For the week of May 8 - 14, 2002

Don’t give up on housing

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Ketchum shouldn’t give up its quest for affordable community housing.

The city’s bid for tax-credit financing for the Town Center project was rejected by the state because of the "high" cost per housing unit.

The rejection could have been appealed, but the City Council declined. Instead, two council members will travel to Boise to talk with IHFA members.

Too bad.

Pursuing an appeal would have given the city an opportunity to educate the Idaho Housing Finance Association. Like everyone who meets the resort housing issue for the first time, IHFA has a lot to learn.

It would learn that the cost of building community housing in Ketchum is not comparable to any other Idaho city. It’s comparable only to places like Aspen, Vail, Park City, and Jackson Hole.

It would learn that Ketchum needs housing for both middle- and low-income workers. It would learn that in Aspen, Colo., even doctors qualify for community housing because of high costs.

It would learn that even if it’s cheaper, housing 10, 20 or 30 miles away from Ketchum is more expensive because of transportation and parking costs.

Ketchum needs IHFA’s help. IHFA needs to do its homework and do its job—finance housing where it’s needed.

 

The Idaho Mountain Express is distributed free to residents and guests throughout the Sun Valley, Idaho resort area community. Subscribers to the Idaho Mountain Express will read these stories and others in this week's issue.