More housing, new recreational opportunities, and additional medical and childcare facilities are a few of the investments local leaders hope to attract with Starke County’s Opportunity Zone. Much of the area north of Knox and south of U.S. 30 was designated an Opportunity Zone in 2018. The federal program offers tax incentives for investment in low-income communities.
About 15 individuals recently had a chance to brainstorm development ideas during a focus group session, according to Starke County Economic Development Foundation Executive Director Lisa Dan. “Based on the information that we get back from the focus group, we’re going to look at the top couple of things,” she told the Starke County Commissioners last month. “Well, I’ll tell you that some of the things that were discussed was definitely housing. Starke County just does not have enough housing. I mean, homes are sold before they go on the market.”
Starke County’s Opportunity Zone was recently selected for Indiana’s Rural Opportunity Zone Initiative. The state will help a core team of local stakeholders put together and market an investment prospectus. That would detail some of the projects the community would like to see developed and highlight local amenities and possible incentives.
The core team doesn’t have any representatives from the Hamlet town government – the only incorporated town that’s actually in the Opportunity Zone – but does include North Judson Clerk-Treasurer Andrew Rowe. That’s in spite of the fact that Hamlet’s in the midst of its own residential and commercial development push.
Dan tells WKVI News that the Hamlet Town Council was invited to participate in the working group. During last week’s meeting, Council President Dave Kesvormas said that while he hasn’t been involved directly, the Rural Opportunity Zone Initiative has already helped generate some interest.
Dan told the Oregon-Davis School Board last week that the zone’s prime development location is still the SYSCO property, even though much of it is now considered to be in a floodplain.
