Ketchum's Community Development Corp. crossed a lot off its list this year. Affordable-housing complex Northwood Place will be completed this fall for renters. Since November, the group has privately raised $432,000 for the Ketchum Town Square, under construction with a ribbon cutting set for July 2.
But it's time to look forward, especially since the Ketchum City Council gave $57,000 to the CDC on May 3. And the money must be used before the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30. The CDC can't actually receive the money until it writes a contract for services, which the City Council must approve, outlining exactly how the money would be spent.
To come to that agreement and look even further into the CDC's future, the group met with Ketchum city leaders on Tuesday. And the two groups discovered that they were eye to eye on many project goals.
"What I'm seeing here is an amazing consensus," said Jim Knight, facilitator of the meeting and chair of the Sun Valley Resort Area Marketing Committee.
The CDC and city listed similar priorities: make sure to rent all of Northwood Place's 32 affordable-housing units, immediately start on a second affordable-housing rental complex and begin working on alternative-energy initiatives.
CDC Executive Director Jon Duval said he wants to make sure Northwood Place "kicks off strong," with apartments filled at the Saddle Road complex.
He said 10 applications have so far been submitted by interested renters: eight for one-bedroom units and two for two-bedroom units. He said no one has applied for three-bedroom units.
He said the CDC hasn't done much advertising up to now, but that will be stepped up as construction completion nears.
The complex has six three-bedroom units, 14 two-bedroom units and 12 one-bedroom units.
Now that the CDC understands the city's expectations, it can draw up its contract for services concerning the $57,000. And, board President Tom Unger said, the contract should be ready for the council by the end of June.
Trevon Milliard: tmilliard@mtexpress.com
