With the rise of new businesses popping up in the Perry community, a city figure discusses the future of housing.

Housing and Development Manager Molly Milosevich was brought on in July 2024, about a month after the area’s largest employer Tyson Foods shut down its central Iowa plant. However, the past several months Milosevich has witnessed a slew of new businesses arrive downtown. 

Milosevich shares that she’s taking a look at the Rural Housing Readiness Assessment with Dallas County Iowa State University Extension Committee and has concluded that instead of building new homes, the city is wanting to renovate the existing houses in the area. She gives an update about the housing market in Perry as the one-year mark of Tyson’s closure approaches.

“From what I know, I think things are slowing down a little bit, but I think that’s nationwide. The increase and interest rates are still high. It might slow down a little bit, but just for the selling of houses, and people sweeping them up, I think it’s kind of been pretty steady in Perry, which is great.”

Milosevich acknowledges that it’s not surprising to see the housing market dip slightly after losing such a huge corporation, but it is reassuring to know that it’s not scaring businesses and residents from moving to the area.