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Housing is one of the most basic components of any community. In many ways, it is both a determinant and result of strong communities. A healthy housing stock, typified by low vacancy rates and a mix of housing options, supports quality of life. A weaker housing stock, typified by higher vacancy rates, abandoned housing units, and few housing options can further weaken a strong local economy.
During the creation of Reimagining Our Westmoreland, when we asked for the top housing priorities, residents across the county clearly expressed townhomes, apartments, and condominiums as a top priority. When we asked residents about their perceptions of housing needs in the county, the overwhelming response was that we needed to add more housing options to the mix. Additionally, the location of these options are important as residents voiced strong support for better transportation choices, whether that was by car, train, bus, bike or foot. Despite residents’ reported housing priorities, the increase in housing units since 2000 is predominantly single-family detached units. As housing units in the Alle-Kiski District increased by an additional 392 units, from 2000 to 2017, 76% of the housing unit increase was single-family detached homes, while 24% was townhomes, apartments or condos. Through the Planning District process and plan implementation, future housing stock in the Alle-Kiski Planning District can more closely reflect the wants, needs, and priorities of residents. If you attended the first Planning District meeting on June 24th, don’t forget to complete the survey to help provide feedback on this shared process. The next meeting is on July 29th, 2019 at 6:30 PM. Municipal officials are invited to RSVP here. Comments are closed.
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