Port Authority Addresses the Need for Workforce Housing

ZANESVILLE, Ohio – The Zanesville Muskingum County Port Authority is an organization that gathers monthly to brainstorm ways to attract and promote area commerce. 

Port Authority Executive Matt Abbott explained how Wednesday’s meeting discussed the community’s need for housing development.

“Yeah, so our monthly meeting, the board approved two capital-lease financing deals with a housing developer into our community and this is a project that has worked alongside the landbank and community development within the city to increase the housing stock in our community,” Abbott said.

The Port Authority worked with the chamber of commerce and three local banks to establish a housing study that looked at current housing numbers alongside availability and needs.

“So this has been good data to have and data that really set us apart, I think with other communities, in developing residential units from really top to bottom. You know from apartments to executive style homes and everything in between. So you know we’re excited not only to be a small piece of this housing development but we’re very optimistic on additional development to take place, residentially,” Abbott said.

The studies also helped in determining the best location for new housing as well as the type of housing that will better suit the needs of the community and its workforce. Abbott anticipates residential construction to begin sometime next year.