(Radio Iowa) – The city council in a northwest Iowa town with about 33-hundred residents has approved the final plat and an urban renewal plan for a housing development that’s expected to add over 120 lots in Milford when completed. Developer Doug Holzrichter says the project is now ready to move into the construction phase.
The Harvest Hills development is near the new Okoboji Elementary School in Milford and plans include a mix of single-family homes, townhouses, duplexes and other multi-family units. Holzrichter’s family has owned the land since the mid-1960s. He says the groundwork for the housing project was laid years ago when the City of Milford extended water and sewer to the area.
The average Iowa home was built in 1955, making the state’s housing supply eighth oldest in the country. A recent report from the Common Sense Institute found the demand for housing is outpacing supply and by the end of this year, the Iowa market will be short 16-thousand homes. However, the group’s report shows if the pace of new construction continues, Iowa’s housing shortage could be eliminated by the end of 2028.
