Allegany County, located in the western wilds of New York, is a rural community facing unique housing issues in the wake of the pandemic. Home prices fluctuated during the Covid market, particularly in communities with high recreation potential. Reported building activity, including both new construction and innovative renovation and reuse projects, has fallen off while construction costs continue to rise. And the population, while somewhat stable, is trending older.

CommunityScale developed a housing market assessment and development strategy agenda for Allegany County. The study explores market dynamics and strategies through the following questions:

• How have evolving demographic and market trends shaped housing needs in Allegany County?
• How do housing supply and workforce development relate to each other?
• What are the barriers to housing production, access, and development feasibility?
• Which housing types and development strategies are most promising and realistic?
• What locations in Allegany County are most strategically positioned to support needed housing development?
• What policies and strategies can help promote more of the housing Allegany County needs?
• What does proactive implementation look like?

Allegany County’s housing needs

A combination of population shifts, economic pressures, and infrastructure considerations is reshaping housing demand in Allegany County and creating new priorities for future residential development.

• There are more seniors and fewer young adults and families than in prior decades and population projections suggest this pattern will continue for years.The lack of downsizing options and aging-in-place support for seniors may have consequences on both housing stock availability and quality.
• Allegany County needs more diverse housing options, including rentals for early career adults and higher priced homes for established professionals’ families. This development need should be complemented by emphasis on things to do for existing and new residents, such as restaurants, recreation, and cultural activities.
• Rising construction costs have made it more difficult to build smaller detached single-family homes at prices local residents and workers can afford or finance. As a result, alternative housing types may provide more attainable and cost-effective options.
• While many parts of the county are suitable for large lot single family development, only certain locations offer the infrastructure and lifestyle amenities necessary to support the alternative housing types most needed in Allegany County. 

Economic development is linked to housing in rural places 

Allegany County had previously recognized housing issues as a barrier to economic development. The housing market assessment reveals an inverse relationship between income and housing; the highest earning employees are more likely to commute in from elsewhere, ultimately affecting the amount of salary spent locally. The study’s survey also revealed difficulties with hiring, and retaining, talent in the private sector, some of which could be traced to a lack of suitable housing for both entry level and more established positions. 

Innovative solutions require collaboration

To enact change, there must be sufficient buy-in and immediate action to effectively build momentum. Allegany County already has a land bank, and several communities have downtowns with possible catalyst sites for innovative business and housing development. The first step in getting things done, however, is fostering collaboration between key stakeholders and the jurisdictions that can pursue incentives from New York State and other funding streams.