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The push to broaden Steamboat’s workforce housing market

Tom Ross
The Community Housing Steering Committee of the Yampa Valley Housing Authority is seeking interested people to study how best to create new housing supply in Routt County.
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— People who feel motivated to play a role in meeting the future housing needs of Steamboat Springs and Routt County have a new opportunity to get involved.

The Community Housing Steering Committee of the Yampa Valley Housing Authority is seeking interested people to serve on one of five working groups that will be tasked with analyzing demand and making recommendations on how best to create new housing supply here, YVHA Executor Director Jason Peasley said.

The committees will form different housing categories for people with varying needs, including:



■ Seasonal rental housing for primarily resort workers.

■ Long-term apartment rentals for low-income households.



■ Entry-level housing that comprises apartments, condos, single-family homes in outlying communities and homes for permanent residents.

■ Move-up housing, implying households seeking to upgrade from present housing to larger townhomes, in-town single-family homes and permanent residents.

■ Specialty housing for senior citizens, the homeless population and college students.

YVHA chose the six members of the Community Housing Steering Community from about 45 applicants. The hope is that the 39 people who were not chosen for that committee will show interest in the working groups, which Peasley said will do much of the work involved in identifying new housing goals.

People interested in joining one of the five working groups are asked to email B. Torres at btorres@yvha.org, or call 970-870-0167.

YVHA closed April 15 on funding for a public-private partnership to build a 48-unit, income-restricted apartment building on the west side of the city called The Reserves at Steamboat Springs.

The project will go forward with the help of federal income tax credits awarded by the Colorado Housing Financing Authority that were sold to American Express, through its agent, Enterprise Community Investment. The developer is Overland Property Group.

The Colorado Division of Housing reports the vacancy rate in Steamboat Springs has been essentially zero since late in 2014, and the average rent in the third quarter of 2015 was $970 per month.

To reach Tom Ross, call 970-871-4205, email tross@SteamboatToday.com or follow him on Twitter @ThomasSRoss1


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