Ownership, not rentals

The words came straight from the heart of Jim Brennan, longtime North Idaho resident and Cornerstone Inc. Custom Homes owner and president.

"We want ownership. We don’t want rentals," he said. "We want people to be able to own and establish the American Dream. To do that right now, I’m seeing that condominiums is one of the only solutions we have available to us for our people to live in this county.

“It takes people that have that vision and that heart to help the residents of our county,” he said. "I also find it very sad that the only people that can move here now are those who are outsiders, those who aren’t raised in this county, those who came from California, Washington and other areas, that they're the only ones that seem to be able to buy in this area, and it really breaks my heart."

Brennan spoke during the Hayden Planning and Zoning Commission meeting Thursday evening, during which commissioners unanimously approved a single-family residential condominium housing project, named The Bridge, that will dedicate 20% of the units to those who make no more than 80% of the area median income, or roughly $24 to $31 per hour. These include public safety employees, teachers, administrative staff and hospitality workers.

Proposed to be constructed on more than four acres at 2442 and 2420 W. Hayden Ave., The Bridge plans include 56 townhome-style two-bedroom/one bathroom and three-bedroom/two bathroom condos.

"We hope to bridge people from one side of their housing situation to another through flexible ownership," said Brenny Ross, who co-owns the project with Brennan. "That’s basically our heart in this project here."

The Bridge is geared toward first-time homebuyers. Project leaders are also working to ensure those who buy a unit live in it for at least two years.

"I loved that this project is focused on home ownership," Hayden Planning and Zoning Commissioner Mary Howard said. "I hope they're really able to follow through with that. That's what creates stable communities."

The project has the support of the Panhandle Affordable Housing Alliance, a nonprofit with the mission to give more people access to homeownership. The organization has been consulting with Brennan and Cornerstone Builders on The Bridge to assist with deed restrictions for 11 units or 20% of the development to ensure these units are available for purchase by people earning no more than 80% area median income.

"Through deed restrictions, these units will be preserved for people in this income bracket for years to come," the alliance's executive director, Maggie Lyons, wrote in a letter to the planning and zoning commission.

"I understand the proposed development meets the city of Hayden’s zoning requirements and I wholeheartedly support it," she wrote. "I believe this project can become a shining example for how PAHA can partner with private developers/builders and local jurisdictions to respond to our county’s desperate need for homes that our local workers can afford to purchase."

Coeur d'Alene City Councilwoman Kiki Miller is a leader with the Regional Housing and Growth Issues Partnership, an organization of a working group, an advisory group and volunteer committees that are addressing Kootenai County's housing crisis. Miller said three or four more projects like The Bridge are starting to help North Idaho's developer community realize legal ways to help workers stay in the area.

"I was like, 'Yes! We got one!' she said. "I'm really excited our developers are doing what they can to help our local workers."

The Bridge will be considered by the Hayden City Council at an upcoming meeting.

"I think this is a good project," Howard said. "I think this is the kind of project that Hayden needs, and I stand on that."

See the full staff report: cityofhaydenid.us