(Editor's note: This is just one part of a series of stories about local candidates in the upcoming June 2 primary, municipal and school board election. Find more coverage here.)
Simplified: As Sioux Falls grows, the need for housing grows with it. That, combined with rising home prices are making it increasingly challenging for folks in the city to attain homeownership. Here's what the three Southeast District City Council candidates had to say about their approach to addressing affordable housing needs in the community.
Here's what we asked:
What role do you think the city should play in helping provide affordable housing options for our fast-growing community?
Here's what the candidates had to say (in alphabetical order):
Michael Crane
Crane said he's worked in developing affordable housing for the last 30 years, and that the city needs to be part of encouraging that type of development.
"There are opportunities in terms of where you can find land and those kinds of things, and I think that as you get into it, the city on this and a variety of issues, I think we're doing a reasonable job," Crane said. "But we have to continue to look at our processes and see if we're doing things that are slowing it down."
He also noted that an important part of providing affordable housing is maintaining existing neighborhoods.
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Brady Kerkman
Kerkman said affordable housing is an issue on which his opinion continues to evolve – particularly, he said, as he's had discussions with landlords who are seeing units sit vacant because people couldn't afford the payments. He also noted that "affordable" means different things to different people.
"I think that's a study we need to really figure out," Kerkman said. "And I don't think we should by any means (say) OK, we're going to put all the affordable housing in this corner of the city or this corner. We want to integrate them. They're part of our community."
Sara Pankonin
Pankonin admitted this question "might not be my strongest," noting that she's not the most well-versed in the issue.
"Overall, the main thing I would say about housing is that I do need to learn a little bit more about it," she said. "It's one of the areas where I plan to listen a little bit more because I know some families in low-income housing, and I know that things are different for so many people. There's so many different reasons why people are in low-income housing, and some of them are very hardworking people who are raising kids. And I do think that there should be some opportunities for kids in those neighborhoods."
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