Wayne conducts house moving, address lack of housing stock
WAYNE, Neb. — As towns across Nebraska deal with the lack of housing, the city of Wayne moved houses to different lots in the community.
The city and its house movers moved three houses off Wayne State College’s campus from parking lot 10 and moved them to the southwest part of town along Chicago St.
The houses were on property that the school wanted to build suite-style housing on and made an agreement with the city and the Community Redevelopment Authority.
According to city council minutes, the CRA purchased the lots from the city for $1 each and chose to move the houses along Chicago St.
The route started at the parking lot on campus and was expected to take them two days to move beginning on Thursday and ending on Friday.
The route was planned to cross Highway 15 and 98 while using mostly gravel roads to get to the southwest side of town.
Previously in an interview with News Channel Nebraska, City Administrator Wes Blecke talked about the lack of lots and how this is a step to address the problem.
“The biggest issue is we have very few lots right now," Blecke said. "Just three or four years ago I think we had 60-some lots available. I think we’re in the 20s now.”
The city warned of an interruption of electric services on Friday as the houses had to move power lines.
This addition of housing in Wayne comes after the R. Perry Apartment Project and the city’s plan to develop land by Bomgaars on the west side of town.