TPT's Almanac reporter Kaomi Lee travelled to Cook County for the story.  Photo:  Almanac

From Boreal Community Media • August 20, 2022

On Friday night, Twin Cities Public Television's venerable series Almanac featured an extensive report on the relationship between worker and housing shortages in Cook County. You can watch the full segment above.

Among the subjects of the report, Sheriff Pat Eliasen cited the vast extent of the patrol area the Cook County Sheriff's Department is responsible for and how the Department is currently short staffed on patrol officers.  Eliasen pointed to a lack of an affordable housing as a problem for recruitment.

Next Almanac features Kimber Wraalstad , CEO of North Shore Health who also discussed that fact that they have made employment offers to health care professionals who had to turn down positions due to a lack of housing.  In addition to their regular duties, Wraalstad and her some of her staff double as ambulance drivers due to the current lack of staff.

Editor and Assistant Publisher Brian Larsen of the Cook County News Herald cited the fact that Cook County was the only county in the seven county region with population growth in 2020 census and that places stress on social services.

Stevie Plummer of Patagonia Cabins called vacation rentals as easy target and said that they only represent 5% of the housing stock available in Cook County.

Virginia Detrick Palmer of Coldwell Banker North Shore Realtors said she believes that vacation rental sales have driven up prices.  She said area home sales shot up 20% last year from the previous year.

Finally, Almanac visited with Jason Hale, the new director of the Cook County Housing Redevelopment Authority who gave an update on current housing development efforts and new projects for which developers have already been recruited.

 To see the full episode of this weeks' Almanac, follow this link to the TPT website. https://www.tpt.org/almanac/video/st-paul-mayor-mpls-community-safety-cook-county-housing-39607/