By: Mike O’Dell McCook Gazette
McCOOK, Neb. – Amanda Engell had no plans to return to McCook after college. She liked the community, but couldn’t see how her degree in interior design and construction management could be used here. “I thought I was going to need to travel and live elsewhere,” she said during Wednesday’s round-table discussion at McCook’s Citta Deli.
Engell did come back to McCook—her husband’s career was anchored here—but the move only sharpened her awareness of the community’s housing challenges. “I was not happy with the home that we were living in, and I was constantly looking for options,” Engell remarked. ”I had moved from Kearney, and comparing our housing market to Kearney’s was frustrating.”
That realization pushed her from simple frustration to the decision to become part of the solution, which ultimately led her to her current position. ”The reason I’m in the role I’m in stemmed from me complaining.”
Her complaints have proven to be beneficial to McCook.
During the discussion, a part of the McCook Gazette’s Coffee Talk series, McCook Economic Development Corporation (EDC) Housing Director Amanda Engell offered a detailed look at the community’s housing shortages, current development efforts and long-term strategies. Speaking from a perspective of academic training and personal insight, Engell described a residential market that has struggled for years to meet demand and is now at the center of nearly every conversation about economic growth.
Engell said the North Pointe subdivision began as a response to employers who were unable to recruit skilled professionals because local housing options were decades out of date. As she put it, “The newest house listed is maybe from the 80s or 90s… the free market was not performing like it was in other communities across Nebraska.” She noted that construction inflation, labor shortages and McCook’s distance from major transportation corridors have pushed building costs higher. “Unless you’re looking at bids and getting estimates on materials and labor every day, you have no idea what the cost… You’re probably going to be shocked at what costs come in.”
Despite those challenges, early North Pointe sales moved quickly, and public feedback helped shape the ongoing build-out. Prospective buyers consistently asked for larger bedrooms and living spaces—requests that conflict with affordability. “People associate new construction with ‘big,’ which is challenging, because big comes with cost,” Engell said. Still, North Pointe’s early success persuaded at least one local builder to take on speculative construction for the first time in years, something Engell sees as a turning point.
Lot size was another unexpected hurdle—initial plans called for 100-by-100-foot lots—smaller than the original adjoining neighborhood but still substantial. Homeowners, however, suggested they preferred larger building sites that could accommodate outbuildings. “We took that feedback… we eliminated a few lots and made them wider,” Engell said, noting that a second phase of infrastructure is planned for 2026.
As North Pointe moves forward, Engell is simultaneously focused on “attainable” housing, a term she prefers over “affordable.” She is studying models inspired by McCook’s post-World War II cottage homes—simple, functional houses that allowed families to build equity over time. “Can we take that same model and bring it into 2025, 2026… so that it’s a more affordable price point for our community?” she asked. The goal is to build entry-level homes priced between $225,000 and $250,000, a range she acknowledges is “still higher than you would like” but necessary in today’s construction climate.
One promising site lies on the east side of town on city-owned green space with access to existing infrastructure. Engell said the city was receptive when she asked whether it could be used for attainable housing rather than remaining an undeveloped maintenance burden. Plans under consideration include roughly 1,300-square-foot homes with unfinished basements, paired with possible incentives such as down-payment assistance to reduce PMI costs. “It’s truly going to be an entry-level home,” she said.
Engell is also in discussions with multifamily developers, particularly for projects near recreational amenities. Several developers have expressed interest in market-rate units, and the city is currently determining land pricing so builders can complete financial projections. At the same time, Engell is advancing a separate project aimed at low-income renters. “We know that we need more low-income rentals,” she said, citing lengthy waitlists and shortages of one- to two-bedroom units as well as 55-plus housing.
Beyond new construction, Engell hopes to revive MEDC’s former “purchase, rehab, resale” program to provide quality homes under $200,000. Inflation has made buying and renovating listed homes difficult, so Engell has begun contacting owners of underused or vacant properties. She wants to ensure that families moving into older houses do not immediately face failing sewer lines, outdated HVAC systems or unsafe electrical systems. “We’re going to make sure that we’re providing them with a home that can stand for another 50 to 100 years,” she said.
A significant tool in these efforts is the state’s Rural Workforce Housing Fund, which Engell has used for everything from apartment renovations to gap financing for downtown second-story housing. The fund’s flexibility is attractive because it does not require income verification. “It really opens it up… their goal was to spur a lot of development, and it has done that across the state,” she explained.
She also sees untapped potential in McCook’s aging downtown structures, especially long-vacant second-story spaces. Events like this year’s holiday home tours, hosted by Beautify McCook and the Community Foundation, may inspire property owners to imagine new possibilities. “I would love to live on downtown Norris… I think we’re missing out on some really great” opportunities, she said.
When asked about the broader landscape of grants and funding, Engell described a complex web of state, federal and foundation programs, many of which have slowed noticeably since 2023. She works closely with a state housing representative and sometimes with Nebraska’s congressional delegation to secure letters of support. Yet eligibility can be an obstacle. Under the 2020 census, McCook was measured at 49.8 percent low-to-moderate income—just short of the 51-percent threshold required for certain block grants. State officials question the accuracy of that figure, Engell said, noting their belief that McCook likely meets the qualifying percentage. Updated studies, she added, could reopen opportunities such as façade grants for downtown businesses.
Engell explained the connection between housing and economic development. “Houses are where jobs sleep,” she said, noting that businesses cannot grow if workers cannot find places to live. That philosophy informs MEDC’s expanded role, which now includes childcare, quality-of-life amenities and outreach to major employers such as the hospital, Valmont and Parker. Strong relationships with industry leaders help MEDC anticipate future workforce and housing needs. “They’re invested in McCook, I think, just as much as we’re invested in them,” she added.
Former mayor Dennis Berry was present for the discussion and admired Engell’s outcomes, saying, “While I was with the city and on the EDC, we had all these plans, but I want to compliment you. We had plans, but we didn’t have any action. You’re doing a fabulous job.”
The housing effort ahead, she warned, will span multiple years and include what she described as a significant redevelopment project. While details remain under wraps until funding pathways are finalized, she said residents “are probably going to be like, ‘Wow, I cannot believe that the EDC is taking this project on.’” Even so, she believes it is necessary to strengthen the heart of the community, from new subdivisions to downtown storefronts. “That’s the heart of McCook that we really have to take care of.”
As the discussion concluded, Berry summed up the sentiments of many, saying, “Just keep it up. Girl, you really are amazing.”
