Affordable Housing

For decades West Lafayette and Tippecanoe housing costs grew slowly and predictably, usually in sync with modest inflation. But in recent years local housing costs have significantly outpaced even rampant, record Biden-era inflation. To reign in the inflationary fiscal policies, the Fed has jacked interest rates, making homeownership even more expensive.

Locally, we have too many people and dollars chasing too few houses and apartments. Purdue enrollment has increased by 12,000 students over the past four years. When demand outstrips supply prices go up, on- and off-campus. Purdue lowering enrollment and/or building more on-campus housing would reduce the pressure.

Also, builders and developers report that Tippecanoe County government is slow and unpredictable in making zoning changes and issuing the permits needed to increase the housing stock to meet demand. Improvements could be made. With the imminent arrival of a new computer chip factory in West Lafayette with an expected 1,000 well-paying jobs, new housing will have to be constructed in a timely fashion.