Affordable Housing

Governmental agencies; organizations such as Yampa Valley Housing Authority; housing advocacy groups; concerned interest groups; for-profit and non-profit entities; chambers; economic development commissions

• Adjust community development policies and decision-making processes as needed to allow greater density and more developable land where appropriate in and adjacent to our existing communities and adapt to changing market demand.

• Foster focused and effective political leadership that engages the community in dialogue and decision-making processes and which enables inclusive, affordable neighborhoods.

• Participation from the four municipalities of Steamboat Springs, Yampa, Hayden and Oak Creek on a regional organization or entity for affordable housing such as Yampa Valley Housing Authority that fosters collaboration and cooperation.

• Develop a regional plan for affordable housing and coordinate affordable housing programs and activities with collaboration and cooperation on a regional level.

• Continually update housing market (both ownership and rental) to review demand, availability and needs.

Governmental agencies; organizations such as Yampa Valley Housing Authority; housing advocacy groups; concerned interest groups; for-profit and non-profit entities; chambers; economic development commissions; state funding sources and organizations

• Encourage and support the coordination of regional housing collaboration with one lead agency such as Yampa Valley Housing Authority reflecting regional needs and participation from Hayden, Oak Creek, Steamboat Springs and Yampa.

• Develop and implement a county-wide educational component for affordable housing and seek combined effort and support from the four municipalities.

• Identify a dedicated, ongoing funding source to implement affordable housing initiatives (land and projects) such as a ballot issue for a property tax or sales tax among others.

• Create a private donation fund that can act as a secondary source of funds for affordable housing.

Governmental agencies; organizations such as Yampa Valley Housing Authority; housing advocacy groups; concerned interest groups; for-profit and non-profit entities; chambers; economic development commissions; state funding sources and organizations

• Develop and implement methods that enable collaborative decision making (with developers, employers, governmental entities, workforce and community organizations) for solutions to affordable housing.

• Create or assign a lead organization such as Yampa Valley Housing Authority to collaborate with workforce employers and develop and implement an educational program that presents options to employers and helps to supply workforce housing for employees.

• Develop and implement outreach affordability education for community as a whole.

• Continue to define, identify and update housing product preferences of various age groups, building upon the Housing Demand Analysis and Needs Assessment in order to attract and retain residents who will evolve as committed members of the community.

• Research and implement public policy mechanisms that mitigate the economic distortion of an amenity-based region and enable a diverse socio-economic base (e.g. transfer fee assessments, consumption fees, housing land trusts, land cap restrictions).