Leaders talked about solutions to the regional housing shortage at a Northern Kentucky Chamber meeting Tuesday.
A recent study by the Northern Kentucky Area Development District found more than 6,500 units of housing are needed to meet current and future needs.
“It's more acute in certain price ranges — one- and two-bedroom, single-family homes, you can't find,” said Steve Pendery, Campbell County Judge/Executive. “On those rare occasions that they get built, the price gets built up so high because there's so few.”
He says there's no silver bullet fix. Counties are devising approaches that work for them.
Some ideas
Several cities in Campbell County are working on making changes to their zoning codes, like allowing higher density development, or the construction of accessory dwelling units (ADUs).
Kenton County Judge/Executive Kris Knochelmann says his county is getting creative in some solutions, like considering adding apartments on top of the new Government Center parking garage.
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“Our thought was that we don't want to have a parking garage that becomes vacant at 5 p.m. — or at 6 p.m., because all county workers work later than they’re asked — but we want to make sure that that activity, that the parking garage is there 24 hours,” Knochelmann said.
Judge/Executive Gary Moore says Boone County has already seen some housing “wins.”
The county recently approved a 300-unit apartment complex.
“It's tax credit housing. Somebody can make up to $125,000 a year and get some assistance, but it goes down to lower income as well,” Moore said.
Kenton County's Knochelmann says the region needs to be open to all ideas.
"Look at some of our most enjoyable communities — Fort Thomas, Fort Mitchell, you go down some of the best streets in the area, and you've got a two- or three-family house that actually fits perfectly. And we need to build some of those things and be open to it," he said. "We gotta learn the facts."