A study was conducted by Impact Data Source in Austin, Texas to determine the fiscal impact of new housing on local governments. This study is unique because it examined what revenue local governments gained from five new housing developments located in St. Louis, St. Charles and Jefferson Counties as well as what local governments had to spend to support the new developments. The study was commissioned by the Urban Choice Coalition in St. Louis, Missouri. The Urban Choice Coalition is made up of volunteer leaders is business, labor and government who value quality economic growth throughout the St. Louis region. The study found:
- Residential growth often serves as a profit center for local governments. All 30 taxing districts affected by the five new home communities studied made a net profit from the residential growth.
- The homes produced a total net profit of more than $13.9 million each year, on average, for the local governments in which the new home communities were built
- The average net profit per home for local governments was $3,249.
- The following total net profit for all taxing districts for each community is as follows:
| Community |
Location |
Total Net Profit
to Local Gov't |
| Villages of Dardene |
St. Charles County |
$2,744,844 |
| Winghaven |
St. Charles County |
$6,443,837 |
| Winter Valley |
Jefferson County |
$1,750,578 |
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| Chesterfield Farms |
West St. Louis County |
$2,134,906 |
| Summit Ridge |
South St. Louis County |
$913,427 |
- New home communities improve the quality of life for all residents by adding bonding capacity for local governments that was not included in the numbers above. Added bonding capacity allows local governments, often without raising taxes, to finance major community improvements like new schools, parks, fire stations and libraries. New residents then pay their share in retiring the long-term debt for those improvements.
