By Joshua Schuetz
Stakeholders from Faribault and Martin Counties gathered in June to address housing challenges and explore potential solutions through the I-90 Network, a collaborative initiative spearheaded by CEDA team members Celia Simpson, Amber Patten and Jennifer Howard.
Simpson, who represents Faribault County along with Patten, conceived the idea in discussions with CEDA team members from various regional communities.
Patten explained that the network’s goal is to enhance collaboration on economic issues, particularly housing, and community marketing for small communities along the I-90 corridor.
“The idea was to unite Faribault and Martin Counties and market as a single force,” Patten said.
Simpson noted the extensive representation of CEDA team members throughout the region, including Amy Schaefer in Blue Earth, Dave Schmidt in Winnebago, Bethany Walker in Wells, and Joshua Schuetz in Martin County.
“We recognize the presence of numerous CEDA team members in communities across the area,” she said. “At the same time, we know that many small communities with part-time staff lack the capacity to conduct EDA work independently.”
The inaugural meeting on April 1st included discussions on housing, tax abatement, and childcare. At the meeting’s conclusion, attendees chose housing as the focal topic for the June meeting.
“On June 18th, we focused on housing, discussing Local Housing Trust Funds (LHTFs), the need for new developers, and connecting with local developers,” Simpson said.
Patten, who has led efforts to establish local housing trust funds in Martin and Faribault Counties, mentioned that the group plans to invite housing developers to their next meeting to discuss attracting development to small towns.
“We want them to ask firsthand, ‘What does it take to bring a developer to our town?’” Patten said. Through providing this opportunity to all of the communities across the two counties, their goal is to spur innovation and growth for the region as a whole. “We believe there’s tremendous potential in these communities and for this group, whether it’s through EDA activities, Chamber initiatives, or local amenities. There’s a lot of potential across Faribault and Martin Counties.”