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Over 10 years ago, the Bridger-Teton National Forest approved using the Nelson Drive trailhead to house its staff. The trailhead is a popular access to Cache Creek trails network, just east of Jackson and used by recreators year-round. In September, the Jackson Hole Community Housing Trust unveiled plans for a unique public-private partnership to finally make it happen. We sat down with Director Anne Cresswell, who stressed the community is not losing public land.
Bridger-Teton National Forest Supervisor and project partner Chad Hudson was slated to join the talk but canceled due the government shutdown.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity. — Ed.
DFA: Could you tell me how you dreamt up this housing partnership?
Anne Cresswell: I didn’t dream up this partnership. I was approached actually over 10 years ago by the then-Superintendent of the Forest Service, Kniffy Hamilton, and Michael Schrotz, because they learned about a partnership that we had gotten over the finish line with the Teton County School District, where we partnered to develop 11 homes at Schwabacher Meadows, using a new tool that we have created [to] lease land conveyed from the school district to the housing trust. And that new model allowed us to partner successfully with a public entity.
DFA: It’s my understanding [you’ll build], 36 homes, 12 guaranteed to the Forest Service.
AC: Thirteen, actually, yes.
DFA: Thirteen guaranteed to the Forest Service at the Nelson Drive Trailhead. The rest are up for grabs. And I wonder if you could paint a picture of one, what they’ll look like, and two, how much rent will be.
AC: I wouldn’t necessarily characterize it as the balance of the units being up for grabs. The Community Housing Trust is a private, not-for-profit, affordable housing developer. We have over 1,500 households on our waiting list that are income-qualified and have been serving this community on average for over 10 years. So the remaining units that are not going to Forest Service employees will go to applicants on our Housing Trust waiting list. Or they will go to partners that we are working with other employers in the community, hopefully the town, hopefully, the county, who are also in need of employee housing for their essential workforce. We have a mix of two bedrooms and two different one-bedroom unit types.
And we have a range of price points. We’ve actually made a commitment to rent the Forest Service units at a price point that is consistent with the federal rental rates established by Washington, D.C. So a two-bedroom, for example, will be rented for $1,500 and one-bedroom units to Forest Service employees will be roughly $1,100 to $1,400 a month. And then the Community Housing Trust [rates] will be priced in accordance with [U.S. Housing and Urban Development] guidelines and national definitions of affordability. On balance right now, our project pro-forma shows that we are renting to households that earn 50%, 75% and 98% of area median income.
DFA: This land is not being sold, but the project has drawn attention from some locals who worry it’s encroaching on public land, limiting recreation and driving growth in an area of town that’s incapable of handling it. Though public comment on the project is closed, how would you respond to these critiques?
AC: We’re really excited that we have been awarded the first 30 year special use permit in the nation to develop affordable housing on U.S. Forest Service land. We feel that this is a really unique approach that does not require the sale of public land. It comes at a time that’s complicated because, of course, there’s a lot of conversation about selling public land. But what’s so important about this project is that it provides a response to electeds and to politicians that are interested in selling public land, because this keeps public lands in public hands. It is no different than the special use permit held by Snow King Mountain Resort or by the Jackson Hole Mountain Resorts. Nelson Drive is renowned for having another reputation, which is Jackson’s Navy, right? There are boats and RVs that are parked up and down Nelson Drive, and so it’s a congested area. Are we going to be contributing to that problem? We have significant parking. It’s a large property, and so what that allows us to do is provide garages for two-thirds of all the units and provide two parking spaces for every two-bedroom unit and one and a half to two parking spaces for the one bedroom unit. We are going to have ample parking on this property. One thing that we love about the location is it’s immediately adjacent to town and will make it very easy for people to walk and bike and use public transportation to get to work and to recreate.
DFA: I wonder how this development may or may not impact the access point that is the Nelson Drive Trailhead.
AC: I think we’re going to improve upon it. Honestly, we have been in close communication with the Friends of Pathways team and the pathways director at the Bridger-Teton, Tim Farris, working with them hand-in-glove all along to just relocate the trailhead. T
The new start of the trail head will be at the base of Nelson Knoll, 20 yards from where it currently exists. And I think we’ve already done a really nice job cleaning up the existing parking area.
DFA: You recently asked the town and county to partner on the development. Both the town and the county are well reported to be strapped for cash. I wonder how those talks are going.
AC: We have had great support from both the town council and the county commissioners. I think they understand how important this project is and how unique this project is. It’s a big ask. We’ve asked them both for roughly $4 million to purchase housing opportunities for their employees. In 2022, [they] were awarded by the taxpayers $10 million each for the specific purpose [for] housing for their employees. They haven’t spent it yet. They, I’m sure, will have some of that [dedicated] for the Virginian [housing project]. We have asked that they consider supporting this project as well.
DFA: How soon can Jacksonites expect homes?
AC: When we break ground in the spring, we’re looking at a 15-month construction schedule. So summer, fall 2027.
