Beaver Dam Looking At Housing Issues

5/26/17 – The Beaver Dam Community Development Committee met last night to discuss a rising concern in the lack of houses being built. One of the core issues behind this problem is the reluctance of banks to loan money to developers to construct single family subdivisions. Director of Administration John Somers says that developers then come into a city asking for municipalities help with funding to install the infrastructure which includes the roads, sewer, and water. Somers adds that the city would be reimbursed through a developer’s agreement. Pat Kaster who works with River City Realtors located in Green Bay spoke at the meeting and shared some of her successes in the nearby village of Howard. She says their initial problem was improving the land that they owned but with help from the local community with financing, the area has seen consistent growth in the housing market. Howard Administrator Paul Evert says that the demand for lots was going to strip down what was being produced, leaving no lots left. He says that the village president jumped on board immediately when Kaster came forward and asked for help, offering to pay back everything plus interest meaning that more lots would be available. Evert says that nearby communities that are not supporting the construction of family homes are not growing.