First-of-its-kind land deal struck in Colorado between White River National Forest and Summit County
Summit County is getting around 150 new units of housing being built on U.S. Forest Service land in the Colorado mountains. The forest service is leasing the land for 50 years for free, provided that Summit County builds workforce housing and new administrative offices on top of that land.
The deal also requires the county to leave 10 units and 30 beds open for their employees (30 beds would be potentially split up between one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments).
How is that even possible?
Well, it takes five to 10 years of planning and coordinating between two governmental agencies and authority given from a piece of the 2018 Farm Bill backed by Sen. Michael Bennet.
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It's a sweet deal for both of them, the Forest Service said the land is being underutilized and while they do have employee housing on it right now, it's not exactly desirable.
"Think similar to summer camp," Adam Bianchi, district ranger for the Dillon Ranger District in the White River National Forest, said. "Bunk space that fits usually eight folks, open bedroom with bunk spaces."
There are more permanent resident locations on the property too that are not bunk houses, but Bianchi said all of them could benefit from a brand-spanking new housing facility built on Summit County's dime.
Summit County jumped at the deal too because housing, specifically for middle-class families is one of the top priorities to keep the county functioning.
"Our hero housing, right?" Summit County Commissioner Tamara Pogue said. "The nurses, the firefighters, the teachers, on down to our ski resort employees and the broadest swath of folks in Summit County will be eligible for this housing."
The problem is finding the land in Summit County to build on that is affordable is... well, what you would expect. That's why the county is willing to build the housing on the land for the forest service, considering they're getting to lease the land for free for 50 years.
The partnership between the two is now sparking great interest from communities with similar issues, like within Eagle and Pitkin Counties, as well as in Steamboat Springs, all suffering from negative housing stock but benefiting from national forest land.
It's an important distinction, this is not allowing governments to simply start bulldozing our national forests to build housing, this is only allowed on administrative sites (think outbuildings, parking for vehicles and tools, forest service housing).
While Bianchi said this project is still very much a "ride-the-bike-as-you-build-it" kind of thing, he's hoping when construction starts in the spring, they'll actually be able to build in phases instead of having to wait until the entire project is completed in two or three years before moving people in.
"It just speaks to the necessity and urgency that we have here in the community to provide workforce housing," Bianchi said.
