In early 2019, the Tucker County Development Authority partnered with Woodlands Development Group and several other community partners to undertake a new workforce housing planning initiative.
With support from West Virginia’s Housing Finance Agency, these partners engaged a national non-profit community design firm, [bc] WORKSHOP, and the West Virginia University Land Use and Sustainable Development Law Clinic, to help re-envision the County’s Business/Industrial Park to convert the park to a mixed-use development that includes workforce housing.
A working group of local partners have convened monthly for six months to identify the need and priorities, reach consensus on use options, and develop initial site plans for a new campus of single- and multi-family housing, along with intentionally planned mixed-use development. Working with [bc] WORKSHOP architects as facilitators, the workforce housing task force has developed an initial site plan that compliments the natural landscape and reflects the creative culture of the neighboring towns.
The population targeted for this project, being the workforce are those individuals and families that span the low/middle income range of 60-100% of area median income and below. The income range includes state workers from two state parks, Rubenstein Juvenile Center and substitute teachers. It also includes those in the service industry professions who work in restaurants and other tourism-related businesses.
The Tucker County Development Authority recognizes that our economic initiatives and projects will not lead to any real sustainable economic development if employers are unable to find close, adequate housing for their employees or new businesses cannot locate to the area because of lack of housing options. Providing a variety of workforce housing options will considerably help attract and retain a robust workforce.