Building A Strong Wyoming

Housing Authority Dissolved

There has been considerable discussion lately throughout the valley regarding the Housing Authority and its effectiveness.  The Housing Authority is the government run entity.  The Housing Trust is the private entity.  Some of the discussion I have heard over coffee is that the Housing Trust is just more effective because it is not government run.  Private entities are just able to work more effectively than government.  There is also a large concern out there that the Housing Authority spent all of the SPET (Special Excise Tax) funds ($5 million) this past year on land acquisition and now there is no money to actually build any affordable houses.  I am not sure if that is completely accurate, since I think their plan was to sell some of their parcels for a profit, and then use the profit to build on other properties.  The last issue I keep hearing is that those who provide essential services (fire, police, teachers, etc.) are not getting into the affordable homes.  And I am not actually sure what people mean when they say essential services.  Most people agree on police officers, but beyond that it gets fuzzy.  The proposal I have heard from some local coffee drinkers is that the Housing Authority should be dissolved and allow the Housing Trust to do affordable housing.  And also encourage the county, town, hospital, and school district to do employee housing that the employees would own.  This would solve that section of need (police, fire, teachers, hosptial) and thus free up the affordable housing for non-governmental workers.  Also there was a few votes at the coffee house this morning for doing more rental units instead of just owned homes. The other answer you sometimes hear is that the county should revise the zoning to allow for more Rafter J type of subdivisions in certain areas, so that the supply would be increased.  Presently the basic rule is 1 house per 35 acres.  There is some feeling that the county should consider increasing density in certain areas.  These are just some of the ideas I have heard over coffee, what are your ideas?  Do any of these make any sense or do you have a better idea?  My favorite new saying I heard today, was that the county needs to protect "working family habitat".