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Group asks North Branch to pay attention to housingBy Barbara Brown At Monday nightís city council meeting, the group presented a list of average annual salaries for jobs like school bus drivers, stock clerks, nurses aides, receptionists, waitresses and hairdressers. The list was meant to illustrate to the council that the city should focus on finding ways to bring affordable housing into the city or risk loosing many people who could work in North Branch to other cities and counties. According to groupís representatives, the areaís median income for a family of four is $40,000, but that new home construction costs are high and buying an affordable older home is difficult when buyers are faced with high mortgages. The St. Gregory Sowers of Justice asked the council to consider an inclusive zoning ordinance that would require new home developers to build a certain percentage of affordable units in each development. The city has been investigating ways to bring more affordable housing into the city without creating a blight area. It also has looked at ways to attract rental unit builders to the area. The council said it would continue to work with committees and residents to find ways to address the problem of little affordable housing. ©ECM Post Review |