Community housing gurus gathered in the mid-Wood River Valley Saturday to celebrate the completion of 12 new homes targeted for sale to middle-income residents.
Agave Place was built as part of construction of Village Green, a high-end subdivision adjacent to The Valley Club, approved by the Blaine County Commission nearly two years ago.
"I'm thrilled there are 12," said Susan Passovoy, a member of the Blaine Ketchum Housing Authority. "I wish there were 1,200."
A dozen or so prospective home buyers, housing authority members, bankers and developers gathered at Agave Place Saturday afternoon to celebrate the project's completion. The 12 homes are paired in six two-unit configurations, three of them two stories and three of them one story.
There are six one-bedroom homes to be sold at $173,500 and six two-bedroom homes to be sold at $262,500. Approval of Village Green and Agave Place came before Blaine County enacted a so-called "linkage" law, so the deed-restricted prices are higher than would be approved now, said Blaine Ketchum Housing Authority Executive Director Jim Fackrell. That means the one-bedroom homes might work financially for families making between $55,000 and $60,000 per year.
"Nonetheless, the homes turned out very nice," he said.
Jon Gove is project coordinator for Sun Valley Development, which built Village Green and Agave Place.
"As far as I know, this is the only community housing anywhere that is on a Tom Fazio golf course," he said.
Golf privileges, however, do not come for Agave Place or Village Green residents. Golf on the new nine holes is managed as part of The Valley Club, which charges dues separate from homeowners' dues.