McCOOK, Neb. — Nearly every conversation in McCook and Southwest Nebraska touches upon housing.

Maybe it is a current resident who would like to move into a larger home but can’t find anything suitable to move into.

Perhaps it is a young person who would like to move back but can’t find anything suitable or affordable.

Sometimes it is a business that would like to expand but knows there won’t be adequate housing for new employees.

Or perhaps it is an employer trying to attract skilled labor but the spouse won’t agree to anything currently on the market.

All of these are barriers in McCook’s current housing market, an issue the McCook Economic Development Corp. is trying overcome using the 2022 McCook Community Housing Study.

The housing study began in 2021 by conducting community surveys and studying local data and was recently released as a 142-page document by Hanna:Keelan Associates, a community planning and research firm.

The 2022 study included more than 550 participants with 430 of those from inside the city limits, determining the barriers to affordable, suitable housing.

Based on the survey, demand is greatest for units with three or more bedrooms at or above the $345,000 purchase price or two or three-bedroom rental units between $396-$890/month. To meet workforce population needs, the community also needs three-bedroom units at the $180,000 price point and three-bedroom rental units at $580/month.

Additionally, at any given time, there are only 20 houses on the market in McCook.

“And more than likely, those two dozen houses are on each end of the price spectrum,” MEDC Executive Director Charlie McPherson said. “There simply isn’t a lot of houses in the ‘sweet spot’ of affordability or they aren’t available for long.”

On a scale of 1-5, single-family housing scored the highest need but was closely followed by rental housing and housing for first-time homebuyers.

MEDC Housing Director Amanda Engell added that McCook could have a higher population-based just on the number of workers. “We have a large number of people who are working here but are having to commute, simply because they can’t find a house,” she said.

McCook last completed a housing study in 2013 and made some decisions based on those results.

Over the past decade, the MEDC constructed and now oversees the Quillan Courts low-income housing and Clary Villages low-income senior duplexes, but there is still a lack of housing.

And even with the new units, Clary Village and Quillan Courts both have a waiting list of a year and the McCook Housing Authority is at least six months out.

If the problem hasn’t improved over the past decade, why did McCook need a new study?

Developers and potential funders require up-to-date statistics if they are going to enter a market, McPherson said. “They need to know they are working with correct data before they are going to devote time and money to the community,” McPherson said. “They have to see a need in the market and this study does that.”

Engell added, “We knew there was a need, but we needed to know what the demand was for rentals and middle-income housing.”

She added, “We also discovered a need for upper-end housing and move-in ready residences.”

The process to address the housing problem may seem slow but housing is the main focus of the MEDC and one of the reasons the board created the housing director position filled by Engell. They hope to be more aggressive when obtaining properties to build upon, including two recently purchased and a third that was donated.

McPherson said the EDC will leverage local, statewide and federal resources based upon the study. The study will also be used to apply for federal funds, such as the ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds which came out earlier this year.

He cited incentives since such as tax-increment financing (TIF), low-interest loans and possibly grants with the ultimate goal of utilizing a revolving loan program.

But McCook and Southwest Nebraska is not alone in its’ housing situation.

“We’re one of 100s of communities which are short on housing,” McPherson said, “so we need to use those resources to attract developers to come and build here.”

He added, “We need to be intentional and use this study and our resources if we want to overcome our housing shortage.”

This Community Housing Study was funded by the Nebraska Investment Finance Authority (NIFA) and McCook Economic Development Corporation (MEDC). The Housing Study was completed with the guidance and direction of MEDC and local leadership.

The complete 142-page housing study is available on the MEDC website.

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Getting Outside to National Night Out

