Could Vacant Lots Help Solve Quincy’s Housing Challenge? Community Invited to Hear New Proposal
The Quincy Builds Meeting is an invitation-only gathering, bringing together selected community leaders, stakeholders, and partners for focused discussion on Quincy’s growth and future development.
QUINCY, Ill. A local group believes part of Quincy’s housing solution may already be sitting empty throughout the city.
Quincy Builds, a grassroots organization that has spent several years developing a plan to create a new housing pipeline for the community, will present its proposal during a public conversation Thursday, Nov. 5, at John Wood Community College.
The “Community Conversation on Housing in Quincy” will take place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Paul Heath Community Education & Fine Arts Center, 1301 S. 48th St., in rooms D022 and D023, and is by invitation only.
At the center of the discussion is a proposal to build modestly priced homes for first-time homeowners on existing vacant lots where infrastructure is already in place.
Quincy Builds representatives plan to present what the organization describes as a practical template for new home construction in Quincy, answer questions from residents and outline what would need to happen next.
The concept is focused specifically on workforce homebuyers, people who are earning enough to afford a modest mortgage but may struggle to find newly constructed housing within that price range.
Under the proposed model, homes would be factory constructed and feature two bedrooms and two bathrooms. The houses would then be assembled using a Quincy-based labor force.
Organizers say the approach could also make use of vacant lots scattered throughout the community rather than requiring entirely new subdivisions and infrastructure.
Another central component of the plan is the creation of a locally owned and controlled Benefit Corporation called Quincy Builds.
The proposed for-profit organization would operate with a defined community purpose and is intended to create what organizers describe as a self-sustaining model capable of keeping home construction moving in Quincy rather than relying on a single round of development.
That model, along with the design and affordability of the proposed homes, will be among the topics presented during the Nov. 5 meeting.
The event provides residents, employers, housing advocates and others interested in Quincy’s future growth an opportunity to hear the proposal directly and ask questions about how it could work.
Rather than simply discussing the need for additional housing, Quincy Builds plans to present a specific concept for how new homes could be constructed, where they could be placed and who they would be intended to serve.
The community conversation is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5, at John Wood Community College.
For Quincy residents interested in the city’s housing needs, vacant properties and future residential development, the meeting offers a chance to see one locally developed idea for turning empty lots into new homes.
