Housing continues to be a hot button issue here in the Northland, especially homes for families. However, there are efforts being made now for new developments to create more housing in West Duluth along the St. Louis river.

For the last two and half years, several homes have already been built at RiverWest Duluth. They’re located just across from the Spirit Mountain’s Grand Avenue Chalet.

But now there’s more investment in housing development from Northland Housing Partnership (NHP). It’s a non-profit led by employers, dedicated to create more housing for future families in Northeast Minnesota and Northwest Wisconsin. Their investments are made to face a growing need head on.

David Gaddie, the Board Chair for NHP, says the more employers invest in housing developers to create homes, then more working families can live and work in the Northland.

“There’ll be $700,000 to $800,000 annual property tax developed from this site when all the houses are built and sold on the tax rolls. I think most of these are occupied,” Gaddie said. “All the ones that are completed are occupied.”

Gaddie also says there are future plans to bring new housing developments in Superior, and on the Iron Range.

There’s currently 20 single family houses being built at RiverWest Duluth. The housing development will finish in the new few years with a total of 60 houses in total with a variety of two, three and four bedroom homes. Although the need single family and multi-family housing in West Duluth is an ongoing issue.

Terese Tomanek, the Vice President of the Duluth City Council, says even though the city is funding this housing project, the homes being built are needed for a growing population.

“We need housing that’s available for families. We need housing where people who have been in a family home for years want to downsize or move on to a different change. So this opens a lot of opportunities for our city, and it adds to our tax base. We, of course, are trying for economic development,” Tomanek said. “We want to bring businesses in, and our businesses can’t expand if they can’t add employees. So this is crucial for adding housing for all types of employees.”

Northland Housing Partnership‘s CEO, Rachel Johnson, says RiverWest is just the beginning for more homes in the Twin Ports. The non-profit is seeking a goal of $25 million to continue their investment efforts of housing development.

“Housing options is so important for a growing community. We’ve heard that in the case of the city of Duluth, our mayor is interested in growing the city. So this River West project and some of the others that we’re looking at are going to help achieve that goal that our community has.”

The two investors investing through Northland Housing Partnership are Essentia Health, and the Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation. They also have other future plans to bring new housing developments on the Iron Range.