By Ronda Graff • August 4, 2025
Getting Outside of National Night Out Nearly everyone can tell you their last interaction with the police or the fire department. And unfortunately because of the nature of the organizations, it is usually not at a positive moment. My last contact with the McCook Police Department was just a few weeks ago, when I was pulled over on B Street in McCook…on my scooter. I pulled into the wrong lane when making a turn, which is illegal. But in my defense, it was an act of self-defense to just get through the intersection of East B and Sixth streets alive. Since the drivers haven’t seen a stop-light since Holdrege, cars and semis regularly run the traffic light, which makes me a wee bit vulnerable as I pass through the lanes. I got off with a warning but the true punishment were the texts throughout the day from everyone who saw me with my scooter and the police officer. Since most exchanges with police and fire are not on good terms, National Night Out was created to have an evening of positive interactions, to remind the public that the police and fire departments are just normal people, doing their jobs, looking out for their friends and neighbors, trying to create a safe community for everyone. National Night Out is designed to simply join your friends and neighbors for an evening of fellowship and fun. It is an opportunity to meet local law enforcement, creating safer and more caring neighborhoods. McCook is joining thousands of other communities across the country in hosting National Night Out, which typically takes place on the first Tuesday of August every year. Planned for Tuesday, Aug. 5 from 5:30-7 p.m. in and around Norris Park in McCook, the night includes a bike parade, a walk, awards for bike decorating, desserts and more. In other words, it is simply a block party to hang out. Numerous organizations have come together to make the evening possible. CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) and the McCook Rotary Club are hosting a bike parade that starts at 6 p.m. Linda Maiden with State Farm, a bicycle helmet advocate, will also be in Norris Park. The streets around Norris Park will be shut down to provide a safe area to ride, as well as more space to cruise around the block. Participants are encouraged to decorate their bike, scooter, roller skates or anything on wheels. This could mean streamers, pompom balls, markers or even the old classic - playing cards in the spokes of your wheels. Some supplies will be available at the park for use if you show up and realize you are the most underdressed person at the party. If your bike has an inch of dust on it, this is a great time to get it out, wipe it off and get it rolling. And if your bike needs minimal fixes like a flat tire or a brake adjustment, bike tools will be on hand along with myself and my hubbie, who know just enough about bike repair to be dangerous but did manage a 300-plus mile bike ride last week so we must be doing something right. But let’s say you don’t have a bike or biking isn’t your cup of tea? Then you are still encouraged to join the “Walk in the Park,” hosted by Community Hospital. Designed to encourage a healthy lifestyle, walkers will stroll around the park and the neighborhood at whatever pace you feel like with strollers and dogs on leashes welcomed. And perhaps most importantly, there will be a chance to meet members of the McCook Police and Fire Department, getting to see police cars and fire engines close-up in a non-emergency manner, always the best way to see them. And if the weather cooperates, there may be a fire hose, water and spraying involved. If you have been at the Culbertson Fourth of July parade, you know it is up to you to stay out of the line of fire if you want to remain dry. We all have excuses for why we don’t want to go out at night, especially after a long day at work. But National Night Out in McCook on Aug. 5 is a great reason to get out your bicycle and lace up your walking shoes. Hang out with your friends, get to know your neighbors and meet your first responders. That is what makes our communities just a little bit better.

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Picking up the Lost Baton That Lead To Cars Under the Stars

By Gavin Harsh • July 9, 2025
It was fall of 2012. I was a senior in high school and preparing for the next chapter of my life, college. I was determined that I was going to the University of Nebraska in Lincoln for physical therapy. I also knew to go through undergrad and graduate school I was going to need a lot of scholarships or “student debt” would be my middle name. With that mindset, I ultimately decided not to play basketball my senior year to allocate my time to scholarship applications and a part-time job. It was a tough decision since I enjoyed playing basketball and being around my friends, but it was an investment toward my future. Flash forward to early spring, where I was absolutely blessed by being recognized as a recipient of numerous scholarships that alleviated a major financial burden! Leading up to that point, I was already active in community service projects. But upon receiving those scholarships, I was motivated to give back and say “thank you” for the investment in my education by others. I wanted to do something big, something that would impact the community. Through various conversations and research, I decided to bring back an iconic memory to many McCook natives, a drive-in movie. Through strong partnerships with many local businesses and volunteers, we held a drive-in movie not only my senior year but also my first two years of college, as I returned to help coordinate the project. During the three years of shows in McCook, we rented all the equipment from Dallas, but the dream was to build a permanent, non-profit drive-in for the community to use. However, as I progressed further in my new career of farming, my resources of time and energy were capped and the event sat idle. That is until a group of young, ambitious, and talented students picked up the lost baton. During numerous discussions, Youth Change Reaction members, otherwise known as YCR, shared that they wanted to complete a big project. Many ideas were tossed around, but when the idea of bringing back the drive-in movie came about, it stuck for two reasons: these young adults had memories of attending drive-in movies plus it would meet their goal of going BIG. In the process of picking up the lost baton, their journey into uncharted waters included raising $75,000, building partnerships with community businesses and organizations, and finding the proper equipment. It was truly humbling and at that point, because life really had come full circle. I was once a YCR member and had this dream nearly 10 years ago. But now these young adults went above and beyond in building McCook’s very own “Cars Under the Stars” non-profit outdoor drive-in theater. This project was a true philanthropic endeavor that not only will last for many years, but leaves a legacy, young or old, that we all play a vital role in our community. The power of community collaboration, teamwork, and dedication pulled off a tremendous feat and now our community has a long-standing asset to enjoy. I encourage everyone to take these philanthropic efforts exemplified by our talented youth and implement them into our communities. Embodying the mission of making our rural Nebraska community a better place to live and call home. Those efforts may not result in fulfilling the entire dream you have, but it may be planting the seed and laying the foundation for someone to pick it up. We all have our blessed talents. What are we doing to help move our community forward? What has someone done before you to help set the stage for you to improve? Is there a lost baton in your community that you can pick up and make better? *** Gavin Harsh is an original member of Youth Change Reaction, the youth organization for the McCook Community Foundation Fund, and now serves as a volunteer member on the MCFF Advisory Committee.