Project Experience

In view of significant economic expansion and limited opportunities for available housing, the City of Rock Springs, Wyoming retained Pedersen Planning Consultants to prepare a housing master plan.  Preparation of the master plan required an initial evaluation of changing demographic and economic trends, as well as a forecast of the anticipated resident population for a 10-year period.  Available data was supplemented by discussions with some 20 to 30 community leaders and business representatives.

In order to better evaluate housing conditions and potential areas for future residential expansion, PPC inventoried all housing units in the city.  The inventory was performed via a drive-through survey along every residential street, the related use of ArcView GIS software, and the establishment of land use and building attribute tables.  Housing inventory information was correlated with available building permit information to examine the type and location of residential growth between 2000 and 2006. 

Recent real property sales were also analyzed to identify more specific residential trends that were associated with both improved and unimproved residential properties.  Recent sales were reviewed to consider recent sale prices, the size and type of residential housing sold, and other relevant housing characteristics.  This evaluation was based upon a review of information that was made available by the Sweetwater County Board of Realtors.

The affordability of housing was reviewed in the context of income levels associated with various market groups, e.g., natural gas exploration and production workforce.  Income levels with potential market groups were correlated with desired income and debt levels associated with conventional residential loans.  The affordability of rental housing and fee simple housing purchases for lower income households and retirees were also examined.

Future housing needs and demands were calculated by PPC for detached and attached single-family housing, as well as multi-family housing.  Statistical outputs from the model were used by PPC to help determine a housing mix that would best satisfy anticipated housing demands, as well as the annual absorption of existing housing inventories and new home construction.