Thursday, November 2, 2023
Nikki
The Union County Chamber of Commerce Board of Trustees’ (COC) mission is to create a supportive environment that champions business growth and community advancement, with the ultimate goal of improving Union County’s quality of life. The COC Board of Trustees, comprised of 23 business and community leaders, desires to make a statement on the existing housing crisis and future prosperity of Union County. COC Board of Trustees seeks to help inform the community on the critical importance of affordable and accessible housing opportunities to our businesses and residents that call Union County home. Both residential and commercial development done in a smart, incremental, and sustainable manner will allow for Union County to prosper. Coincidently, for our businesses to expand, invest and create job opportunities, we must provide affordable and accessible housing opportunities for their employees. Housing opportunities and business growth together will ensure prosperity for our residents, families, and children now and well into the future.
Exhibit A, attached to this statement, provides recent datapoints about development trends in Union County and Ohio. As we discuss not only growth but our prosperity, we must take these datapoints into consideration. Union County is growing at a manageable rate while many counties in Ohio are losing population. The COC understands that there are some citizens who desire to keep the smalltown atmosphere of our community. The COC agrees with this desire, but also realizes that we must find ways to invest, develop, and revitalize the community with new opportunities in a manageable and sustainable way. Growing cities prosper, while shrinking communities do not.
Recent development proposals that have been approved or are being planned will bring new housing opportunities and options for different ages groups thereby creating a more sustainable workforce. These developments include, but are not limited to, the following:
In total, these developments seem like a lot of housing. However, these developments are being built over the next 3-5 years. Furthermore, as stated in Exhibit A and since the Great Recession, Union County has not provided the housing opportunities needed for the community. It also is important to note that developments that are approved today are not fully developed until 5-10 years in the future.
The City of Marysville has worked closely with developers requiring them to invest into infrastructure to support their respective developments. This ensures that development pays for itself. Some recent examples, including, but not limited to, are as follows:
Union County is now at a critical juncture with two paths forward: (1) we grow in a manageable way to ensure prosperity for future generations; or, (2) we resist growth which threatens our quality of life. With over 8,300 unfilled jobs within a 20-mile radius and an average home sale price of over $430K, it is becoming more difficult for businesses to grow and be successful. We simply do not have the bodies to fill the open job positions. Ultimately, if employers cannot find workers to fill these positions, the community decides to slow housing development, and the home sale price point stays at $430K+, our community’s quality of life will be in peril. It simply comes down to a supply and demand issue. Do businesses choose to close or relocate to other communities? With the employee shortage, can we attract new businesses to locate to Union County? These questions clearly underline the importance of why new housing opportunities are necessary for us to have the best schools, business growth, and a great quality of life.
Additionally, it is very important to point out that if we slow or stop housing or commercial development, the tax burden will grow for existing residents. New growth will cause the need for new infrastructure and services, but the new growth will also spread out the tax burden among the new residents. Housing and population growth will also provide new restaurant and retail opportunities – housing drives both sectors.
In closing, the COC encourages community leaders, citizens, employers, and employees to work together to support managed and sustainable growth and development. If we continue to resist or say no to development, developers and companies will simply look at other communities for future development.
The COC encourages community leaders, citizens, employers, and employees to:
Union County Chamber of Commerce Board of Trustees
Dave Amerine, President
Shannon Dishong, Vice-President
Stephen Smith, Treasurer/Secretary
Exhibit A
Recent Development Trends – Union County and Ohio
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