transit or a vehicle,” Thompson said.
Boston said his team’s biggest concern is strategizing supplies with a fast-growing county like Boone.
“Right now, the only sector in Columbia where production is keeping up with demand is student housing,” Boston said. “Strategizing around community needs, long-term trends, … utilities are all things we have to understand before we make our recommendations.”
Thompson estimates the county will need around 30,000 homes in the next decade.
“That’s a lot of housing to come up with, so we need to be deliberate with where we put our houses,” Thompson said.
Amarach will be in Columbia for community meetings from April 8-11. The first meeting will take place at the Columbia Public Library.
The survey remains open until April 14.
Community Meeting Info
Monday, April 8
- 1-1:30 p.m.
- Columbia Public Library – Friends Room
- 100 W. Broadway, Columbia
Tuesday, April 9
- 1-3 p.m. and 5-7 p.m.
- The Food Bank for Central and Northwest Missouri – Community Room
- 2101 Vandiver Drive, Columbia
Wednesday, April 10
- 5:30-7:30 p.m.
- Hallsville Community Center
- 324 E. Highway OO, Hallsville
Thursday, April 11
- 5:30-7:30 p.m.
- Ashland Optimist Club Building
- 511 Optimist Drive, Ashland