Hailey needs
housing rules
Hailey
ignored its own ordinances last week.
Mayor Brad
Siemer broke a 2-2 City Council tie to approve a four-unit development
that did not meet the requirements of the city’s plan or zoning
ordinance.
In the
larger scheme of things, the development is not a big deal, but the
decision is.
As
explained by supporters, the city granted approval because the developer
promised "affordable" units between $130,000 and $150,000.
For Siemer
and Council members Martha Burke and Rick Davis, that was enough to lead
them to ignore the city’s own ordinances. They failed to ask for
deed-restricted price caps on the affordable housing and got just a $4,000
contribution for park land for their generosity.
It was a
shell game, and they fell for it.
Instead of
encouraging affordable housing, the city probably awarded first-time
buyers of the units a windfall.
Both Hailey
and developers would be better off with rules for deed-restricted
affordable housing. That way, everyone could recognize a good deal, the
city would get real affordable housing, and elected officials couldn’t
make up the rules to suit themselves.