Public Input Sought On Cherokee County’s Housing Needs

CHEROKEE COUNTY, GA — The Cherokee County Planning and Zoning Division is reviewing the county’s housing needs and will present a virtual meeting on Tuesday.

The county engaged Bleakly Advisory Group and launched a housing study earlier this year. The study solicited input from county residents, employees, business owners and local officials to gain insight on housing preferences in the community.

Geoff Koski, president of Bleakly Advisory Group, shared the results of the housing study with the Cherokee Board of Commissioners at its Dec. 1 meeting. The study found that Cherokee County needs more varied housing option in price points and size. According to Bleakly’s study, new home prices increased from $265,397 in 2013 to $390,928 in 2019. Additionally, the market is showing a demand for more rental property. In Cherokee County, based on 2019 data, single-family detached homes represent 82 percent of Cherokee County’s housing stock. Single-family attached units (town homes) represent 4 percent of the housing stock. Small multi-family buildings represent 2 percent, large multi-family units represent 8 percent, and mobile homes (which also includes trailers, RVs and boats) are 4 percent.

To help solicit feedback from the community, Cherokee County has partnered with the cities of Woodstock, Holly Springs and Canton, as well as the Atlanta Regional Commission and the Georgia Conservancy, to host a public input meeting in a virtual platform from noon to 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday. There will be a subsequent online survey period.

The meeting will feature a panel of industry experts, including Heath Tippens, vice president of the Cherokee Office of Economic Development; Lisa Morton, longtime Realtor in Cherokee County; Chris Colter, loan officer with Supreme Lending who services Cherokee County; and Chuck Young, partner with Prestwick Company, a multi-family developer with several projects in Cherokee County.

To participate, visit www.cherokeega.com/planning.