Come give your input about PdC rental needs
By Correne Martin
All current and potential renters as well as first-time or single-family homebuyers in the Prairie du Chien area are urged to attend a Renters Forum on Tuesday, Feb. 5, at 5:30 p.m., in the city hall community room. By simply registering at the 60-90-minute session, people will have their names put into a drawing for $50 cash.
The forum goal is for regional developers to identify renter needs regarding how tenant offerings can be improved and fulfilled throughout the area.
“We have this predicament, I think, of the stereotype of renters and landlords, and the misconceptions each one has of the other,” noted Dale Klemme, of Community Development Alternatives, which is hosting the forum as part of a broader housing study the Southwest Regional Planning Commission is conducting.
Klemme further explained the predicament. He said there are landlords who do nothing to fix up properties, though there are also plenty of landlords who maintain very nice rentals. By the same token, there are some renters who are irresponsible troublemakers, while there are others who take care of their residences as if they were their own.
“If there are too many tenants but not enough rental properties, there’s a bottleneck of demand for the supply. Then, for the same substandard properties, landlords can charge more,” Klemme shared. “We can either make more rental properties, or we can create more affordable starter homes.”
Klemme suspects there’s a good number of renters who are paying as much as they would in a mortgage payment. He also believes there’s a generation of people who wish to be more fluid in their lives—meaning having the ability to pick up and move as easily as possible—and he said “that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t still enjoy affordable rent.”
While the CDA and SWRPC are aware of some of the rental desires, specifics are important in order for the true needs of the region to be addressed.
Klemme said the forum will be a way to find out why people rent or seek starter homes locally. Are they divorced? Has their loved one passed away? Do they have bad credit?
These are the kinds of questions that need answers from the forum next Tuesday. Klemme said he plans a short presentation at the beginning, followed by a basic information gathering session with those attending. Idea sharing will be the focus. Once a general direction is gleaned from the forum’s final input, organizers may follow up with more specific questions of the attendees.
“There may be programs out there that can help people build their credit over 18-24 months. Maybe they only need money for a down payment. They may seek a house that’s affordable, just not junk,” Klemme said.
He hopes the forum will determine the problems as well as possible solutions and provide the best path toward the most appropriate housing in Prairie du Chien. Regarding possible solutions, he suggested involving property owners and developers who may have the means to turn housing lots into smaller, more in-demand and more affordable lots, to resolve the challenges the area may have.
“What we really need are subdivisions, with places that aren’t your dream home but a starter home, something like your parents started out with,” Klemme stated. “I think we have a number of communities who can make it work.”
For the most accurate picture of the region’s needs, all are invited to attend the forum and give their honest opinions.
With questions, contact the CDA office at 326-7333.
