by Darcie Duranceau
How Local Leaders Are Tackling the Housing Crisis
As Central Indiana continues to grow, so does the need for creative and efficient solutions to address the ongoing housing crisis.
Andrew Brindley, the founder of H-E Homes, says the single most significant challenge builders face today is the slow and cumbersome nature of the zoning and permitting process. The journey from purchasing a piece of property to a shovel in the ground can take two to three years. When the builders are waiting that long just to break ground, it becomes exceedingly difficult to fill the substantial gaps in the housing market.
Despite these hurdles, Brindley is optimistic about the current leadership. “We’re very, very grateful that we have really great leadership right now in both state and local governments that, for the most part, want to help see housing succeed,” he says. While legislative change is an ongoing effort, builders are finding creative ways now to meet the demand for affordable housing.
H-E Homes, for instance, helps homebuyers fit their needs to their budget with a “right sizing the home” approach. They help buyers rework floorplans to create multifunctional space in “tighter square footages” which frees up budget to be spent where it matters most. These conversations with homeowners focus on the features that are most important to them, helping keep costs down by designing for the future (e.g., rough-ins for a basement to be finished later) and making smarter use of space.
For Brindley, the solution to the housing crisis and a greater supply of homes comes down to all parties working together for that common goal. He says, “It just needs to be a collaboration and, unfortunately, until it gets to a pinch point that people are hurting, people aren’t going to be up in arms to fix it.” Only when there is pressure from the homebuying public on municipalities to act fast and make changes, will there be meaningful improvements. The good news is, right now, the desire of leadership in many communities is there to help housing succeed. By focusing on a smoother, more collaborative process, the Indianapolis area can rise to the challenge and ensure a vibrant housing market for everyone.
