Groups partner on affordable housing

SANDPOINT — A partnership between two local organizations will expand the local rental pool for low-income families and keep transitional housing available in Sandpoint for homeless women and families.

Bonner Homeless Transitions has rented the house next door to the Blue Haven home in Sandpoint for several years, and the owner recently decided it was time to sell. It was offered to Bonner Homeless Transitions for $100,000, so the group began fundraising for the $15,000 down payment to purchase the annex. The Bonner Community Housing Agency stepped in and donated $7,500 for the down payment.

Joanne Barlow with Bonner Homeless Transitions said working in collaboration with the housing agency, as well as other resources in Bonner County, is a "great" thing for the community.

"We are both after the same thing — creating affordable housing," Barlow said of the partnership with the housing agency.

Chris Bassett, executive director of the housing agency, said the agency chose to donate the $7,500 as a matching grant in order to assist the organization’s growth, allowing them to continue to serve the needs of those without any housing options in Bonner County.

"BCHA serves those who are employed and make less than 80 percent of the area median income, and we want to help those in our community that we can’t serve with our current programs," Bassett said in an email to the Daily Bee, adding that Bonner Homeless Transitions "serves well."

Also through the partnership between Bonner Homeless Transitions and the housing agency, the Trestle Creek property is being converted to single-family rental houses for individuals who make less than 80 percent of the area median income and pass credit and criminal background checks. These four homes will be available soon, and applications are being accepted at the housing agency, 120 Second Ave., Sandpoint. Three of the units are three bedroom, with one two-bedroom unit. Rent will range from $650-$800 per month.

Bonner Homeless Transitions opened the Trestle Creek Friendship Center in 2000. It housed a total of four families and four single women at any given time. The Trestle Creek program shut down a year ago after the HUD announced it would no longer be providing funding in Idaho — a loss of about $200,000 a year for Bonner Homeless Transitions.

While the housing agency is taking over management of the four Trestle Creek houses, Barlow said Bonner Homeless Transitions will be turning a fifth home on the property into a transitional home for individuals with disabilities. The "Holland House" has four single units that will be available to those who qualify.

The Blue Haven home in Sandpoint continues to operate as a transitional home for homeless families and victims of domestic violence. Blue Haven, with the neighboring annex, has a total of nine units, with the capacity to hold 14 adults and 18 children.

To raise funds for the annex, Bonner Homeless Transitions has utilized the Idaho Gives campaign as well as the non-profit funding program Give Gab. Bonner Homeless Transitions is looking for continued support for the purchase of the annex, and donations can be made through Give Gab at bit.ly/2tBDqmZ or at bonnerhomelesstransitions.org.

Mary Malone can be reached by email at mmalone@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow her on Twitter @MaryDailyBee.