Local Governments Examine Workforce Housing Dilemma

By Reagan ConnellyWith ongoing worker shortages impacting nearly all industries, local governments are examining the factors that may make attracting workers difficult. At the County Commission meeting on May 10, the issue of workforce housing was brought up and discussed at length.Ronald Schacht, General Manager at Westin Packaged Meats in Fairbury, said he has run into the issue of potential employees being turned off the job by the limited housing options in Fairbury several times.Schacht said the Westin foods Human Resources department helps employees find housing in the area. “Our HR department works for them in trying to find housing in Fairbury. We do have a couple houses that we’ll put them in if they’re coming from out of state for 30 to 45 days to allow them time to find something,” Schacht said. “But it is a challenge.”Schacht added Westin recently had a couple of team members move up from Texas and Illinois and the company is working with them to find housing.District 1 Commissioner Mark Schoenrock said, “Right now the board is focused on very significant infrastructure upgrades, road upgrades, broad band expansion, etc.”Schoenrock added that workforce housing is the next big issue the board will tackle. “We realize that’s a problem for a lot of our employers,” he said. “We have really low-end housing, we have really high-end housing, but we have a huge gap in the middle.”Workforce housing has been a significant issue in Fairbury and Jefferson County for a while now, Schoenrock said.He said that while it is an important issue to the board as well as the town and county as a whole, there are many things that must come first. “Right now, we’ve got a few other big things on our plate,” Schoenrock said. “Completing the PWF road is a big one. Broadband expansion throughout the county is a big one. These are all huge things that take a lot of work, time and energy to bring to fruition.”Schoenrock said when the time comes the board will work very closely with Westin Foods as well as the other business in town.“We’re talking to Endicott Brick, Livingston Enterprises, Prairie View,” Schoenrock said. “The farmer’s Co-op, the hospital is a big one. We know what the target is for our large employers and also small employers too.”Schoenrock went on to say Fairbury businesses have a hard time recruiting people because when people move to the area, they have a difficult time finding housing.FJN reached out to Fairbury Mayor Spencer Brown, who said, “Fairbury is in dire need of Quality, Safe, Affordable housing. The city is growing and businesses are hiring, which is difficult to do when newcomers to town do not have a place to buy or rent. Many places in town have waiting lists for tenants or buyers. I think it is safe to say that our housing real estate in town is probably the highest price and demand over the last 10 years or more. The city has been heavily involved in removing dilapidated properties, but starting this year we will be also focusing on redevelopment projects and doing something with all the empty lots and green space. I would encourage any developers that have a desire to build in Fairbury to reach out to myself or the staff at the city offices, we are excited to help in any way we can.”Steven Likes, a lawyer for Kutak Rock LLP, suggested the board meet with the Nebraska Investment Finance Authority (NIFA) to help with the housing problems.“NIFA does a number of things around the state but one of their primary missions is to provide housing,” Likes said. “They have largely done that in the way of issuing bonds for first time home buyers.”Likes went on to say workforce housing is an issue in many of the communities around Nebraska, and NIFA can help to resolve the issue. “They have worked on a number of task forces with DED (Department of Economic Development) and other organizations.”Likes recommended to the board to make NIFA aware of the workforce housing problem in Jefferson County if they are not already.

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