Mayor Matt Nicholson will release each task associated with the Burkart Opportunity Zone Agenda and what is being done.
The Tribune will provide information as it is released from the city of Seymour. The city released information on task 4.1 and 4.2 of the Burkart Opportunity Zone Agenda below.
These tasks address the improvement of existing residential and apartment conditions and the development of new, affordable, trail-side communities.
We will highlight why these tasks were identified, what is being done to accomplish each one, who is responsible for completing the tasks, how they will be funded and a timeline for completion.
Residents who live within the Burkart Opportunity Zone are generally lower income compared to the rest of the city. Several apartment communities and manufactured home sites in this area need improvements.
Issues include overcrowding with multiple families living in single units, incidents of flooding and frozen pipes, and a lack of knowledge of renter’s rights. There is also a need for improved sidewalk connections.
Even with these problems, apartments and manufactured homes are still in high demand due to the lack of affordable options locally. While adding housing units is addressed in later tasks, existing housing in the Burkart Opportunity Zone requires improvements for safety and livability to meet the high demand.
The city will evaluate options to reduce flooding on public streets and improve utilities while providing added sidewalks and trails. Also, the City will continue to cultivate relationships with ownership and management of properties and ramp up code enforcement efforts.
This task will take at least three years to complete with the Mayor’s Office, the City Engineer, and City Planning and Zoning Department leading implementation with support from Thrive Alliance, Jackson County United Way, local property owners, and the Jackson County Health Department.
Identified sources for potential funding include developers with capacity to purchase and rehabilitate properties and READI 2.0 for infrastructure costs for drainage, road construction and trails.
Now, we are going to take a closer look at Task 4.2 – Developing new, affordable trail-side communities in Seymour.
One of the largest needs identified in our area is housing with data showing 35% of residents in the Burkart Opportunity Zone are cost burdened (meaning they spend more than 30% of their income on rent) compared to 26% citywide.
Workers and representatives from Aisin and Pet Supplies Plus report crowded housing conditions and a lack of available housing for those looking to relocate to Seymour to fill available jobs.
Jackson County projects a housing shortage of 2,800 units by 2030. Given Seymour is by far the largest city in Jackson County, a bare minimum of 1,400 housing units are needed to fill demand in Seymour by 2030, which means 200 units need to be built every year for the next six years.
The new Burkart Boulevard Bypass project and Burkart Trail provide easy and safe access to Seymour’s two largest manufacturing sites—the Eastside Industrial Park and Freeman Field. The bypass and trail run along multiple undeveloped parcels that are well-suited for new residential development.
The City will determine existing owners’ interest in selling or developing these properties and will work with affordable housing developers to prioritize available sites.
This task will take at least three or more years to complete with the Mayor’s Office, Jackson County Industrial Development Corp., local banks, Seymour Parks Department, and developers leading implementation with support from the city engineer, industry leaders, the Community Foundation of Jackson County, the Jackson County Board of Realtors, the Jackson County Builders Association and Seymour Community Schools.
Identified sources for potential funding include Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, Rental Housing Tax Credits, Indiana’s new Affordable Housing Tax Credit and READI 2.0 for acquisition costs and infrastructure.
You can read the entire Burkart Opportunity Zone Inclusive Economic Development Agenda on our website at https://seymourin.org/…/pdf/2023-0801-Burkart-Agenda.pdf.
This agenda was developed with the input of many people. The Core Team was Mayor Matt Nicholson, Community Foundation President and CEO Dan Davis, Jackson County Industrial Development Corp. Workforce Partnership Director Jackie Hill and JCIDC Executive Director Jim Plump. The Advisory Coalition is made up of Kevin Johnson, Marvin Veatch, Dan Robison, Dr. Eric Fish, Nate Tormoehlen, Ryon Wheeler, Ginger Schneck, Maci Baurle, Rexanne Ude, Brandon Harpe, Danny Mendez, Andy Royalty, Colin Smith, Heather VonDielingen, Brian Terrell, Marnie Dirks, Solomon Rust, Sehrish Sangamkar, Tammy Barker, Yesenia Otero and Ardell Mitchell. Focus groups were conducted with Pet Supplies Plus employees, Aisin USA employees, the Mayor’s Youth Council, Seymour High School’s Jobs for America’s Graduates Program, local pastors, Seymour Young Professionals, Brown Elementary School leaders and the 4-H Juntos Group and their families.