Chelsea sees continued growth in houses, residents

Estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau in May identified the city of Chelsea as the state’s fastest growing city, and based on new houses in the city, that growth looks like it will continue into 2018.

Census Bureau estimates show Chelsea grew by 4 percent — from 12,341 to 13,011 — between 2016-17. 

That year was also a time where the city saw building permit requests jump from 133 in total from 2012-15 to 188 in the first 10 months of 2016.

According to numbers provided by the city of Chelsea, there were 101 home building permits issued in the first four months of 2018, compared to 88 in the same time frame in 2017. Last year saw a total of 207 home building permits, city councilor Scott Weygand said.

“This year, I think we’re on point to beat that [number of permits],” Weygand said. “It means that we’re growing. We knew that we were growing, and that’s going to continue. As a city government, the best thing we can do is be prepared for it.”

April has been the peak month for permits in the past two years, Weygand said, as families tend to start building their homes at that time.

“People typically want houses ready for school,” he said.

Chelsea is seeing growth in many parts of its city limits, Weygand said, but a majority of permits have come in larger developments, such as Chelsea Park. That’s because once a subdivision is “on the books,” it’s easier to move forward with new home construction, Weygand said. That process can be a little slower for new subdivisions.

In regard to why people are deciding to move to Chelsea or build new homes in the area, Weygand said the “family focus” is something that draws people in. 

“Yes, new houses are being built, almost every day, but more importantly, we are adding families,” he said. “This city has always been a close-knit community, where neighbors help neighbors, and I believe that is one of the draws that bring people to our city.”

The other draw is the range of homes available.

“Our housing market is growing, and people can still afford to live here. Our housing market hasn’t gone crazy to where it’s hard to buy here. We’ve got a little bit of everything — starter homes, retirement homes, million dollar homes and pretty much everything in between,” he said.

The task at hand is keeping up with growth through amenities, infrastructure and public safety resources, Weygand said. And even as a city with no property tax, more rooftops can help grow the city’s tax base.

“Not only will our residents continue to grow, but our commercial sector will also continue to grow,” he said, noting that businesses could have their eye on the city as its population grows. “The more residents we have, the more they’ll shop locally, and that’s definitely a benefit to the city.”

The growth, Weygand said, is also something he expects to continue — at least for the foreseeable future.

“I don’t have a crystal ball, but I’m going to guess that it’s going to continue growing for the next several years,” Weygand said. “I don’t see anything that says Chelsea is about to start slowing down.”