De Smet Housing Needs Assessment

2014
De Smet Housing Needs Assessment
First District Association of Local Governments
Watertown, South Dakota
Contents
Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................ 4
Study Area ...................................................................................................................................... 5
Location ....................................................................................................................................... 5
Map 1 – State of South Dakota ................................................................................................... 5
Map 2 – Kingsbury County ......................................................................................................... 5
Map 3 – Detailed Map of Kingsbury County.............................................................................. 6
Population.................................................................................................................................... 6
Table 1 – Historic Population of De Smet .................................................................................. 7
Housing Construction in De Smet ............................................................................................... 7
Table 2 – New Housing In De Smet ........................................................................................... 8
Rental Housing in De Smet ......................................................................................................... 8
De Smet Area Workforce................................................................................................................ 9
Table 3 - Jobs by Worker Age .................................................................................................... 9
Table 4 - Jobs by Earnings .......................................................................................................... 9
Table 5 - Jobs by NAICS Industry Sector ................................................................................... 9
Table 6 - Jobs by Worker Race ................................................................................................. 10
Table 7 - Jobs by Worker Ethnicity .......................................................................................... 10
Table 8 - Jobs by Worker Educational Attainment ................................................................... 10
Table 9 - Jobs by Worker Sex ................................................................................................... 10
Table 10 – Employment Status ................................................................................................. 10
Table 11 – Largest Employers in the City of De Smet ............................................................. 11
Table 12 – Census Identified Commuting Methods.................................................................. 11
Table 13 – Census Identified Commuting Patterns ................................................................... 11
Map 4 – Census Identified Commuting Patterns ...................................................................... 12
Table 14 – Employee Hometowns ............................................................................................ 12
Map 5 – De Smet Worker Locations ......................................................................................... 14
Housing Needs Assessment Survey .............................................................................................. 15
Question 1: Do you currently WORK in De Smet? ................................................................. 16
Question 2: Do you currently LIVE in De Smet? .................................................................... 16
Question 2a: If no, would you like to live in De Smet if it were possible? ............................. 16
Question 2b: If no, how far do you commute to work (_____ miles)? .................................... 16
Question 2c: What are your barriers for moving to De Smet? ................................................. 16
Question 3: How many people currently live in your household in each of the following
categories? ................................................................................................................................. 18
Childcare Needed? .................................................................................................................... 18
Question 4: Please describe your CURRENT housing status. ................................................. 18
Question 5: Do you plan to seek a change in housing in De Smet within the next 5 years? ... 18
Question 5a: If yes, please indicate which of the following you plan to seek. ........................ 18
Question 6: What is the minimum number of bedrooms your household required? ............... 19
Question 7: What is the most you could pay monthly for housing in De Smet? ..................... 19
Question 8: What is the most you would pay to purchase a home in De Smet? ...................... 19
Question 9: Ranking: From 1-8, please rank the most important services that influence your
decision to live in De Smet? (1=most important) .................................................................... 20
Question 10: What do you see as the primary issues related to housing in the De Smet area? 20
Summary of Findings ................................................................................................................ 23
Housing Needs Interviews ............................................................................................................ 24
Summary of Findings and Recommendations .............................................................................. 25
Marketing .................................................................................................................................. 25
Vacant Lots ............................................................................................................................... 25
Infrastructure Planning and Development................................................................................. 26
Future Housing Projects ............................................................................................................ 26
Executive Summary
This assessment was conducted in 2014 with the purpose of determining the overall housing
needs of people living and working in the City of De Smet and to identify the most critical unmet
housing needs within the community.
The following recommendations have been derived from reviewing available data, conducting
interviews and reviewing housing needs survey responses:
Marketing
Online marketing of housing and rentals available in the City of De Smet should be developed.
Searching the internet for available housing in the City of De Smet returns very few properties
for sale in the community and can be a hindrance to people searching for available housing
opportunities in the City of De Smet. Available housing or rental listings should be centralized
in an online location that is easily accessed by persons seeking housing in the City of De Smet.
Vacant Lots
An inventory of existing vacant lots within the City of De Smet should be developed. Infill of
existing vacant lots for housing development can be undertaken in a timely fashion because the
needed utility infrastructure exists at these sites. Once existing vacant lots are identified the
owner(s) can be contacted to determine if they are willing to sell their property. Willing sellers
can then have their lots listed for sale – possibly on the aforementioned online location.
