Affordable, single-family housing discussed by Sikeston officials

SIKESTON — Sikeston’s key players, including city, Board of Municipal Utilities and school officials as well as developers, real estate agents, and other members of the community gathered to discuss housing early Thursday, Jan. 25 at Alan Wire in Sikeston.

Organized by Sikeston Mayor Greg Turnbow, the summit was an information and brainstorming session of how to get more affordable, single-family housing in Sikeston. 

Along with Turnbow, former Sikeston mayor, Steven Burch, spoke with the group and said increasing the number of households in Sikeston could have the single greatest economic impact of its time.

“Housing is an economic development,” Burch said.  “When we look at what’s happened in the last few years and we think about the economic development perspective, we start figuring out what we have to do.”

Burch continued, presenting the question: “How many of you feel like increasing the number of households and families moving into the city of Sikeston is potentially the No. 1 economic development issue of our time?”

According to local realtor Tim Merideth, there is a high level of interest among individuals migrating to Sikeston, and there is a need for three-bedroom houses priced around $200,000. 

The city fought tirelessly to recruit Carlisle Construction and its 100 jobs to Sikeston. However, a large number of those employees do not live in Sikeston.  

What is the worth if 100 families moved into Sikeston, adding that it would positively impact the schools, hospital, local taxes and much more, Burch noted.

Several attendees at the meeting said it would require the entire community to contribute in the housing crisis, while others said house ownership should be pushed in Sikeston in order to reduce rents. 

While there is a huge need for additional housing, other attendees proposed that other sections of town, such as the high school and the west end of Sikeston, should also be rehabilitated. The Land Clearance Redevelopment Authority, or LCRA, has numerous available lots on the west end, however, some people do not have the credit to rebuild or cannot recoup their investment by building in that location.

There was also a suggestion for a housing study, given that varied levels of housing are required. While some may afford $200,000 houses, many others seek homes in lower price levels.

One concern with new house construction is the expense of infrastructure installation. When such infrastructure is implemented, the cost of the residence rises for the buyer. Officials talked about measures to offset these expenditures, such as the Neighborhood Improvement Districts program in St. Charles, Missouri.

Another meeting is being planned in the coming months.