Workforce Housing Summit Underway In St. Cloud

(KNSI) – A summit on building affordable housing for St. Cloud area workers is taking place.

“Workforce Housing: Experiences, Needs and Opportunities in Central Minnesota” is being held at St. Cloud State University from 8:00 to 1:30 today. Central Minnesota Builders Association Consultant Steve Gottwalt told KNSI News the problem will take everyone to solve. “You really need a lot of people at the table. This is an issue that isn’t just for the politicians. It’s not just for the builders and developers. It’s not just for the employers. It’s all of them. They all need to come together and talk about it. So, that’s what we’re doing today.”

Officials say there needs to be more affordable places to live in the area. He says this is the first step in developing solutions for more workforce housing. Economic developers, planners, builders, developers, elected officials, activists, academics, and area employers are attending.

Gottwalt explained why it costs more to build here compared to other states. “To build the exact same home in Minnesota costs 22% more here than it does in the neighboring states. So why is that? We know that fees play a role. We know that regulations play a role. We know that building codes play a role. We know that wages play a role.”

Workforce housing is defined as affordable for people making $15 to $30 per hour. SCSU economists estimate a person would need a full-time job paying $18.84 per hour to afford the rent of a two-bedroom apartment in the St. Cloud area.

A study commissioned by St. Cloud in 2019 showed its population was expected to grow by more than 7,000, requiring nearly 3,000 households by 2030. The report says from 2030 to 2040, another 2,000 households will be needed.

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