Infrastructure Planning and Development
The City of De Smet should consider adopting or revising housing development policies as
needed and annual capital improvement plans should identify infrastructure for potential housing
development locations. Housing development policies that clearly define the roles and
responsibilities of both the developer and the municipality are mutually beneficial to both parties
and should be drafted with input from each party. Identifying potential housing development
locations will allow the City of De Smet to prepare the preliminary engineering designs and cost
estimates needed to install the municipal infrastructure required to serve a site
Future Housing Projects
High-end rental housing, targeted toward retirement aged citizens, and housing that is affordable
to employees working in the City of De Smet are the two primary housing needs that are
currently unmet or underserved in the community at this time. Developing high-end rental
housing, targeted toward retirement aged citizens, will fill an unmet need in the City of De Smet
that will also meet the underserved demand for affordable employee housing in the community.
A number of homes should become available when retirees move into new, high-end rental units
and no longer have a need for their existing homes.
Study Area
The study area of this Housing Needs Assessment focuses on the City of De Smet, South Dakota.
Location
The City of De Smet is located at 44.3858° N, 97.5517° W in Kingsbury County, South Dakota.
Map 1 – State of South Dakota
Map 2 – Kingsbury County
Map 3 – Detailed Map of Kingsbury County
De Smet, elevation 1,724, is located at the intersection of US Highway 14 and SD Highway 25.
The City was founded in 1880 and incorporated in 1883 and has served as the County Seat of
Kingsbury County since 1880.
Population
There were 1,089 people, 478 households and 290 families residing in De Smet according to the
2010 US Census. Average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.83.
Racial makeup of the community was 98.8% white, 0.1% African American, 0.6% Native
American, 0.1% Asian and 0.5% from two or more races.
Within the 478 households in De Smet 24.3% had children under age 18, 52.3% were married
couples living together, 5.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.9% had a
male householder with no wife present and 39.3% were non-families. 35.6% of households were
made up of individuals and 22.6% had someone age 65 years of age or older living alone.
Median age in De Smet was 49.6 years of age. 22% of residents were under age 18, 4.1% were
between 18 and 24, 17.9% were between 25 and 44, 26% were between 45 and 64 and 29.9%
were 65 or older. The population was 47.2% male and 52.8% female.
Population in De Smet has trended downward since 1970 when the City reached its peak
population of 1,336. The population decline, however, has not been sharp or drastic and likely
can be attributed to the effect of overall population loss associated with an aging population as
no substantial recent population loss can be directly attributed to the loss of a major employer or
other contributing factor.
Most small communities in the State of South Dakota have experienced population decline in
recent decades as well. De Smet experienced population loss over the last decade that is similar
to other comparably sized South Dakota communities (Clark [-11.4%], Clear Lake [-4.6%],
Highmore [-6.6%], Howard [-19.9%], Martin [-3.2%] and Philip [-11.9%]).
Table 1 – Historic Population of De Smet
Year Population % Change
1880 116
---1890 541
+366.4%
1900 749
+38.4%
1910 1,063
+41.9%
1920 1,035
-2.6%
1930 1,017
-1.7%
1940 1,016
-0.1%
1950 1,180
+16.1%
1960 1,324
+12.2%
1970 1,336
+0.9%
1980 1,237
-7.4%
1990 1,172
-5.3%
2000 1,164
-0.7%
2010 1,089
-6.4%
Source: US Census
Housing Construction in De Smet
Construction of new single family homes expands the existing housing stock and demonstrates
the willingness of residents to invest in their community while construction of apartments
provides residents wishing to live in a community with a non-ownership option. Both are
present throughout De Smet.
Information on building permits issued in De Smet was provided by the De Smet Finance Office.
The spreadsheet contained total numbers and total estimated values of housing and apartment
building permits issued from 1996 to 2013.
Housing construction in De Smet has occurred regularly with over $7.5 million in building
permits for new homes and apartments issued since 1996. The following table breaks out new
housing construction in De Smet by year, number of permits and total cost.
Table 2 – New Housing In De Smet
Year # of New Homes Total Cost
2013
4
$1,115,000
2012
5
$1,520,000
2011
5
$1,075,000
2010
2
$180,000
2009
2
$247,000
2008
2
$350,000
2007
0
---2006
1
$155,000
2005
2
$260,000
2004
3
$259,000
2003
3
$475,000
2002
0
---2001
1
$105,000
2001
Apartments
$241,000
2000
0
---1999
2
$350,000
1999
Apartments
$480,000
1998
2
$280,000
1997
1
$45,000
1996
4
$419,000
Total $7,556,700
Source: City of De Smet Finance Office
Rental Housing in De Smet
Rental housing in De Smet consists of apartment buildings, houses and townhomes. The market
rental rate in De Smet, according to local realtor Loren Moore, is estimated to be $552 per
month.
