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Page 120 <br />It is understood that cities and their streets evolve over time with businesses influenced by <br />quality, amount, and density of housing developments. It cannot be expected that retail will <br />immediately follow housing developments, but growing a community through housing will make <br />it easier for businesses to move in, become successful, and attract more specialized or higher - <br />end retailers. <br />Housing development can prime communities for neighborhood commercial development in a <br />few key ways, which involve a diversified housing stock and options for incoming community <br />members. Increased homeownership, including condominium ownership, displays a stable <br />neighborhood with invested community stakeholders and consumers. Housing development <br />creates a customer base for community retail, so growth in customer base, provides incentive <br />for a retailer to consider one location over another. Mixed -income housing also provides more <br />than just a growing consumer base for potential incoming businesses. Small locally owned <br />businesses and large chain retailers both require an accessible workforce living in close <br />proximity to work. Increased housing developments, particularly mixed -income, provide <br />residences for new anticipated workforce needs, enhancing the attractiveness of a city to <br />potential economic developers. <br />