Our Future
More Housing
More Homes, Choices, and Opportunities to move Home.
Housing and economic development go hand in hand. When housing is scarce, prices rise, employers struggle to attract workers, and young families look elsewhere to put down roots. More housing options help Effingham grow and give more people the opportunity to call it home.
We need homes for every stage of life, from a first apartment to a family home to a smaller place where seniors can downsize and still stay close to friends and family.
Create More Housing Choices
New neighborhoods, apartments, and townhomes.
Invest in Neighborhoods & Downtown
Build on vacant lots, rehabilitate homes, and renovate upper floors downtown.
Make Development Easier to Navigate
Work with builders and property owners to establish a clear and quicker path from concept to construction.
Our Goal
Working with private developers and community partners. We will report annually on homes permitted, under construction, and completed.
Vibrant Local Economy
Help Businesses Start, Grow, Invest, and Succeed Here.
Effingham’s future depends on both the employers and entrepreneurs already here and attracting new developers. We want businesses to expand, create jobs, and invest in our community.
Support Existing Employers
Meet with local businesses to understand their needs, including workforce, housing, infrastructure, and room to expand.
Encourage Entrepreneurship
Connect people with available space, business resources, mentors, and financing opportunities to help more ideas become viable businesses.
Strengthen Tourism & Downtown
Support events, hospitality, shopping, and recreation that give visitors reasons to stop, stay longer, and return.
What progress looks like: Businesses opening and expanding, productive use of vacant buildings, and stronger connection between employers and City Hall.
Quality of Life
A Community People Choose to Call Home.
People don’t just choose a job. They choose a community.
Great parks, safe neighborhoods, trails, public spaces, recreation, opportunities, entertainment, and a vibrant downtown help make Effingham a place where people want to live. These investments create community pride, help us attract families, support businesses, and bring visitors to town.
More Places for Families to Gather
Explore a destination splash pad, a natural playground, and public spaces with seating, shade, and activities for different ages.
Expand Recreation & Connections
Work with community partners on trails, park improvements, and recreation opportunities such as pickleball that serve residents and attract visitors.
Keep Downtown Active & Welcoming
Support community events, gathering spaces, and practical improvements to parking and pedestrian access.
What progress looks like: More gathering spaces that serve people of different ages and abilities with clear plans for funding, maintenance, and long-term operation.
A Can-Do City Hall
Clear Answers. Practical Solutions. Forward Progress.
City government should welcome investment, connect people and resources, and help good ideas become reality.
Residents and businesses deserve clear requirements, timely answers, and consistent treatment. We can protect public safety while making the process easier to understand and navigate.
01
Make the Process Clear
Provide straightforward checklists, a designated point of contact, and clear expectations for permits and development proposals.
02
Improve Response Times
Review how applications move through City Hall, identify avoidable delays, and establish service standards for complete, routine applications.
03
Review Unnecessary Barriers
Examine outdated rules and inconsistent practices, listen to residents and businesses, and pursue changes that support responsible growth.
04
What Progress Looks Like
Streamlined permitting, measurable response times, and fewer applications stalled without a clear explanation or next step.
Build Responsibly
Every proposal should answer practical questions:
Who benefits? What will it cost? How will it be funded? Who will maintain it?
I will look for partnerships, grants, and private investment where they fit, evaluate ongoing costs alongside construction costs, and make priorities and progress visible to the public.
- Michael Brummer
Help Shape Our Future
What would make Effingham a better place for your family?
What opportunity are we missing? What obstacle have you encountered? Share your ideas in our questionnaire and help build Effingham for the next generation!
