Author: Amanda Anglin, Sturgis Economic Development Corp.
In 2014, the City of Sturgis and Sturgis Economic Development Corp (SEDC) partnered to hire Community Partners, Inc., with a goal of conducting a housing needs study to determine unmet housing needs, examine future trends and provide future housing recommendations for Sturgis. The 2014 study identified a rental housing vacancy rate of .7%. A healthy market range is 3-5%. To meet demand, the study indicated that 135-145 rental units would be needed from 2014-2019 and for 22-27 owner-occupied housing units to be constructed annually over the five years for a total of 135 owner-occupied units.
Armed with this information, SEDC and the City of Sturgis identified property options and developers. The 2014 housing study helped foster the Dolan Creek subdivision (113), Sierra Vista Apartments (32), Canyon View Estates (18), and Wildflower Townhomes (4) developments. These four developments helped significantly with the housing needs in Sturgis by creating 131 owner-occupied homes and 36 rental units.
In 2019, upon completion of an updated study, it was found that housing needs will continue to increase in Sturgis for the next five years. The rental vacancy rate increased slightly to 1.9% with the need for additional 152-175 rental units. Owner-occupied housing needs also increased to 40-45 units annually with 225 owner-occupied units needed over the next five years. The study recommends a 2.5 year supply of available lots to meet the demand.
Did you read the last part of that sentence…“to meet the demand”? What a great problem to have in a community! This means that we are growing. People want to live here, raise their families, and spend their time in the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota. How awesome is this! New families mean new kids in our school system, new people shopping in our stores, and supporting our local businesses, new people enjoying our ample supply of outdoor recreational opportunities, the list goes on!
On a side note, check out our new video that showcases the wonderful assets our community and region have to offer. Click here!
Back to housing……I spend the majority of my days advocating for economic development in Sturgis and Meade County. SEDC’s mission is to actively pursue economic development by assisting expanding or new business, industry, and housing in Sturgis and Meade County. Housing is a large piece of economic development.
Economic development is important because it helps to grow our tax base and create jobs. We need people! We need people to help our communities thrive and function. We need people to work in our local businesses, to shop in our stores and those same people to grow our community. We also need more people to recruit businesses. Our people need a place to live in. That’s where housing becomes such a huge part of economic development and community growth.
SEDC has five goals - one of which is to develop infrastructure. We do this by creating a diversity of fully developed sites, buildings, and housing for expanding and new businesses and industries, as well as encouraging residential housing for independent seniors and workforce housing.
The Board of Directors of the Sturgis Economic Development Corp asks that you assist in the growth of our community by supporting the upcoming housing efforts by the City of Sturgis.
The Marcotte Property Presentation and Open House will be held on Thursday, July 30, 2020, at 5:30 PM in the Sturgis Community Center Theater and gymnasium. The purpose of this event is to share information related to the future development of the Marcotte property. The public is encouraged to attend this event to meet the developer, view the plans, and learn more about this exciting new residential development. The plans and information can be viewed by clicking here.
Amanda Anglin is a mother of two, a wife, and a community advocate and leader. She is also the Executive Director of the Sturgis Economic Development Corporation and volunteers on the Downtown Sturgis Foundation.