A sampling of monthly rental rates in De Smet was conducted to determine how existing rates
within the community. Two bedroom apartment rental rates are $400-405 per month. A three
bedroom house rents for $500 per month while a 4 bedroom house rents for $550 per month.
Townhome rental rates are $615 per month.
Rental units consist of a mixture of public and privately owned and operated facilities.
Apartment buildings and homes appear to be privately held properties while the townhomes are
owned and operated by a local housing authority.
De Smet Area Workforce
According to the 2010 United States Census there are 584 total jobs in the City of De Smet. The
following tables (Source: 2010 US Census – Tables 4–10) provide additional detail:
Table 3 - Jobs by Worker Age
2010
Count Share
Age 29 or younger 104 17.8%
Age 30 to 54 320 54.8%
Age 55 or older 160 27.4%
Table 4 - Jobs by Earnings
2010
Count Share
$1,250 per month or less 196 33.6%
$1,251 to $3,333 per month 262 44.9%
More than $3,333 per month 126 21.6%
Table 5 - Jobs by NAICS Industry Sector
Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting
Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction
Utilities
Construction
Manufacturing
Wholesale Trade
Retail Trade
Transportation and Warehousing
Information
Finance and Insurance
Real Estate and Rental and Leasing
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
Management of Companies and Enterprises
Administration & Support, Waste Management and Remediation
Educational Services
Health Care and Social Assistance
Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation
Accommodation and Food Services
Other Services (excluding Public Administration)
Public Administration
2010
Count Share
9
1.5%
0
0.0%
13
2.2%
8
1.4%
176 30.1%
69
11.8%
78
13.4%
0
0.0%
10
1.7%
21
3.6%
1
0.2%
7
1.2%
0
0.0%
0
0.0%
74
12.7%
27
4.6%
0
0.0%
45
7.7%
5
0.9%
41
7.0%
Table 6 - Jobs by Worker Race
White Alone
Black or African American Alone
American Indian or Alaska Native Alone
Asian Alone
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander Alone
Two or More Race Groups
2010
Count Share
576 98.6%
2
0.3%
3
0.5%
2
0.3%
0
0.0%
1
0.2%
Table 7 - Jobs by Worker Ethnicity
2010
Count Share
Not Hispanic or Latino 580 99.3%
Hispanic or Latino
4
0.7%
Table 8 - Jobs by Worker Educational Attainment
Less than high school
High school or equivalent, no college
Some college or Associate degree
Bachelor's degree or advanced degree
Educational attainment not available (workers aged 29 or younger)
2010
Count Share
49
8.4%
156 26.7%
167 28.6%
108 18.5%
104 17.8%
Table 9 - Jobs by Worker Sex
2010
Count
Share
Male
288
49.3%
Female
296
50.7%
EMPLOYMENT STATUS
Population 16 years and over
In labor force
Civilian labor force
Employed
Unemployed
Armed Forces
Not in labor force
Table 10 – Employment Status
Estimate Margin of Error Percent Percent Margin of Error
973
+/-89
973
(X)
593
+/-67
60.9%
+/-5.7
593
+/-67
60.9%
+/-5.7
586
+/-66
60.2%
+/-5.6
7
+/-9
0.7%
+/-1.0
0
+/-9
0.0%
+/-2.0
380
+/-73
39.1%
+/-5.7
The ten largest businesses identified in Table 11 represent over 70% of the 584 people working
in the City of De Smet. Six of the businesses are manufacturers (denoted with an *) and the
other businesses represent the insurance, education, assisted living and agricultural sectors.
