By Allison Peck
Listen to the full interview on our Kubota Podcast
NORTH PLATTE, Neb. — Residential development continues across North Platte, with 20 housing developments or housing-related projects moving forward as the community works to accommodate future growth and workforce needs.
Gary Person, president and CEO of the North Platte Area Chamber and Development Corporation, said the community has spent years working to encourage housing investment, and that effort is now visible in projects ranging from apartment complexes and single-family homes to supportive housing.
“We really put a lot of emphasis on this over the last decade,” Person said during an interview with the North Platte Post. “And we now have 20 new housing developments or housing type projects moving forward.”
Among the developments is Legacy Point, which Person described as two three-story apartment buildings with 48 units each. The project has drawn interest from young professionals, he said.
Heritage Homes is building houses in the area, while Victory Village recently completed its third phase of development in the West A area, bringing the project to approximately 200 units, according to Person.
Other projects are underway at Heartland Flats, where construction has begun on a second phase, and through Blue Sky Development and Horizon Builders.
Person said Horizon Builders has been developing multi-unit housing on the north side of North Platte, an area that has not seen as much housing construction in recent years.
The Chamber is also moving forward with its Mulligan Meadows development. Person said construction was expected to begin in October on a 12-unit project at the development, which includes a planned modular-home subdivision with Bonneville Homes.
The subdivision is expected to eventually include 49 single-family homes. Person described the homes as three-bedroom, two-bathroom properties with two-car garages and landscaping included.
“So you buy the home and get the key and you're ready to roll,” Person said.
Housing efforts also include projects designed to serve residents who need additional support. Person highlighted Thriving Connections, which offers housing connected with efforts to help people work toward greater independence and stability.
He said those types of projects are part of a broader effort to provide more housing options throughout the community.
Housing and workforce needs go hand in hand
North Platte's development comes as communities across the 18-county Mid-Plains region work to understand how housing availability affects their ability to attract and retain workers.
The 6 Regions, One Nebraska Mid-Plains Workforce Housing Plan includes a regional needs assessment and an interactive housing and workforce dashboard, along with a community toolkit intended to help local leaders identify opportunities and plan projects.
The regional assessment projects a need for an additional 949 livable housing units by 2035, even with an assumed annual population growth rate of 0.25%.
While that projection applies to the broader region rather than North Platte alone, it highlights the connection between housing and workforce development.
Person said the Chamber continues to emphasize workforce housing and attracting employers that can provide wages to support residents.
“We continue to work on bringing projects in that have good wages to them,” Person said.
He acknowledged that housing costs remain a concern for residents, including those who find apartment rents or home prices difficult to afford.
The Chamber has supported workforce housing efforts that use tools such as tax increment financing to help cover infrastructure costs associated with certain developments. Those arrangements can help make some projects financially feasible and reduce development expenses.
Person said the housing projects completed so far have generally been successful in attracting residents, while continued growth will depend in part on bringing more people and jobs to the area.
More housing, but affordability remains a concern
The number of projects moving forward represents a significant change for North Platte, according to Person.
He said the community had not seen housing built at this level since the 1970s, when larger subdivisions and substantial residential development were more common.
But the continued construction also raises questions about whether the available housing meets the needs and budgets of residents.
The Mid-Plains Workforce Housing Plan examines that challenge across the region, including the relationship between household incomes, housing costs and the condition of existing properties.
The regional toolkit is designed to help communities evaluate their own circumstances and consider approaches that fit local needs and resources.
For North Platte, the current projects offer a range of housing types, from apartments to single-family homes and supportive housing. Whether that supply can keep pace with future demand will remain an important consideration as the community continues to grow.
Person said the Chamber's goal is to help create conditions that support both residential development and economic growth.
“It's going to help everything else in the community work,” he said.
The Mid-Plains Workforce Housing Plan, including its needs assessment, interactive dashboard and community toolkit, is available through Mid-Plains Community College.
The full interview with Person is available through the North Platte Post Podcast.