Finding the Right Balance - New Albany Works to Increase Home Ownership

🏠 FINDING THE RIGHT BALANCE - New Albany Works to Increase Home Ownership

At tonight’s Plan Commission meeting, the board will hear proposals for building 80 new homes. Combined with the 230 homes already under construction throughout the city, this makes more than 310 new homes being developed in New Albany right now for single-family ownership.

“We believe homeownership is one of the strongest tools for building stable neighborhoods and stronger communities. When families are able to own a home, they are more likely to invest in their neighborhood, support local schools and businesses, and build long-term roots in the community. Our goal is to create more opportunities for residents to achieve that stability while continuing to improve housing options across New Albany,” stated Mayor Jeff Gahan.

The most recent housing study identified a growing shortage of single-family homes available across communities both in New Albany and nationwide. In response, New Albany has worked proactively to encourage new housing construction and create pathways to homeownership for working families, and the city is committed to finding more ways to keep up that progress.

Currently, approximately 45.5% of households in New Albany are renter-occupied, compared to a 54.5% homeownership rate. In the year 2000, home ownership rates in New Albany were nearly 60%, and city officials have emphasized the importance of creating more opportunities for long-term homeownership and neighborhood stability so that we can achieve those numbers again.

Comparison to Other Indiana Communities

New Albany’s homeownership rate of 54.5% is low compared to other cities, particularly its local peers (see attached chart for more details). The gap between the city’s homeownership rate and its share of single-family housing (70.3%) indicates that many single-family homes are rented.

To help address this imbalance, the City enacted an apartment moratorium a little over a year ago that paused construction on large big-box style apartments that have crept up all over the region. Additionally, the city has pursued policies encouraging single-family home construction while also implementing programs that support first-time homebuyers and existing homeowners, including:

• Down-payment assistance programs

• Emergency home repair assistance

• Neighborhood investment initiatives

City of New Albany Expanding Parks Options

At today’s New Albany Redevelopment Commission, the board voted in favor of moving two major developments ahead.

First is the addition of expanded trails along the western portion of the New Albany Shoreline. The site sits on the former QRS Recycling Center, and the site has been undergoing cleanup and preparation for future greenspace. This addition would add numerous trails along the Riverfront, as well as a new Mountain Bike Trail.

The board also voted to move forward the conversion of turf fields at Silver Street Park (SSP). SSP is one of the premier parks in the area, hosting numerous leagues, team practices, and events. Currently, the site hosts multiple grass fields, but this limits the amount of days that events, games, and practices can be hosted outdoors at the facility.

The addition of turf fields will greatly expand the number of days for outdoor programming (as much as 190 additional days per year!), as well as significantly reduced maintenance costs and time. 

“These improvements in health and wellness reflect our dedication to New Albany residents,” stated Mayor Jeff Gahan. “Improvements like these lay the groundwork for a more vibrant, healthy community, through expanded leagues and programming and more opportunities to improve your health and relax along the Shoreline.”

New Albany Advances New Animal Shelter and Public Works Projects

The City of New Albany took another major step forward today as the New Albany Redevelopment Commission approved moving ahead with two key investments in city services: a new animal shelter and a new public works facility.

Both projects were originally approved by the New Albany City Council in 2025 as part of Mayor Jeff Gahan’s key initiatives, and today’s action signals that the City is getting closer to breaking ground on these critical investments in public services.

“These projects represent a long-term commitment to improving the services our residents rely on every day,” said Mayor Jeff Gahan. “From caring for animals to maintaining our streets and responding to emergencies, these facilities will ensure our team has the space, tools, and technology they need to serve our community at the highest level.”

The new animal shelter project follows the City’s decision to end a previous joint arrangement with Floyd County. Under the former interlocal agreement, the City and County were expected to share costs nearly evenly based on population. However, over time, Floyd County officials fell significantly behind on their financial obligations, shorting the City by nearly $1 million. The shortage from county officials has had drastic consequences on the condition of the facility, with the aging building rapidly deteriorating beyond what it can effectively support.

