Missouri’s rural electric cooperatives supporting rural workforce housing legislation

State Rep. Danny Busick (R-Newtown) speaks on the Missouri House floor in Jefferson City on April 6, 2023 (file photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

The Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives and the Missouri Economic Development Council back legislation that’s aimed at rural workforce housing.

The Missouri House Rural Community Development Committee meets today (Monday) at noon, and they’re set to vote on House Bill 2240 from State Rep. Greg Sharpe (R-Ewing) that would create an opportunity for entities to establish a workforce housing investment fund. State Rep. Danny Busick (R-Newtown), who represents a rural district near the Missouri-Iowa border, tells 939 the Eagle that the bill would create a repayable grant fund that not-for-profit groups could apply for funds to finance construction of homes or apartments in counties that have less than 50,000 people in population. Representative Busick says that grant fund would be repaid when property sold.

The Jefferson City-based Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives backs the bill, saying their organization supports rural housing projects and economic development, because it can be beneficial to their member owners.