New Housing Recipe

(By Erika Willitzer, Executive Director of Defiance County Economic Development)

Over the last two months, I’ve been asked over 100 times, “Is there any hope for new housing?”  I always take a big sigh before answering “Yes”. The sigh happens because things don’t seem to happen fast enough. We do have housing projects in the works, but not enough to keep up with new positions we have in the pipeline.  (We have over 500 + new jobs in the pipeline over the next three years.)

When it comes to attracting new residents or businesses for that matter, speed to market is critical. When I hear over and over, how people can’t find housing in Defiance County, it makes me cringe because I know those individuals will likely go to another county or state who can accommodate them.

When aiming to attract home builders, it's essential to present a compelling case that highlights the various incentives, benefits, and key features that make our communities an attractive destination for development.

Here are things we are working on:

1.)    We need to be on our game when it comes to critical data for potential developers. Any company investing wants to know the well-being of the community they are investing in. Our office has data like population, new jobs in the pipeline, median income averages, high school graduation rates, and more, but we need to up our game in communicating that information to our local leaders, residents, and potential builders. For example, did you know that Defiance County’s Median Household Income is $72,019. That’s 30.11% higher than the national average.  That’s a stat we should be shouting through the rooftops!

2.)    Often, I find that Defiance County folks are very humble. So humble, we never toot our own horn. We need to be telling compelling stories of our educational institutions, our vibrant downtowns, our trail systems, and our great livability.  So, here is a call out. If you know of a business/organization or an even a resident who is doing incredible work in Defiance County, please send them our way or reach out to the Crescent News. We need to get the word out about these great people who make Defiance County a great place to live.

3.)    We need to consistently evaluate processes when it comes to new construction. Our team has been asking the following questions and working on ways to improve throughout our county.

·         Is the permitting process streamlined?  Can most of the forms be filled out online?  If there is a hiccup here, most developers move onto the next community.

·         Can a community provide a home builder with access to city/village owned or discounted land? Offering affordable, strategic locations for development can be a significant draw.

·         Are we aggressive when it comes to tax incentives, abatements, and infrastructure support offerings? These financial benefits can improve the profitability of projects over the long term, but local leaders will have to decide on being aggressive with the incentives on the front end. My experience so far with our local teams - is that they are very aggressive.

And lastly, are we marketing everything we have to offer as a community? Marketing is key to getting the word out. Defiance County is open and ready for new home builders coming into our area. We are consistently asking our teams the tough questions mentioned above and pivoting when necessary.  And, I’ll put this out in the universe. If you are a builder or know a builder, give Defiance County a chance and don’t discount us because we are classified as “Rural”.  We have so much to offer. Oh, did I mention we have over 500 + new jobs in the pipeline and we need a place for these new workers to live. Help us make it Defiance County, Ohio. For a list of housing sites available visit here Or email Erika@DefianceCountyED.com.

Erika Willitzer - Executive Director of Defiance County Economic Development