A win-win proposal

A visionary partnership in Phillips could soon change the look of that community, creating opportunity not just in Phillips but throughout Hamilton County.
Jeff Reed and Darren Bartunek announced plans recently to launch a 56-lot housing development project on the east edge of Phillips. If their plans turn into reality, 20 acres previously covered by crops will be converted into 56 single-family dwellings, all measuring approximately 1,350 sq. ft., with yards, two-car garages and unfinished basements for homeowners needing more space.
It’s an aggressive plan, the partners understand full well, but every housing study confirms what area residents already know, and that is that there simply aren’t enough houses in our market. The price point for this project is $217,000 per house, which is about as low as you’ll find in today’s market with rising infrastructure and material costs.
On that note, Tax Increment Financing will be a factor on this project, and understandably so. We’ve expressed concern in this space before about communities abusing TIF, noting that by law it is only to be utilized if the project would not proceed “but for” the use of this taxing incentive. In this case, Reed and Bartunek said there is no possible way they could make the houses affordable in the Phillips market without this $2 million incentive, thus the “but for” requirement is met.
From a broader perspective, Aurora, Giltner and perhaps even Hampton and High Plains public schools could also benefit from this project with new families sending children to area schools, without suffering the consequences of lost  property taxes generated by the housing development over the next 15 years. It’s a very real possibility that area businesses will benefit as well, with new people moving in, perhaps with a spouse or adult children of working age, to fill area jobs. That makes this, potentially, a win-win-win deal.
Russ Peard, a lifelong resident of Phillips, is quoted in this week’s edition as saying this project is “the greatest thing that’s ever happened in Phillips.” Only time will tell if he’s right, but it’s most certainly a promising opportunity not just for Phillips, but all of Hamilton County.
Kurt Johnson