In October 2024, OKI launched the Regional Housing Data Dashboard to provide easy access to key housing data for the over 200 jurisdictions and neighborhoods in the OKI Region.
Housing is of great interest not only in the OKI Region, but also across the country. “Location, location, location” is the mantra in real estate circles. And with that, the housing challenges facing communities are equally localized.
Each community faces their own set of housing challenges. A large hurdle is to effectively craft plans and policies for housing but lacking key data at the local level. The Housing Dashboard fulfills this need and allows planners and leaders to have a current and detailed understanding of housing needs in their communities.
Many housing issues are at play – supply, affordability, housing age and condition, and the failure of housing stock to keep pace with community needs. The dashboard provides data to understand each of these variables. Spread across four tabs, data is grouped to build out the different facets of the housing discussion: Who lives in the community? Where do they live? What does the housing market look like? And how does the community compare?
The launch of the OKI Regional Housing Dashboard coincides with other housing studies in the region – most notably by the Northern Kentucky Areawide Development District (NKADD) and Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC). This work has spurred several communities to develop local housing action plans.
The Regional Housing Dashboard is ideal to support efforts such as these in the future. The dashboard also has attracted the attention of federal departments in the region. The Federal Highway Administration review committee showed particular interest and were eager to share the product with other MPOs. Likewise, the Columbus office of HUD has touted the housing dashboard as a model tool for other metro areas to emulate.
The Regional Housing Dashboard will be kept up to date with yearly data updates. That said, OKI seeks input from communities using the dashboard about further refinements. The dashboard is built primarily for use at the local level, and OKI will look to ensure it provides the information local planners and decision makers need.
