Dickinson County Housing Committee Targets Sub-$200,000 Homes for Workers
A Dickinson County housing committee organized through Driving Dickinson County held what officials described as its first official committee meeting, bringing together realtors, bankers, contractors and city representatives to address what commissioners have identified as the county's biggest barrier to growth.
A commissioner said the group, which he estimated at about 12 members, is focused on building affordable, middle-income housing, with a stated goal of keeping home prices well below $200,000. "The cost to build a home now is going to make them smaller if we want to get sub 200,000," he said, describing potential 800- to 1,000-square-foot slab-built homes that officials hope to build for around $130,000, and possibly lower when layering incentives.
Officials said tax credits and a Rural Housing Incentive District (RHID) could help reduce costs further, potentially bringing some homes into the $90,000 to $130,000 range. The commissioner noted tax credits described as up to roughly $20,000 per door, limited to 40 doors at a time, and said the committee is working toward a development of about 40 homes.
The discussion tied housing needs to reported growth at nearby Fort Riley. A commissioner said he learned at a Military Affairs Council breakfast that battalions were being reassigned to Fort Riley and that some service members were staying in hotels while searching for housing, with some noting rising property taxes in the Manhattan area.
Officials also discussed converting downtown upper-level spaces into apartments, saying state fire code requirements—such as sprinkler systems that can cost $70,000 to $100,000—make such conversions difficult to finance. Other ideas raised included prefabricated homes, a possible 3D-printed concrete home pilot program discussed with North Central, and a higher-quality manufactured home park. Officials said the effort is in early stages but expressed optimism, crediting economic development staff and pointing to a similar small-home model that reportedly sold out in Clay.
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