A new toolkit is available to help communities across central and western Nebraska address housing shortages and workforce needs.
6 Regions, One Nebraska recently announced the release of the Mid-Plains Region Community Housing and Workforce Toolkit, which offers resources, funding information and strategies for local leaders working on housing development and workforce challenges.
The toolkit builds on a housing and workforce needs assessment released in January 2026. That assessment found the 18-county region would need an additional 949 livable housing units by 2035 to accommodate annual population growth of just one-quarter of one percent.
Emily Wurl, Mid-Plains Regional Navigator for 6 Regions, One Nebraska, said community input showed that knowing where to begin is one of the biggest challenges in addressing housing and workforce needs.
The new toolkit is intended to help communities take those initial steps, whether they are just beginning to explore housing development or already have projects underway.
The resources were developed with input from more than 65 local leaders and are tailored to the region’s needs and opportunities. Those include the potential to renovate existing homes, a relatively low cost of living, broadband access, a growing agricultural industry and demand for skilled workers in fields such as trucking, agricultural management and nursing.
The toolkit is the final component of a regional housing and workforce plan launched in 2025. The effort also produced an interactive housing and workforce map and dashboard, which allows community leaders to review demographic and housing data to guide decisions and track progress.
The Mid-Plains Region includes more than 60 cities and villages across 18 counties, with a population of more than 87,000 in 2025. Mid-Plains Community College served as the grant administrator for the regional project, with JEO Consulting Group assisting in development of the toolkit.
You can view the full toolkit online here.