In response, City leadership moved to establish a fully independent animal shelter to ensure reliable funding and improved services. The new facility will significantly expand capacity, incorporate modern design, and include specialized HVAC systems to help prevent the spread of disease and improve overall animal health. The result will be a safer, more efficient, and more humane environment for animals and staff alike.

The City’s current public works facility is over 50 years old and has long exceeded its useful life and is no longer adequate to meet the City’s growing needs.

The new public works building will modernize operations by expanding space for equipment, materials, and workforce training. These upgrades will strengthen the City’s ability to respond to emergencies and severe weather events, while also improving day-to-day services such as road maintenance, pothole repair, and infrastructure improvements.

Together, these projects reflect New Albany’s continued investment in strong neighborhoods, public safety, and high-quality city services.

New Albany Takes First Step Toward New Animal Shelter 🐾

The City of New Albany is taking an important first step toward building a new animal shelter to better serve our community and its animals.

On Tuesday, April 21, site plans for the new facility will be presented to the Plan Commission for review and approval, marking the first official step in the development process.

Currently, the City operates out of the New Albany–Floyd County Animal Shelter building. As demand for services continues to grow, the need for a modern, expanded facility has become increasingly clear. In 2024 alone, the shelter cared for more than 1,000 animals, stretching the capacity of the existing space.

This project follows the City’s transition to independently operating animal services after the dissolution of the joint city-county agreement in 2023. That agreement, originally established in 1999, ended after Floyd County officials had fallen more than $1 million behind in their share of operating costs over time. Following the split, the City assumed full responsibility for shelter operations.

At the same time, Floyd County Commissioners in recent public meetings have proposed the current animal shelter site be part of a future judicial center project to replace the dilapidated former City-County Building. This further reinforces the need for the City to move forward with a new, dedicated facility.

The new animal shelter will allow New Albany to expand and improve services, including:

• Animal care and housing

• Adoption services

• Veterinary/health services

• Training and community programs

“New Albany has a tradition of providing high-quality care and services to our furry friends, and this new Animal Shelter will continue and build on that tradition for years to come,” said Mayor Jeff Gahan.

The City remains committed to ensuring the long-term success of its animal services program and meeting the growing needs of the community.

💧 $25 Million Investment in New Albany’s Sewer System — NO RATE INCREASES & NO NEW TAXES

The New Albany Sewer Board has approved $25 million in critical upgrades to our sewer utility and collection system, a major investment in our city’s future that will be completed with NO sewer rate increases and NO new taxes.

The board voted today to move these projects forward to the City Council for consideration.

“This vote moves the city toward a cleaner, healthier environment and a stronger economic future, all while keeping our sewer rates low,” said Mayor Jeff Gahan. “The New Albany Sewer Utility serves every household and business in our city. These improvements will protect our environment, safeguard public health, keep our economy moving forward, and keep our sewer rates low. We have not raised sewer rates in over 15 years, and we are not going to.”

🔧 From Federal Oversight to Local Control

For decades, New Albany operated under a federal EPA Consent Decree due to frequent sewer overflows, events that occur when waste in the system exceeds capacity. When Mayor Gahan was elected to his first term, he set out to eliminate this health issue.

The Consent Decree designation limited growth and required federal approval for any new business or development that came onto the sewer system.

“Obviously, that had us throttled economically, so we got to work,” Mayor Gahan said. “We made targeted investments in our collection system, eliminated more than 100 overflow events, and ultimately had the Consent Decree lifted. That restored our ability to plan and grow locally, and now we’re ready to take the next step to invest in our utility and continue working towards a cleaner, healthier environment and a more promising economic future.”

🌊 A Responsibility as a River City

This next phase of improvements will enhance both the sewer collection system and the wastewater treatment plant, ensuring long-term reliability and performance.

“For a River City like ours, this isn’t just an infrastructure project, it’s a responsibility,” Mayor Gahan said. “Clean water means healthier families, stronger recreation opportunities, and a safer environment for future generations. It also supports economic development by attracting new businesses and investment. By modernizing our sewer system today, we’re protecting our river, preserving our environment, and securing New Albany’s future for decades to come.”

New Albany now operates a modern, reliable, and environmentally responsible sewer system, and this next $25 million investment ensures we continue building on that success for decades to come.