Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Don’t create housing ghetto


The Express quoted me in a May 23rd article on Thunder Springs' affordable housing, but omitted important context to my comments. Preserving open space should always be a priority when considering development, but my primary objection to the current plan is that Thunder Springs was built under a PUD that obligates them to construct affordable housing at the Thunder Springs site. They never built it, and are now seeking to avoid their obligation by building elsewhere.

It's impossible for citizens to be comfortable with development if developers aren't held to their agreements. Thunder Springs ignored their obligation for years but were never subject to enforcement pressure from the city. Now they have a new opportunity to make millions and they'd like us to forget their previous commitment. They'd like to keep the land that should have gone to housing and avoid their obligation by creating an affordable housing ghetto somewhere else.

The thing that really boils me is that they appear to have the full backing and collusion of the city government. The current "open space in perpetuity" designation was omitted from the staff report to P&Z and glossed over by the commissioners. Affordable housing is an important goal, but it's cheapened considerably when it's used as a smoke screen for developers trying to avoid previous commitments. This isn't about new affordable housing. It's about developers spinning things in order to make more money, and a city government that's helping them do it. It's shameful.

Their PUD says Thunder Springs has to build their housing on-site, and they should be held to that. What good are laws and agreements if they're not enforced? A developer that receives increased density in return for affordable housing should pay the full costs of that housing. Anything else is just a giveaway.

Lee Chubb

Ketchum




 Local Weather 
Search archives:


Copyright © 2024 Express Publishing Inc.   Terms of Use   Privacy Policy
All Rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of Express Publishing Inc. is prohibited. 

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.