May 6, 2025
Angelia Krile

[LANCASTER, OH] – Fairfield County Commissioners announced today that they are undertaking a county-wide study to gain understanding and insights regarding housing needs based on a spectrum of current and forward-looking socioeconomic factors.

• The study is expected to be completed within the next three to four months, with the goal of providing city and county leadership with:
• Review of existing housing to uncover gaps in housing market
• Guidance regarding types of housing needed for a balanced housing market to serve existing and future population;
• Examples and illustrations of the types and forms of housing and implications for design standards and zoning;
• Information regarding the potential impact on municipal, county and school services for different types of housing; and
• Educational tools to use with the public regarding housing needs.

In 2024, Fairfield County adopted its Comprehensive Plan to guide economic and development, which showed a need for at least 10,000 new housing units in the next decade to keep up with growth.

“Columbus and central Ohio is truly the place to be, with fresh investments and job opportunities arriving almost weekly. Nonetheless, we recognize that a housing shortage exists, and those taking these jobs require choices, particularly affordable housing,” stated Buffie Patterson, President of Columbus REALTORS® and the Central Ohio Regional MLS. “We are excited to collaborate with our colleagues from the Lancaster Board of REALTORS® and partner with Fairfield County to carry out this study to accurately assess the county’s housing needs.”

Fairfield County Commissioners have tackled numerous efforts to remove barriers to the workforce to assist employers in the county with filling jobs and providing great careers to its residents, including the following: 

• Removing the skills gap through the Fairfield County Workforce Center and the Fairfield County Career Readiness Program;
• Removing the transportation barrier by providing driver’s education programming and assuming responsibility for the Lancaster-Fairfield Public Transit;
• Providing affordable housing for the workforce; and
• Reducing barriers for childcare for the workforce.

“We have more industry coming into the county than ever before and will need housing to support those new jobs,” said Jeff Fix, Fairfield County Commissioner. “We also need housing to meet the needs of our current residents and employment base. There’s no reason our teachers, police officers, fire fighters, electricians, and nurses shouldn’t be able to live where they work. Additionally, many people have spent their lives in Fairfield County and would like to retire here, but there aren’t great housing options for them. This study will help guide our growth so we maximize the land we have while continuing to retain our agriculture heritage and prime farmland in our county   Preserving the land while protecting the taxpayers will continue to be our priorities, and this study will help us bring that more into focus.”

The study will provide important information that will allow the county to work with developers to make sure they are offering solutions to meet the needs of residents and future residents as well.

“Working together with the county, cities, townships and villages throughout the county will help ensure our members are making strategic investments in the right places with the right type of housing,” said Jon Melchi, Executive Director, Building Industry Association of Central Ohio. “The more information we have in advance, the better job we can do of meeting current and future housing needs for the community.”

“The City of Lancaster has made improvements in our zoning as well as our Community Reinvestment Areas that has led to renewed interest in developing housing options for our citizens,” said Don McDaniel, Mayor, City of Lancaster. “We are looking forward to understanding where our strengths and gaps so we can meet the needs of our growing city.”