CommunityScale

Spotlight on Solutions: Celebrating Northern Kentucky’s Collaborative ‘Home for All’ Housing Strategies

CommunityScale is proud to have supported this vital regional effort, now featured by CET/ThinkTV. We were thrilled to see the recent “Brick by Brick” segment from the local PBS affiliate, CET/ThinkTV, highlighting the fantastic collaborative work behind “Home for All: Northern Kentucky Housing Strategies.” This initiative represents a significant step forward in addressing the region’s housing needs, and we were honored to play a part.

The segment does an excellent job capturing the urgency and the innovative spirit driving this project. As the Northern Kentucky Housing Data Analysis revealed, the region faces a critical need for approximately 6,650 additional housing units to support its growing population and economic vitality. Leaders like Campbell County Judge-Executive Steve Pendery rightly pointed out the direct link: attracting and retaining the workforce needed for continued progress hinges on having available and accessible housing.

A Menu for Action, Built Through Collaboration

Recognizing that a one-size-fits-all approach wouldn’t work across Northern Kentucky’s eight diverse counties, a dedicated coalition came together. Led by the Northern Kentucky Area Development District (NKADD) and involving vital partners like the Brighton Center, local elected officials, non-profits, employers (represented by NKY Chamber President Brent Cooper), and numerous other stakeholders, this group embarked on a year-long process. Through extensive meetings, community data walks, and stakeholder input, they developed the “Home for All” menu.

This menu isn’t a mandate; it’s a resource. It offers 50 distinct strategies across ten crucial themes, from planning and zoning reform and homeownership assistance to innovative tools and incentives and addressing neighborhood blight. As Sharmili Reddy of Kenton County Planning and Development Services noted, the goal is to empower each community to select and adapt the solutions that best fit their unique context, whether urban, suburban, or rural.

We look forward to seeing how Northern Kentucky communities utilize this valuable resource to build a future where everyone has a place to call home.

Nels Nelson

Nels Nelson, co-founding Principal at CommunityScale, is passionate about planning happier, healthier, and more resilient places. His goal today? Optimizing community strategies with data-driven techniques. His diverse clients appreciate his swift, accurate, and transparent insights.