Letter to the Editor - The Opportunity to Speak About our Home

Your support keeps truth alive in Decorah—donate to local news today! Dear Editor, When asked where we are from, many of us share a deep sense of gratitude and pride in having the opportunity to speak about our home: Decorah, Iowa. As a well-developed, ecocentric, tight-knit community, Decorah has a charm that sets it apart from other small towns. With strong local employers like WinnMed, Luther College, and the Decorah Community School District, it's no surprise that so many people from different walks of life are drawn here, hoping to build a life in this corner of Iowa. But maintaining this standard for Decorah comes at a cost, which has been a rising issue that our community has been facing: affordable housing. The discussion of accessibility to affordable housing, specifically workforce housing, in Decorah has become an increasingly common topic amongst residents and professionals, and there's no wonder why. The very people who make Decorah such a special place, from teachers and healthcare workers to young professionals and local business employees, are the ones struggling the most to find a place to live. Local realtors have pointed out that a modest one-bedroom apartment can cost $800 to $1,000 per month, eating up a third or more of a young worker's income. And while Decorah is an attractive place to work and live, many workers are being priced out, forced to search for homes in surrounding towns like Calmar, Ossian, Waukon, or Ridgeway. One Cresco resident who commutes daily to Decorah for a full-time job said they made that choice because Cresco offered cheaper rent, lower property taxes, and overall more affordable housing. Decorah has seen this recurring pattern time and time again. According to the Rural Housing Readiness Action Plan for Decorah in 2023, 3,141 people are employed in Decorah but live outside of town, while only 1,064 people both live and work here. Our sense of community dwindles when we experience troubles such as this. Another part of Decorah's challenge is our unique topography. City manager Travis Goedken has highlighted that our rolling hills and valleys make developing new infrastructure expensive and challenging for construction. When discussing the idea of simply building more residential housing, the city faces the fact that new infrastructure lots can reach up to $80,000, which simply drives up the cost of new homes and doesn't solve the original problem at hand. The city also faces the challenge of losing our small town charm when building new complexes, which is something Decorah values so greatly. Although there are many roadblocks in the path to more affordable housing for Decorah, the city is taking steps and initiative in the right direction. State tax breaks for new home construction and $25,000 grants for creating apartments above downtown businesses are helping. Zoning rules have also been updated to allow smaller lots, reduced setbacks, and accessory dwelling units (ADUs), giving homeowners more flexibility and creating new rental opportunities. Another step in the right direction is the collaboration of professionals in our hometown. The economic development group Decorah Jobs has formed a housing committee that's actively working on the issue, writing grant proposals, and partnering with local, state, and federal organizations. The city and county are also updating codes to allow for more diverse housing options, like Planned Unit Developments (PUDs), which can help meet the needs of different types of workers and families. Despite these steps and initiatives, progress is slow and tedious. The need for more affordable workforce housing still continues to grow. The stakes are also high. If our workforce can't find housing close to home, they are less likely to settle down and contribute to the local economy. The very foundation of our city and how close knit we are could be at stake. As we know, Decorah is a wonderful place to live, which is what makes this issue so pressing. Decorah has a lot to offer but there are missing pieces that are vital to our community, and simply "taking steps" in the right direction isn't enough. We need housing to match our standards. Housing that provides for our working community and makes Decorah all the more better. As our community has been addressing this problem, it is necessary to keep the conversation rolling. Collaboration and constant communication between the city and its residents is the key to constant progress. Decorah is a capable community that will be able to rise to yet another challenge and provide a home for everyone who works here. From, Leslie Campbell, St. Peter, Minn, originally from Decorah, Iowa We want to hear from you! Submit your letter to the editor and join the community discussion.