sc 8 fostering employer assisted workforce housing · potential for an eah program in scott county,...

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SC8-FosteringEmployer-AssistedWorkforceHousing

ProjectLead:JulieSiegert,HousingDirector,ScottCountyCDA(952)402-9022,ext.225jsiegert@scottcda.orgwww.scottcda.org

Description:Since2000,thecostofhousing(particularlyrentalhousing)throughouttheTwinCitiesmetropolitanareahasincreased,whileincomeshavegenerallystayedthesameordecreased.Inarecentsurveyofmorethan400ScottCountyemployers,1in5respondentssaidhousingforlower-incomeemployeeswasanissue.Giventhehistoricallylowunemploymentrate,employershaveaninterestingreaterhousingaffordabilityandopportunityinthecommunitieswheretheyarelocatedtoensuretheyhaveaccesstoasufficientlaborpooltofillopenpositionsandremaincompetitive.Oneapproachtoaddressthisissueisemployer-assistedhousing(EAH)programs,inwhichanemployerhelpsemployeesacquirehousingneartheirplaceofwork.Assistancecantakemanyforms,fromhelpingwithadownpaymentorsecuritydeposittoinvestingindevelopmentofmoreworkforcehousingintheircommunity.ThisprojectwillinvolveanalyzingdifferentEAHmodelstodetermineiftheyareeffectiveatattractingandretainingaworkforce,andtoidentifyspecificbusinessesorbusinesssectorsinScottCountythatwouldbenefitfromandpotentiallyparticipateinanEAHinitiativeinthecounty.KeyIssues,Questions,andIdeasforExploration:

! WhatsortsofEAHprogramsexistinMinnesotaandotherstates?Basedonananalysisoftheseprograms,whatarebestpracticestoensuresuccess?

! HoweffectiveareEAHsinattractingandretainingareliableworkforce?Dohomeownershiporrentalmodelshavegreatersuccess,andwhy?

! AretheirparticularbusinessesorbusinesssectorsinScottCountythatareagoodfitforEAHprogramsbecauseoftheirinabilitytofindsufficientemployees,accesstodevelopableland,orothercharacteristics?Specificindustriestoconsiderinclude,butarenotlimitedto,entertainment/hospitality,manufacturing,construction,healthcare,andeducation.

! WhatlocalandstatepoliciescanfacilitateorencourageemployerparticipationinanEAHprogram?HowcananEAHprogrambemarketedtobusinessesinScottCounty?

HowWillStudentWorkBeUsedtoBuildResiliency?Studentresearchwillbeusedtoinformthecounty’sLive,Learn,EarnworkinggroupsaboutthepotentialforanEAHprograminScottCounty,andtobegindiscussionswithpotentialemployerstodeterminetheirinterestinparticipatinginanEAHprogram.ExistingPlansandReports:

! GreaterMinnesotaHousingFund,Employer-AssistedHousingResourceGuide! Employer-AssistedHousing:CompetitivenessThroughPartnerships! CityandCountyofDenverLowerIncomeVoucherEquity(LIVE)PilotProgram! ComprehensiveHousingNeedsUpdate,ScottCounty(MaxfieldResearchNovember

2016)https://www.scottcda.org/page.php?id=5! EmployerSurveyApril2018

http://nebula.wsimg.com/ae9abf06d1f152def47862d6708d47de?AccessKeyId=BB72E3D85D9D1BF7A1B6&disposition=0&alloworigin=1

PotentialStakeholdersandPartners:

! SCALE’sLive,Learn,EarnHousingandWorkforceReadinessworkgroups! EmployersinScottCounty! HousingdevelopersinScottCounty! ChambersofCommerceinScottCounty! ShakopeeMdewakantonSiouxCommunity

TolearnmoreaboutthisprojectordiscusshowtointegrateitintoaUMNcourseoranindividualstudentproject(suchasaculminatingexperience,capstone,master’sproject,orindependentstudy),pleasecontactSarahTschidaorMikeGrecowiththeResilientCommunitiesProjectatrcp@umn.edu.