There's no shortage of opinions on what's troubling the Wood River Valley. Plenty of opinions also exist, however, on how to fix it. The rub lies in finding an agreed-upon course of action.
Michael Loftin, executive director of Santa Fe-based Homewise, a nonprofit group that helps modest-income New Mexicans buy homes, spoke to a group of residents and officials Thursday about how a community development corporation can help—or hinder—that end.
His was one of many presentations on affordable housing solutions during Community Housing Week, in Ketchum.
"A CDC is not an end; it's a means to get things done," he said of the nonprofit entities.
The city of Ketchum is taking steps to create a CDC.
Although no Ketchum representatives attended Loftin's session, city officials in previous discussions said a CDC could help implement objectives of the city's downtown master plan, currently in formation. Affordable housing is an oft-cited goal. Other focus options include downtown design, heritage preservation and business development.
"CDCs have the ability to raise resources (a city can't)," Loftin said. "You want it to be a more entrepreneurial, opportunity-based organization. Very mission-focused."
He added that a CDC should be accountable to, but not run by, its founders, which could be a municipality.
"Create autonomy from the government so it's not subject to political winds," he said.
Meeting participants offered ideas to boost not only housing, but a sustainable community.
"Our eventual challenge to sustainability ... is that we have been completely dependent on tourism," said Sun Valley resident Linda Thorson. "We have attracted people with disposable income but don't make a commitment to the community. We need to ... expand and diversify our economic base potential."
Carol Waller, executive director of the Sun Valley-Ketchum Chamber & Visitors Bureau, said more affordable housing means more locals, which in turn means more people patronizing businesses.
"It gets down to critical mass of people living in the community," she said. "There's a down-valley migration to where real estate is cheaper. Bellevue is busier on a Saturday night than Ketchum. They're not tourists (in Bellevue). It's locals."
Loftin said the public sector needs to be willing to make tough policy decisions.
"Unless there are policy changes, you're never going to get ahead of the problem," Loftin said. "Unless there's public sector intervention, I don't think there's a place for a CDC."
Nils Ribi, a Sun Valley City Council member, agreed.
"We cannot continue to make little tiny steps when we are so far behind the eight ball," he said.
Waller said educating people about the issue will help them accept some potentially difficult policy changes, such as inclusionary zoning.
"If people look at the big picture, what are the consequences of everyone having to drive from Carey?" Waller asked. "More restaurants will close. Less events will happen. We'll have fewer volunteers. There are people not working in the tourist economy but are enjoying the benefits."
Michael Loftin, executive director of Homewise, a Santa Fe-based nonprofit organization that helps modest-income New Mexicans buy homes, speaks Wednesday at a session during Community Housing Week at the nexStage Theater in Ketchum. The event, organized by Advocates for Real Community Housing and the Blaine-Ketchum Housing Authority, seeks to further the discussion on affordable housing, how much is needed, how cities can get it, and how the community as a whole can benefit by it. Photo by David N. Seelig
