Housing remains a critical need for communities in Marion County.
Executive Director of the Marion County Development Commission Carla Eysink tells KNIA/KRLS News as part of a recent employer needs assessment, growing the local workforce remains a top priority.
“The number one reason people are not expanding here is workforce,” she says. “We don’t have enough housing to house that workforce, and certainly when companies add jobs, we want those people to live here so we get the benefits both in our retail businesses and community businesses, and in our schools.”
As identified in 2015 study, hundreds of new homes need to be built by 2025 to keep the county growing and strong economically. Eysink says a lack of available, local workforce is what is keeping local industry and businesses from expanding on site, despite the fact many are ahead of state trends in terms of technology.