Blaine Manor housing gets go-ahead

Article via Idaho Mountain Express. Low-income project would bring 60 units to downtown Hailey After years of false starts, seniors will be coming back to Blaine Manor. The Idaho Housing and Finance Association approved $5.79 million over 10 years in tax-credit financing to build a 30-unit apartment block on the fallow lot that once held […]
The impact of “filtering” and why we are experiencing a crisis

The impact of “filtering” and why we are experiencing a crisis in housing availability. There are building sites everywhere and construction is taking off again, so why is it so difficult to find an affordable home? Part of the answer lies with the effects of “filtering”. The definition of filtering is that homes become more […]
Tax Reform — Federal Policy Impacting Affordable Housing

For the first time, the National Association of Home Builders has agreed to support converting the Mortgage Interest Deduction (MID) to a tax credit. By shifting the MID to a tax credit, all tax payers, not only those who itemize, can benefit. The tax credit also provides the same percentage cost reduction to all homeowners […]
Federal Budget — Federal Policy Impacting Affordable Housing

Federal Budget The Presidential Budget Proposal reduced funding to the Department of Housing and Urban Development by 14%. This would have eliminated funding for several key programs including the HOME program which has funded over 50 units of housing in Blaine County since 2009. Fortunately, Congress has not accepted the proposal, the current budget, which has […]
We are NOT the national norm.

The City of Sun Valley successfully amends the definition of “Housing Burden” to fit our community. The City of Sun Valley pays competitive wages. City employees earn more than area median income making them ineligible for homes managed by the housing authority. Yet housing costs were repeatedly the reason employees left the City, and […]
Every Friday $2.2 Million in paychecks drive away from the county and our economy.

In order to enhance the social fabric of our community people must live and work in the same area. Those who do make an “investment” in their community by attending social events, frequenting restaurants, volunteering at their children’s schools, shopping locally and supporting charitable causes. In 2014, the State of Idaho reported that over 3800 […]
Who are the applicants?

Resort Personnel — Everyone from the folks that left the mint on your uncles pillow when he stayed at the lodge to the ski patrol person that rescued you with a toboggan when you blew your ACL in the bowls. Emergency Personnel — Right.. the guy that saved your life when you were having a heart […]
COMMUNITY HOUSING: It’s a balancing act.

One might argue that Community Housing programs are unnecessary. ” Let the free market forces level the playing field; do not engage in social engineering,” is the cry heard most often. The problem with that point of view is that in order for the fee market to address the problem, wages, and therefore prices of […]
It’s simple: If you can’t afford to live here, you won’t work here.

The supply of moderately priced housing is critical to the economic viability of the Wood River Valley. Every employer facing hiring decisions is confronted with not being able to recommend affordable housing options for prospective employees. Until we, as a community, can create a supply of quality housing options at moderate prices we will struggle […]
ARCH Completes this beautiful home in Hailey

This brand new, three-bedroom ARCH rental home is complete. ARCH is helping add to the growing number of affordable rental properties in the Wood River Valley that are needed for working households in our community. Our work continues … look for an additional eight rental units next spring.