Table 11 – Largest Employers in the City of De Smet
Employer Name
# of Employees Year Established
American Engineered Products(*)
19
2012
CMI(*)
34
1993
DeSCo(*)
23
1970
De Smet Farm Mutual Insurance Co
33
1916
De Smet School District
43
1921
Good Samaritan
70
1968
Legend Seeds
42
1990
Lyle Signs(*)
68
1974
Sheyenne Dakota(*)
18
2013
Ultimed(*)
63
2001
Total
413
Table 12 – Census Identified Commuting Methods
COMMUTING TO WORK Estimate Margin of Error Percent % Margin of Error
Workers 16 years and over
583
+/-67
583
(X)
Car, truck, or van -- drove alone
484
+/-64
83.0%
+/-6.7
Car, truck, or van -- carpooled
35
+/-26
6.0%
+/-4.4
Public transportation
0
+/-9
0.0%
+/-3.4
Walked
41
+/-22
7.0%
+/-3.8
Other means
0
+/-9
0.0%
+/-3.4
Worked at home
23
+/-34
3.9%
+/-5.9
Table 13 – Census Identified Commuting Patterns
WORKER TOTALS AND FLOWS Count % Share
Employed in De Smet 584
100.0
Employed in De Smet but Living Outside 448
76.7
Employed and Living in De Smet 136
23.3
Living in De Smet 460
100.0
Living in De Smet but Employed Outside 324
70.4
Living and Employed in De Smet 136
29.6
Map 4 – Census Identified Commuting Patterns
Home towns of 300 employees working in De Smet were identified, tabulated and mapped to
show where people working in De Smet reside. Employees living in rural areas surrounding a
municipality were identified as residing in the community nearest to their home. Table 14
provides a breakdown of how many employees, working in De Smet, live in each municipality.
Table 14 – Employee Hometowns
Hometown # Employees
Arlington
18
Brookings
7
Bryant
5
Carthage
3
Clark
1
Clear Lake
1
De Smet
173
Doland
1
Erwin
7
Hazel
1
Hetland
1
Howard
9
Huron
20
Iroquois
14
Lake Norden
2
Lake Preston
22
Madison
1
Oldham
2
Volga
2
Watertown
1
Willow Lake
5
Yale
4
Total
300
Source: Employer Provided Data
The employer provided information shows that 173 of the 300 employees working in De Smet
also live in, or near, De Smet. This represents 57.7% of the employees working in De Smet with
the remaining 42.3% living in surrounding communities.
Erwin (7) and Lake Preston (22) are within 10 miles of De Smet. Adding those employees to the
of employees living in De Smet (173) the total number of employees residing within 10 miles of
De Smet increases to 202.The remainder of the communities have been broken into 10 mile
segments.
Bryant (5), Carthage (3), Hetland (1), Iroquois (14), Oldham (2) and Willow Lake (5) lie
between 10 and 20 miles from De Smet and represent 30 employees. Arlington (18), Hazel (1),
Howard (9), Lake Norden (2) and Yale (4) lie between 20 and 30 miles from De Smet and
represent 34 employees. Brookings (7), Clark (1), Huron (20), Madison (1) and Volga (2) lie
between 30 and 40 miles from De Smet and represent 31 employees. Clear Lake (1), Clark (1)
and Watertown (1) are 40 miles or further from De Smet and represent 3 employees. The
following map shows a graphic representation of where the aforementioned employees reside.
Map 5 – De Smet Worker Locations
Housing Needs Assessment Survey
The primary methodology for identifying the housing needs in De Smet involved distributing,
collecting and tabulating surveys. Surveys were distributed to the employees of several major
employers in the community and to the community as a whole through the De Smet News.
A housing needs assessment survey was created to gather information pertaining to employment
status, commuting distances, household makeup, current housing situation, desired housing
situation, ranking of community services and also allowed for open-ended input from persons
completing the survey. The housing needs assessment survey used for this assessment is below.
211 completed surveys were returned. Completed surveys were tabulated and the results can be
found in the following tables.
Question 1: Do you currently WORK in De Smet?
Yes
187
No
5
Retired 16
Question 2: Do you currently LIVE in De Smet?
Yes 111
No 79
Question 2a: If no, would you like to live in De Smet if it were possible?
Yes
15
No
66
Maybe 1
Question 2b: If no, how far do you commute to work (_____ miles)?
The following 79 responses were received to this question: 42, 20, 15, ½, 3, 5, 42, 25, 54, 3, 35,
35, 8, 18, 8, 15, 10, 20, 15, 40, 11, 12, 10, 20, 21, 18, 20, 24, 36, 36, 18, 35, 20, 35, 20, 35, 20, 7,
2, 8, 25, 20, 10, 20, 15, 16, 13, 10, 8, ½, 1, 30, 25, 22, 30, 30, 8, 20, 8, 30, 39, 30, 260, 15, 9, 10,
30, 30, 30, 30, 30, 30, 30, 26, 15, 20, 35, 18 and 35.
