Over 40% of Chautauqua County households can’t afford average rents in the county with 53% of households not able to afford homeownership.
This data comes from a Housing Market Analysis and Development Strategy recently completed by the Chautauqua County Partnership for Economic Growth (CCPEG), in conjunction with the Chautauqua County Department of Planning and Development and housing-related stakeholders.
CCPEG Planning Coordinator Rebecca Wurster said the impetus for the study is the amount of requests for a housing market study by housing developers to municipalities, “So that was our first key piece in, hey, we need something county-wide that our municipalities could turn to and hand over to a developer that’s interested in their community to understand our current housing need, our current housing stock, and just get a better lay of the land in what is really needed in our housing world.”
Wurster said the definition of affordability has changed drastically, “Especially in the rising cost of housing, and the market rates that have risen. You know, it’s no longer affordability, speaking in the middle class housing is affordable, it’s no longer that case anymore. You look to your neighbors and it’s no longer affordable, your teachers, a lot of occupations in the county it’s a challenge now.”
Wurster said 58% of occupations in Chautauqua County pay annual wages under 50% of the Area Median Income.
The study said that households that spend more than 30% of their annual income on housing, including rent, mortgage, and basic utilities are considered cost burdened.
Wurster said aging housing stock and rental availability and quality are other issues in Chautauqua County. She said the study shows new housing is needed on different scales across the county, “We need affordable housing, senior housing, housing for people with disabilities, we need waterfront housing, workforce housing, we need it all. And that’s exciting to think we can attract developers because there is a need and this study shows that. I think that was something we were lacking in the past. Now, we have the actual numbers to hand them and say, ‘Hey, this would work here.'”
The study lists four goals based on the housing assessment:
1. Improving housing quality and diversity
2. Addressing the housing needs of special populations
3. Affordability for the workforce
4. Enhancing land management tools and resources to improve housing quality and access
The full study can be viewed at:
https://www.choosechq.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Report-2024-Chautauqua-County-Housing-Needs-Assessment.pdf
You can hear the complete interview with Rebecca Wurster and Jamestown Director of Development Crystal Surdyk on the Housing Market Analysis and Development Strategy on Community Matters at 5:00 p.m., Thursday, April 18 and 12:00 p.m., Sunday, April 21 on 107.9 FM, streaming online at wrfalp.com, or through WRFA’s mobile app available on Android and Apple phones.
I was surprised to see this; I thought Chautauqua County had too much housing, which should have kept prices low. Housing for my relatives there is certainly way cheaper than here in Arlington, VA.
There are resources available are there not for individuals to access outside of the city and county? There is availability, different methods of access to housing that could be utilized yet are not being explored. It appears that some of the rental properties are being assessed at rates that don’t reflect the current housing market prices for the area or the market.