The Workforce Housing Study conducted by the Long Range Planning Department provides a wealth of knowledge that I am using as the basis of this month's discussion. Last month's edition of Plain Ole News addressed urban centers and the different paths of growth the city could experience. This month we will continue our conversation about the future of Plano from a housing perspective. As we consider urban centers and increased density, housing needs for employees that support local businesses must be met. Though our first thought regarding Plano's workforce is often corporate hires and technical employees, there are other categories of citizens such as police officers, firefighters, teachers, city employees, retail workers, and food service employees. It is important that we provide all of these citizens a place to reside within our city limits.

Here are some facts provided by that "Workforce Housing Study":

• A gap exists between the housing supply and housing needs throughout the DFW area. That gap will continue to grow as the DFW population grows to over 9 million by 2030.
• The high cost of material goods and labor to produce housing often makes it cost prohibitive to price homes within the range of a "workforce income," which is considered a household with an income 80%-120% of area's average income ($43,000 for this area)
• A person classified with a workforce income in Plano earns $34,000 to $51,000 annually.
• In today's housing market, that person can buy a $150K house. Based on Plano's current housing stock, that home would most likely be located on the east side of the city. However, a large portion of our employment base is on the west side.
• Currently, public transportation to get that citizen across town is limited.

• Emphasis on continued preservation and renovation of the older owner and renter-occupied properties (There is a tremendous opportunity on the east side of Plano to service that person in the market place.)
• Strategic rezoning that allows mixed use to meet the needs of both businesses and residents.
• Partnerships with developers and non-profit organizations that offer incentives for people to seek home ownership.
• Housing trust, which is a dedicated source of revenue within the city's budget to encourage workforce households to purchase, rehabilitate, and renovate older homes.
• Employer Assistance Housing Program to promote city employees to live in Plano

Spring break this year was a bit different for me. Spring break this past March began for me at the National League of Cities (NLC) National Convention. The mayor and most of our council members were there to represent our city. NLC provides valuable opportunities to gain insight on innovative strategies to tackle issues similar to those Plano has and will face. I currently serve on Human Development, which is composed of two distinct committees. The larger one, the Policy and Advocacy Committee, chooses the policy agenda for the year and reviews policy proposals and resolutions drafted by the smaller Steering Committee, which is charged with researching the agenda topics. This past session we discussed the opportunities for cities like ours to work collaboratively with independent school districts for the betterment of the children and the community. I look forward to sharing our progress with you.