This housing study is focused on the non-metro area, which comprises the unincorporated area (including the villages) and smaller cities of Hills, Lone Tree, Oxford, Shueyville, Solon and Swisher.
NEW: SURVEY OPEN UNTIL SEPTEMBER 30!
The public is invited to take an online survey about non-metro area housing in Johnson County. The non-metro area includes the unincorporated area, villages and the six small cities of Hills, Lone Tree, Oxford, Shueyville, Solon and Swisher. The study area also includes manufactured home parks anywhere in the county. The short survey is available at the new Johnson County Housing Study dashboard. Survey takers are encouraged to review the study goals and findings shared on the dashboard before taking the survey. The consulting firm CommunityScale will use the survey responses to refine recommended actions the Johnson County Board of Supervisors may take. The survey closes September 30. It will be at the discretion of each small city whether they wish to take any of the suggested actions that end up being in the final report. Survey takers can translate the survey into other languages by using browser functions. In addition, paper copies are available on request by contacting the Johnson County Planning, Development and Sustainability Department at 319-356-6083. CommunityScale has been working with Johnson County since April to host more than 30 hours of stakeholder meetings, focus groups and public input events. |
PRIOR ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES
September 10-September 11, 2025
The second round of engagement took place. September 10-11 and included six meetings.
Each of the two public input sessions on Sept. 10 included a presentation by CommunityScale followed by an informal discussion and responses added to input boards. The sessions were held in Solon and Lone Tree. The September 2025 presentation is available in the following languages: Arabic, English, French, Mandarin Chinese and Spanish.
The consultants' recorded meeting with the Board of Supervisors on Wed, Sept. 10, 2025 can be accessed here: start at the 12-minute mark of this recording. CommunityScale also met with focus groups, the East Central Iowa Council of Governments staff (ECICOG) and elected officials of the small cities.
June 24-June 26, 2025
In this time period, CommunityScale visited Johnson County and engaged in 12 meetings. The County appreciates all those who attended the focus and public input events to learn about housing and share ideas.
On June 26, the public was invited to attend two public input sessions, one in the morning and one in the evening, to learn about and share ideas on housing issues in the County’s non-metro area. Each public session included a brief presentation (linked below) on the study’s initial findings, followed by informal discussion. A total of 20 members of the public attended each session.
CommunityScale's June 2025 presentation is available in five languages: Arabic, English, French/français, Mandarin Chinese/普通话, Spanish/español
CommunityScale also met with the Johnson County Board of Supervisors to share preliminary housing findings and needs in the non-metro area of the county. A recording of their presentation is available beginning at the 14:30 mark at the link provided.
In addition to the public sessions, the consultants convened five focus groups and met with elected officials in five of the six non-metro city. A Zoom meeting was held later for the one city that could not meet in person.
For more information about past or future events, contact the Planning, Development and Sustainability Department at 319-356-6083.
BACKGROUND
Why do a study?
Housing affordability and availability is a concern throughout Johnson County and a crucial component of keeping a community strong.
As part of its comprehensive planning, economic development and other planning initiatives, the County has contracted for a housing assessment study. The study will provide needed detail on housing issues in the non-metro area-- the unincorporated area and six smaller cities of Hills, Lone Tree, Oxford, Shueyville, Solon and Swisher.
Iowa City has contracted for a study of the metro area. Taken together, the two studies should point the way toward solutions that work.
What will the study provide?
The study will provide a print report and digital version. The report will include recommendations and a digital map to help with planning. Results will be posted online (website url pending).
The report will include the following sections:
- Growth trends
- Housing needs and demands
- Expected production targets and gap analysis of what type of housing is missing
- Policy and regulatory issues
- Recommendations that are immediate and impactful, and which the Board of Supervisors can prioritize.
Project Timeline to Date (completion goal is November 2025)
April 2025: County staff began coordinating with CommunityScale team (selected through a competitive request for proposals)
May 2025: Scheduling and outreach began for focus groups, meetings with smaller cities, and open houses/public input sessions, for the last week in June
June 2025: The focus group, city meetings and open house/public input sessions are scheduled for June 24-26.
Who is leading the study?
Johnson County's Planning, Development and Sustainability Department, along with the Social Services Department, issued a request for proposals as directed by the Board of Supervisors. Ten proposals were received, two finalists interviewed, and the selected firm is CommunityScale.
CommunityScale has experience with housing studies in both large and small communities, including counties like ours that have a mix of urban-rural housing. In addition, Iowa City is currently working with a different consultant on a housing study of the metro area. Taken together, the studies should significantly help our community overall.
Will the public be able to contribute?
There will be several opportunities for the general public to share their stories, ideas and questions. There will be a survey in multiple languages plus community workshops held in person and online.
Local governments in the smaller towns have been scheduled for one-on-one meetings with the consultants.
There will be special meetings for stakeholders: housing advocates and nonprofits, economic contacts, financial experts and developers, and residents of manufactured home parks. These events took place the week of June 22.
All input will be summarized and used to create recommendations specific for our area.
CommunityScale will build a website just for Johnson County. We will provide that link as soon as the site is ready.
What data, information and issues will be studied?
The study Request for Proposals (which closed in December 2024) details the many data and review aspects that will be covered. To highlight a few here:
Housing, demographic and community information and data including cost burdens for housing, needs of people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, building conditions and vacancies,
Special attention to manufactured home parks
Information from other housing-related reports and plans
Existing policies, initiatives and codes and how they might be used or altered to advance housing goals
Public and municipal input as described above
To learn more
This backgrounder provides more details on activities to date and includes a budget summary.