It takes more than dirt to make a garden, and it takes more than land to make a community. As the federal government continues to cut funding for roads and pipes, local communities have had to pay more to spark development on areas that were once farms and forests.
We all know that a healthy community needs more than a series of houses. Roads, sidewalks, parks, schools, clean water are all critically important to new construction. Those costs can add up – in some areas, people buying new homes are paying more than $50,000 for those shared systems.
That doesn’t even get into the cost of new construction. Things like lumber, drywall and other important construction materials are more expensive than ever, especially as huge parts of the country rebuild from the hurricanes of 2017.
In 2018, the Metro Council is asking cities looking to grow to show how they can make growth happen – how they plan on paying for the pipes, roads, parks and schools we all rely on.
Additionally, the Metro Council is asking cities to provide important data on affordable housing – specifically, how cities looking to grow out are also making room for affordable housing, particularly in business districts and transit corridors.