Nathan Reichert, director of planning and development for the City of Lebanon; and Catheryn Hembree, associate planner for the city.
Catheryn Hembree outlined Lebanon’s present housing demographics and highlighted issues that a proposed new housing plan will be dealing with. With a population of 15,000, half of Lebanon’s 4,600 housing units are rentals. The median income for the city is $92,300. Six thousand three hundred fifty-eight of the residents over 25 years old have a bachelor’s degree. Vacancies for owner-occupied homes stand at 1.5 percent; for renters, 3 percent. The city’s school population is growing, unlike many other communities in the state; and employers want to hire. Ten percent of the city’s housing units are subsidized. The city has received a $100,000 planning grant from the state to begin the development of a new housing plan.
Nathan Reichert explained that the city needs community engagement in the development of the new plan. The planning department will use focus groups with varying constituents, surveys, public information sessions, and the city’s website and social media presence. Lebanon “news blasts” will help garner attention. The Lebanon Rotary Club can help by 1) sharing member connections, 2) attending a focus group, 3) promoting community engagement.
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