By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post
Finding an affordable place to live continues to put a drag on the Hays job market.
Aaron White, executive director of the Ellis County Coalition for Economic Development, said many employers — especially manufacturers — are having problems recruiting and retaining employees because of the lack of quality affordable housing in Ellis County.
Employers’ difficulties are amplified by the the county’s extremely low unemployment rate — 2.3 percent.
White said the need for skilled labors in the technical trades has local companies recruiting workers from other parts of the region, such as Wichita and Oklahoma City, which have been hit by a recent economic downturns.
But, he said, in some cases, applicants cannot find quality, affordable housing or, in other cases, people are leaving shortly after moving to Hays because the housing prices are just too high.
While it is tough to define what is affordable and quality housing, White said people are looking for places that are both affordable but also of sufficient quality.
“We do tend to find we have an abundance of housing on either end of the spectrum, but … we are not showing enough housing in that middle-of-the-road area,” he said.
White added the coalition has been contacted by developers that are interested in both student and professional housing.
The coalition has worked recently recently with a Wichita housing developer interested in building a three-story apartment complex aimed at professional and working adults.
A housing assessment completed by the developer, White said, indicated there was a low vacancy rate in rental housing, which shows a need for additional housing. But White said the project is in the early stages because the developer still needs assurance there is a market for the apartments. A location also has yet to be secured.
The coalition also is working with local real estate brokers and contractors about rehabilitating existing housing or taking advantage of infill opportunities in Ellis County.
Fixing up some of the houses around the county that are in disrepair would not only open up housing opportunities for new residents moving in but it would also help improve the look of neighborhoods.
White said that while the need continues across Ellis County, potential solutions remain in the early stages.