Schuyler addresses housing shortage with new purchase
As the country faces a housing shortage, Schuyler has bought property in part to address the problem.
By News Channel NebraskaSCHUYLER -- As the country faces a housing shortage, one eastern Nebraska city has bought property in part to address the problem.
Schuyler Community Development's community housing specialist, Brian Bywater, said the 501(c)(3) bought ten acres two weeks ago. The new property will one day complement a northwest Schuyler development.
Bywater estimates construction to take three to five years. Still, he expressed excitement to offer more housing for Schuyler given the shortages.
"Oh you can't estimate it. It's, if there's a house on the market, it is gone within days. And Schuyler is not alone in that," Bywater said. "I know Columbus, Norfolk, other places are in the same boat."
Bywater's position was created in 2014 when Schuyler started to see an increase in housing demands. Since then, the city has added 70 housing units including a 24 unit apartment building, a 14 unit senior living development, and family townhouses. However, he noted that's "Still not nearly enough."
The projects they focus on range from rentals to for-sale and other options.
"We're trying to tackle the housing need from different directions," Bywater said.
One of those most recent developments was the Eastview Apartments.