From Neighbors Push Back at ARCH Rezone Request, Idaho Mountain Express
To read the full original article by Tony Evans, click here.
On Monday, the Hailey Planning and Zoning Commission continued a public hearing to next month to consider a request by ARCH Community Housing Trust to rezone a 0.59-acre parcel of city property on Woodside Boulevard for affordable rental housing.
The city would have to rezone the 26,048 square feet of property at 3920 Woodside Blvd., adjacent to the Building Materials Thrift Store, from Recreational Greenbelt to General Residential for ARCH to proceed with a four-unit development on the site.
Currently, the land is mostly covered in dirt and used for parking or trail access.
ARCH Executive Director Michelle Griffith said the proposed three-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath homes would have attached garages and yards and have a strong appeal for families earning up to 80 percent of area median income, which for a family of four in Hailey is $62,960.
“We have enough funding to make sure these are well-maintained throughout the life of the development,” Griffith said.
Though we at ARCH are often met with opposition, we will continue to find ways to bring new families and workers into the Wood River Valley. We see it as the only way that this valley can continue to thrive in the way it does. As the valley continues to grow and more and more businesses move in to the area, so too must the available housing options. Without affordable housing, new local businesses can’t hire employees. People can’t work here if they have no place to live. We are trying to find a way to grow our local economy and culture by making it possible for people to move here from elsewhere. With your support, be it vocal, financial, or labor-related, we will continue to find ways to welcome new residents while not encroaching on the land and rights of our existing residents.
– ARCH Community Housing Trust