The average commute to work in De Smet, according to received responses, is 23.86 miles.
Question 2c: What are your barriers for moving to De Smet?
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I own a house in Brookings
High taxes
Rent to own
I am not a town person
Quality housing
Own my home
We have another 10 years before retirement
Live on an acreage
Family
Accessibility
Family
Own my own house
Own home in Lake Preston
No desire to live in town
Live at the lake
Own my home and don’t care to sell
The house I live in is all paid for
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Too small no apartment
Too many nosy people
I own my house
Live on family homestead
I own my house in Oldham
De Smet
Can’t afford it
Own a home elsewhere
Own home
I own my home in Huron
Own a house in Arlington
Stay away from workers
Family
None
Want my kids to grow up in Lake Preston like I did
Wife works elsewhere
Cost of rent
Living in town
Wife and family
Moved here quick the first time and couldn’t find a place here ready to move into
Spouse – good job another town
Planning on moving to Bruce
We farm
Husband job/family
None
Entertainment, food, social development
Family in Huron
Small town
Nothing to rent
Family in another town
Own house, family
Farm
Family farm elsewhere
Family, other jobs
Where I live, I know child care is an issue
Employment for spouse, sell current house, access to goods and services
Too much drama – I don’t need people knocking on my door and in my business
Question 3: How many people currently live in your household in each of the following
categories?
Under 5 years
5-18 years
19-35 years
36-50 years
51-64 years
65+ years
47
124
103
104
110
38
Childcare Needed?
Yes 19
No 39
Question 4: Please describe your CURRENT housing status.
Rent an apartment 24
Rent a house
26
Own a house
151
Live with parents
1
Question 5: Do you plan to seek a change in housing in De Smet within the next 5 years?
Yes
34
No
165
Possibly 1
Maybe
2
Question 5a: If yes, please indicate which of the following you plan to seek.
Rent an apartment
5
Rent a house
9
Rent a townhome
3
Assisted Living
0
Purchase a single family home 21
Purchase a townhome
3
Other – Build
5
Other
1
Question 6: What is the minimum number of bedrooms your household required?
1
2
3
4+
28
49
70
40
Question 7: What is the most you could pay monthly for housing in De Smet?
$1,000
$800
$650
$550
$400
Other - $630
Other - $500
Other - $450
Other - $400
Other - $375
Other - $350
Other - $225
Other - $200
12
17
25
33
48
1
1
1
1
1
3
1
2
Question 8: What is the most you would pay to purchase a home in De Smet?
$50,000
$100,000
$150,000
$200,000+
Other – $97,000
Other - $90,000
Other - $75,000
Other - $30,000
Other - $25,000
47
60
32
12
1
1
1
1
1
Question 9: Ranking: From 1-8, please rank the most important services that influence
your decision to live in De Smet? (1=most important)
Service
1
Health Care
23
Restaurants & Groceries 1
Public Schools K-12
26
Main Street Businesses
3
Daycare
7
Job Opportunities
67
Senior Activities
2
Vibrant Community Life 7
2
23
15
34
6
8
19
3
10
3
24
19
14
14
12
8
3
11
Ranking
4 5
27 9
27 21
11 6
30 33
6 10
6 8
7 5
18 13
6
9
19
7
16
9
8
10
27
7 8
2 3
5 7
12 3
10 3
25 37
1 1
34 46
11 11
Question 10: What do you see as the primary issues related to housing in the De Smet
area?
