Independently owned since 1905
Independently owned since 1905
A final report on the housing needs assessment study conducted earlier this year has been released, outlining the plan for developing housing in the county.
A press release from Sanders County Community Development Corporation (SCCDC) and Sanders County Community Housing Organization (SCCHO), states the report is now open to the public for viewing. “We promised it and now we have it,” the press release says. “If you have concerns or potential solutions to the housing conditions and inventory in Sanders County, please feel free to reach out to Lisa or Ray. To all the community leaders and participants who gave us their valuable time and input in this study, thank you all!”
The report lists the following five priorities for housing needs in Sanders County:
1. Conduct a countywide land inventory and infrastructure assessment to identify possible locations for affordable housing options and infrastructure conditions and capacity.
2. Research housing model options that best meet the needs of communities.
3. Increase the rental housing inventory that aligns with workforce incomes and needs.
4. Develop senior housing options that include apartments, duplex, townhomes, and patio homes.
5. Implement a housing rehabilitation program to modernize the existing housing inventory.
The report also details general recommendations for how to meet the needs of the county. The first is forming a county housing entity to address affordable housing needs. “Such an option would maximize both local and universal housing resources for the most affected citizens in Sanders County,” the report states, adding that SCCDC or SCCHO could serve in that capacity.
The report also recommends affordable rental housing developed in the $600 to $700 per month price range to meet workforce demand, and that senior housing be a priority in any future housing development in the county. “With the aging population, this housing segment will become more critical,” the report says. “Different senior housing development programs and options need to be considered.”
The final recommendation from the report addresses affordable home ownership. It suggests pursuing public-private partnerships that reduce the overall home prices and better align with resident incomes. The report states that further research needs to be conducted to assess the feasibility of different affordable home ownership models or programs.
Brown said the next step is to assemble an action group to identify properties and projects that can be completed. "One of the biggest hurdles is that it's such a wide county and each community has its own needs. It's difficult to get a firm graph on what can be done."
In September, Sanders County Housing Task Force Members and a Housing Study Team, which included representatives from Sanders and Lake Counties, as well as several key stakeholders including businesses, industries, agencies, nonprofits and government leaders, met for a final task force meeting to assess information and data that was gathered discussing the housing needs in the county.
As the report discusses the housing needs in the county, it also outlines a housing plan that will be implemented and executed over the next five years. The data collected from the housing needs assessment that describes the current conditions, housing gaps and housing opportunities in the county, will then be used by the formal housing task force, SCCDC and SCCHO to identify potential solutions and execute the identified strategies. The development of the five-year housing action plan will be used by partnering organizations for the development of future projects.
The recommendations will be implemented over the next five years to help better the housing situation for Sanders County residents. To receive a copy of the report or to help develop housing projects for the county, contact Lisa Fried de Reyes at [email protected] or Ray Brown at [email protected].
Reader Comments(0)