Fort Gordon is expected to continue boosting the population of the CSRA and that could be a big opportunity for new and existing businesses – and a continued headache for the housing industry.
Fort Gordon recently released its Regional Growth Management Plan with an eye to future needs based on expected growth. The 422-page report covers areas such as emergency services, housing, childcare, schools, and infrastructure needs based on the growth.
Since 2012, when the Army announced it would move its Cyber Command to Fort Gordon, the base has added 8,449 personnel. But with family members, contractors, and related job expansions as a result of that expansion, that means about 60,000 living in the CSRA.
By the end of 2024, Fort Gordon expects to add 3,138 military personnel and dependents, resulting in an additional 3,186 boost in the civilian population to staff the jobs in the community created by that increase. Most of that increase will be absorbed by Columbia County, which is estimated to grow by 22.4 percent by 2030.
An increase like this creates demand for many additional businesses – more gas stations, restaurants, hair care businesses, bank branches, lawn maintenance, home repair, storage units, accountants, attorneys, and many more. The Fort Gordon report zeroed in on a few of those areas it feels will need to grow over the next eight years to provide adequate services to the growing community.
Emergency Personnel
The report projects a need for 156 more police officers in the area by 2030, 94 of those in Columbia County. In addition, some civilian positions would need to be added as the law enforcement offices grow.
Fort Gordon’s study also revealed that some areas of the CSRA are not reachable by firetrucks and ambulances within the required response time, so additional fire stations and EMS services would need to be added.
Education
More families mean more school children. The study found that the area has a capacity deficit of nearly 3,500 at the elementary level, although it noted that Columbia and Aiken counties, with the biggest deficits, have plans in place for new elementary schools by 2025.
The need at the middle and high school levels isn’t as great, but still falls about 1,000 short in Columbia County, and several other counties might have to expand their space as well.
Health Care
Because the majority of the population growth will be in younger people who traditionally require less health care, the need for increased health care isn’t as great as in other areas. But the study found that the CSRA is already below the national average in several health care areas that should be expanded based on population.
Among the needs is almost a doubling of the number of mental health care providers. There is also a need for 76 more primary care physicians by 2030. Other areas that are understaffed according to the national average are pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, radiological and clinical lab techs, and emergency medical techs.
Housing
With the housing market in the area already tight, it’s hardly good news that the study projects a need for 1,253 new housing units by the end of 2024.
The study found that between 2010 and 2019, the area added 16,283 new housing units, but projects that from 2021-30, the need for new housing will be 26,372. That provides an opportunity for growth in the home construction market – or the possibility of a continued housing crunch for the next decade.
Childcare
The families moving to the area will come with children younger than school age. The report projects the need for childcare for 773 more children in the next two years, which would mean an additional 70 childcare workers.
But childcare presents a financial dichotomy that is not easily fixed: Higher wages for workers and lower costs to parents.
According to the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, childcare is affordable if it costs no more than 7 percent of income, but in the CSRA that figure is 18 percent. At the same time, there is a high turnover in childcare workers because of low wages, an average of $7.62 per hour.
In addition, since the military operates around the clock, there is an increased need for childcare available from 6 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Transportation
The study found that an increase in traffic around the base will eventually require work on additional lanes, intersection changes, and traffic signals. It also urged an increase in air traffic services at the airport.