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Affordable rent for single people and small families is needed
Housing costs do not match with low wage jobs
I don’t know because I haven’t looked into it
Need more rentals for families with children
Lack of and affordable
It’s home – my town – kids (7) graduated from high school here
Renting? House market
Not much to rent or buy
Not enough 2 and 3 bedroom housing available for new residents to move here in De
Smet could use an apartment with 2 and 3 bedrooms for rent or for sale
Rent is way too high
Availability of rentals with attached garages
Lacks quality rentals with garage access for 2-3 bedroom
Needs to be affordable with the wages
Lack of houses that are in the $100,000 to $200,000 range
Need more
Not enough rental houses or apartments
Need condo/townhouses with basements – one level
Need more homes to sell
Short
Not enough housing
No housing for younger families
It would be a nice town to live in but I’m happy here in Bancroft
Shortage – reasonable rent
Lack of affordable housing
Hard to find affordable but nice apartments. A single person has a hard time making
ends meet but still wants to have a nice place to live and have company
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Everyone wants to rent and not buy a home
I think this city is somewhat land-locked in that it is hard to find locations to build
additional housing. Some of the houses that are for sale are in need of attention
Not enough apartment type units available for single people or small families
Not a nice homes for middle class families. Not enough apartments – higher end
Not enough housing
Newer homes
Available affordable handicap accessible opportunities
Quality housing in the $80,000 - $130,000 range
The houses are older and outdated
Nothing nice available in my price range
Low paying jobs
I have none
Nothing for single families to rent when first moving to the area. Difficult to locate what
is for rent
Not familiar with De Smet area
Daycare and housing
Jobs
Lack of newer homes
Not enough apartments and houses for rent
Don’t know haven’t been looking here
Too many expensive homes being built that middle class can’t afford to rent or buy
Affordability
No apartments
Too expensive
None affordable for low income
It too expensive
Affordability of what’s available
Cost and not enough apartments for the single or smaller family
Cost to build exceeds the rent that can be charged
I have never looked for housing in De Smet so I have no opinion
I don’t
I see no issues. I just have no interest in moving away from my current location
Rent is expensive
Affordable housing
Not enough
Low pay
Family apartments
Not enough – older homes
High cost of living
Pay
More for people to rent
No houses for rent
No houses for rent, only for sale
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Lack of quality, affordable housing
They don’t want affordable housing. Afraid it will bring in minorities
Cost
Shortage
Clean affordable housing
Lack of
Getting jobs that pay enough to afford affordable housing in this shithole
Shortage of houses and apartments
Not enough nice houses. Taxes too high
Don’t know
Not enough low income
New houses cost too much
Too high of property taxes
Lack of affordable housing
Pay scale as related to the cost of housing
Higher cost
Availability
With growing businesses there will not be enough
Not enough selection. Too expensive for what you get
Way too expensive for what you are getting compared to larger towns. Larger towns
have way cheaper for better
Need low rent
Property taxes very high
Taxes
Lack of
Too spendy of houses
Housing is not affordable for the income people make and houses are too expensive
Not enough
Not enough rentals
Poor wages and high rent
Not enough apartments for families
If there were better paying jobs in De Smet and the area (most people with children want
to work in the same community as where their children attend daycare and school).
People would be able the homes that are currently available (which are way overpriced
and need lots of updating) and/or make updates to their current homes. Housing needs to
be more affordable to the guy that is making $8.75 an hour not the guy that is making $15
to $20 an hour. A single person can’t afford a $500 monthly payment making $8.75 an
hour which is about what most of the housing is currently available now.
Bad water
Not enough rental properties
There aren’t any housing options here. You either buy a junk house, rent a junk house or
apartment or pay way too much to purchase a house
Housing is limited, daycare is limited, healthcare is limited
Limited housing and daycares
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No social development
Availability of rentals
There are few midlevel homes and our starter homes are getting pretty old. No city
development growth plan
Rentals be affordable and the availability of rentals
Not a lot of options
Not enough apartments
Most people don’t earn enough to buy an entry level house or rent an apartment for $300
- $400 per month. There are currently many empty apartments in town
It’s not affordable. Our wages only support $400 per month rent. I own rentals I know
There is a lack of affordable homes, or else wages are too low
Not enough rentals
Rental availability
Availability of houses that are in our price range
More rentals needed
Quality options at a reasonable cost, places that allow pets, housing with more bedrooms
Need to expand and clean older houses out
Summary of Findings
34 of the 211 survey respondents indicated that they were likely to seek housing in De Smet
within the next five years. Three additional persons indicated that they may be seeking housing
in De Smet in within the next five years. One answered “possibly” and two answered “maybe”
to the question. The following represents a summary of the answers provided by the 37 survey
respondents indicating that they are likely to seek housing in De Smet within the next five years:
Question 1: Do you currently work in De Smet?
33 work in De Smet
2 were retired
Question 2: Do you currently live in De Smet?
25 live in De Smet
11 not live in De Smet
Question 4: Please describe your current housing status.
9 currently rent an apartment
9 currently rent a house
16 currently own a house
Question 5a: If yes, please indicate which of the following you plan to seek:
5 plan to rent an apartment
8 plan to rent a house
2 plan to rent a townhome
15 plan to purchase a single family home
3 plan to purchase a townhome
7 plan to build a home
Question 6: What is the minimum number of bedrooms your household required?
