Assessing housing stock deficiencies to better accommodate a growing population

Northern Kentucky Area Development District (NKADD) Housing Gap Analysis

Northern Kentucky is on the rise, with its logistics and manufacturing sectors leading the charge. This economic surge is creating a high demand for housing. However, the available homes aren’t keeping pace with the needs of the workforce and growing population. The Northern Kentucky Area Development District (NKADD) needed someone to conduct an impartial and in-depth analysis of their housing stock deficiencies. They reached out to our team to help.

The NKADD region includes eight counties and 51 cities, from urban to suburban to rural, each with unique market and socioeconomic factors. We cleaned and processed extensive datasets from high-grade data sources to examine the area’s housing composition and identify gaps, patterns, and trends. Next, we created clear and accessible visualizations, following up with a series of recommendations on optimal locations for future development that leverage existing services and infrastructure. We also developed a comprehensive toolkit of policies and strategies to advance these measures.

Based on the results and recommendations, NKADD would need to create an additional 6,650 housing units beyond the new developments already underway or planned. For the region keep up with its economic growth, these additional housing units should include a mix of single- and multifamily homes, apartment complexes, and condos to meet the needs and resources of the region’s diverse and growing workforce.

With the housing study in hand, NKADD is focusing on building awareness through public meetings and sessions to educate community members and local leaders on the state of housing and strategies to close the gap.