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FACT CHECK: What can the Yampa Valley Housing Authority build on land donated as part of the West Steamboat annexation?

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — As part of the proposed West Steamboat annexation, Brynn Grey Partners plans to donate a parcel of land for the Yampa Valley Housing Authority to build on.

What will the Housing Authority build?

An exhibit to the annexation agreement lays out details of the donation.

Brynn Grey will give a two-acre parcel with utility and road connections capable of developing 50 rental or deed-restricted for sale units, according to the agreement. While this technically creates a scenario where the Housing Authority can build fewer than 50 units, Executive Director Jason Peasley said the organization would likely build all 50.



“There’d need to be a really strong reason why we wouldn’t build 50 units, from the standpoint of efficiency and the fact that there’s a need out there that we’re trying to meet,” he said.

The Housing Authority hasn’t announced any more specific plans for the land donation, should voters approve the annexation.



Peasley said the Housing Authority believes low- or moderate-income development of the parcel would be complimentary to Brynn Grey’s proposed plans to build move-up housing.

“There’s flexibility within that agreement that allows us to develop supply,” Peasley said. “There’s not much specificity to that — it’s just something that meets our goals. Our goals are fairly well established in that we want to build low-income, moderate-income, entry-level or seasonal housing. We’ll choose what it is going to be based on our understanding of need at the time it’s ready to develop.”

YVHA Board supports annexation

The Housing Authority Board of Directors approved a resolution supporting the annexation on Thursday. Peasley said the Housing Authority supports the measure because of the land donation and because Brynn Grey plans to develop “more housing that fits in the categories that (the Housing Authority) identified in the community housing steering committee work.”

Though the board opted to support the annexation, the Housing Authority will not “lobby or spend resources” in supporting the ballot issue, Peasley said.

Details of the land donation

The Housing Authority will be responsible for construction, financing and any ongoing property management. The Housing Authority will also pay any tap fees to connect those units to existing utility lines.

The Housing Authority’s development will have to meet guidelines laid out in the neighborhood’s regulating plan. The agreement also states that Brynn Grey will approve plans for the project to ensure it meets the neighborhood’s architectural guidelines, which will be “mutually agreeable to both parties” and laid out in a forthcoming development agreement.

Those who own or rent a unit in the Housing Authority development will pay homeowners association dues to the neighborhood homeowner’s association. This is planned to be addressed in a later development agreement between the Housing Authority, Brynn Grey and the city. This is slated to be one-third of the typical HOA fees per unit and cannot exceed $30 a month per unit.

The agreement also explains the process, broken down into steps:

1. Signing the contribution agreement, which was included in the city’s annexation agreement.
2. The Housing Authority, Brynn Grey and the city craft a development agreement.
3. Housing Authority selects a development partner, architect, general contractor and property manager.
4 and 5. The Housing Authority will get development and planning approvals from the city.
6. The Housing Authority breaks ground and continues operating the project.

This story is part of the Steamboat Pilot & Today’s ongoing Fact Check series, which is intended to answer readers’ questions about the proposed West Steamboat Neighborhoods annexation. This series will be published with other annexation coverage at SteamboatPilot.com/news/annexation. If you have a question you’d like to see answered in Fact Check, email reporter Eleanor Hasenbeck at ehasenbeck@SteamboatPilot.com.


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