The City of Seminole is in the throes of a housing boom, as progress continues on three new additions and plans have been laid for a new development consisting of multiple homes.

In a special presentation at Thursday’s Chamber of Commerce Forum, City Manager Steve Saxon said the city has seen tremendous retail growth, especially in the food industry, which created the need for more housing.

“Seminole boasts 27 places to eat and drink,” Saxon said. “All those businesses have one thing in common…the need for housing.”

Saxon highlighted three additions that are in progress—one of which offers down payment assistance—and one that is in the planning stages.

According to Saxon, over half of the planned 84 homes in Seminole Town Center (off Highway 9, across from the high school) have been completed. Blackburn Ridge, a townhome addition just east of the Reynolds Wellness Center, has 30 units complete and 60 more are under construction.

The new Parks Addition, near the roundabout at Boren and Strother, features 24 new homes that qualify for up to $14,951 in down payment assistance.

“A USDA loan can get you a new home for $1,050 a month, including payment, tax, and insurance,” Saxon said of the Parks addition.

Saxon also unveiled plans for “The Austin,” a new addition near the Brookstone Park Development off Strother, near the former Suddenlink office. According to Saxon, 48 building permits have already been issued.

Other highlights of Saxon’s presentation 1. City crews are now trained and certified to use the most modern technologies to upgrade aging water and sewer infrastructure. Doing this work in-house will speed up line replacement decades sooner than traditional methods. This approach is projected to save millions of dollars compared to outside contracting.

2. The Seminole Urban Renewal Authority (SURA) and Seminole City Council have helped support Seminole’s Downtown District through various initiatives, equaling over $1.9 million since 2012.

3. SURA demolished 16 structures in 2024 at a cost of $128,000.

4. Upgrades have been made to the Jimmie Austin Golf Course. Of the 18,000 visitors to the course, 44% are from Seminole and surrounding towns, and the remaining 56% are from the broader region.

5. The City has reroofed five facilities: City Hall, the Seminole Police Department, the Reynolds Wellness Center, the Business Incubator and the Public Library. Remodels have been completed at City Hall, the library and the fire and police departments.

6. City Hall will move into the BancFirst building on Broadway when the bank’s new building is completed.

7. A pedestrian crosswalk will be constructed on Highway 9 near Seminole High School.

8. Gordon Cooper Workforce Development is adding a welding program and Advanced Health Training to the Seminole Campus.

“These are exciting times for Seminole,” Saxon said. “This is the place to be!”