3 require a minimum of 1 bedroom
16 require a minimum of 2 bedrooms
12 require a minimum of 3 bedrooms
6 require 4+ bedrooms
Question 7: What is the most you could pay monthly for housing in De Smet?
3 could pay $1,000/month
5 could pay $800/month
8 could pay $650/month
5 could pay $550/month
1 could pay $450/month
12 could pay $400/month
2 could pay $300/month
Question 8: What is the most you would pay to purchase a home in De Smet?
12 would pay $50,000 to purchase a house
1 would pay $70,000 to purchase a house
8 would pay $100,000 to purchase a house
9 would pay $150,000 to purchase a house
3 would pay $200,000+ to purchase a house
Housing Needs Interviews
Interviews for this assessment were conducted in an open-ended discussion format with both
individuals and small groups of people. The following bullet points represent a summary of the
information gathered through the interview process:
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There is an affordable housing shortage in the City of De Smet
Listings of available housing are difficult to find
The City of De Smet should plan for housing development
A marketing piece for housing/rentals would be useful
The De Smet School is an asset to the community
Recruiting new employees is often difficult because of a lack of affordable housing
There are no high-end rental units for retirees available in the City of De Smet
New homes could be built on existing vacant lots
Areas for future housing developments should be identified
The themes that were most often repeated throughout the interview process were the lack of real
estate marketing, the need for high-end rental units for retirees, and the role of the City of De
Smet in planning for future infrastructure to support housing development.
Interviewees, especially employers, indicated that the lack of real estate marketing had a
negative impact on people seeking housing to rent or purchase in the City of De Smet because it
was difficult for them to locate rental properties or homes for sale in the community.
The need for high-end rental units came primarily from interviews conducted with retired people
currently residing in the City of De Smet who indicated that they would like to move out of their
homes and into an apartment, condo or townhome where they would not be responsible for
maintenance of the premises.
Finally, interviewees also noted that there appeared to be no defined plan for future housing
development within the community from the City of De Smet.
Summary of Findings and Recommendations
The findings and recommendations for the City of De Smet come from the information gathered
from the housing surveys and housing needs interviews found in previous sections of this report.
These recommendations have been developed in the following four areas:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Marketing
Vacant Lots
Infrastructure Planning and Development
Future Housing Projects
Recommendations for each of the aforementioned categories are as follows:
Marketing
1. Identify real estate agencies marketing properties in the De Smet area.
2. Identify private owners seeking to sell real estate in the De Smet area.
3. Identify owners or apartment management companies responsible for rental housing in
the De Smet area.
4. Develop a website to market homes for sale and rental properties in the De Smet area.
Improving the marketing of real estate, homes and rental units in the City of De Smet will make
finding housing in the community a simpler and more efficient process for people who are not
familiar with De Smet.
Vacant Lots
1. Identify the locations of existing vacant lots within the corporate boundaries of the City
of De Smet.
2. Identify the owners of existing vacant lots within the corporate boundaries of the City of
De Smet.
3. Contact the owners of existing vacant lots within the corporate boundaries of the City of
De Smet to determine if they are willing to sell their properties.
4. Offer those persons willing to sell their vacant properties the opportunity to list their sites
for sale on a website.
Developing housing on existing vacant lots is efficient and cost effective because infrastructure
is often available to serve those sites.
Infrastructure Planning and Development
1. Include the topic of infrastructure development for future housing development in annual
capital improvement plans prepared by the De Smet City Council.
2. Develop a set of policies outlining the roles and responsibilities of housing developers
and the municipal government for future housing development.
3. Hire an engineer to review the existing water distribution and wastewater collection
systems to make recommendations for infrastructure improvement projects to support
future housing developments.
Efficient and organized housing development requires planning for, and construction of, new
infrastructure like sewer, water, roads and electricity.
Future Housing Projects
1. Prepare a simple feasibility study to determine the demand for high-end rental housing by
asking interested area residents what amenities they would like to see offered in a rental
unit and how much they would be willing to pay on a monthly basis for those amenities.
2. Offer the results of the simple feasibility study to local housing contractors so they can
have the first opportunity to construct a high-end rental housing units to meet the needs
of area residents.
Focusing future housing project efforts in the area of high-end rental housing will meet an
underserved housing demand in the City of De Smet and will also result in the listing and sales
of several existing homes.