Hill
Country EDC Welcomes the City of Granite Shoals to our partnership of communities
in the Lakes and Hills region. At the regular meeting of the city council on July
12, 2005, council voted unanimously to join the Hill Country EDC. Based on the
city's population of over 5,000, they further acted to appoint three representatives to
our Board of Directors. Councilwoman Toni King, Councilwoman Bessie Jackson and
Glynis Smith are the new Board Members of the Hill Country EDC representing the City of
Granite Shoals. We look forward to their contributions and the opportunities to
assist Granite Shoals with their future growth.
Escape to the Lakes and Hills
Campaign keeps growing stronger every month. Visitation continues to grow
at our lakesandhills.com tourism website as a result of our billboard advertising,
magazine advertising, trade show appearances, radio marketing and search engine rankings.
The Tourism Committee is by far the most
active component of the Hill Country EDC with a level of volunteerism that is remarkable.
For more information on the activities of this committee, visit their web page.
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"A Blueprint for Workforce Housing", an affordable
housing study being conducted by the Hill Country EDC, the Building Industry Assocation of
the Highland Lakes and Texas A&M's Mays School of Business is now entering it's second
phase .
Last year, with the
assistance of five MBA candidates from Mays School of Business, we constructed a computer
model to project the future housing needs within our region based on historical or
selective industry growth trends. Through this model we are able to ascertain what
price ranges of housing will be neccessary to meet the needs of emerging businesses within
various industry sectors. Recruiters can use this model to demonstrate to
prospective business relocation candidates that the housing necessary to support their
staff requirements is available. When growth within certain industry sectors appears
to be accelerating past the historical growth trend, we can adjust that factor and
immediately know whether current building trends will meet that need. Such
"just-in-time" inventory information reduces the amount of speculation for the
entire building industry, making that sector of our economy, along with the banking
sector, more secure and profitable.
This year, another
group of MBA candidates will continue to improve that computer model, taking into account
retired residents and self employed workers, which the current version does not.
They will also initiate the process of mapping the known development activity throughout
the region.
Our study has been
recognized by the National Home Builders Association as a model for rural communities
across the country and offer the Building Industry Association of the Highland Lakes the
opportunity for a grant of up to $25,000 to continue to evolve this model.
For more information
visit our Real Estate Committee home page.
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