Larger families that work in Teton County can’t afford to spend as much of their income on housing. But people across the board in Jackson Hole still want to own two- and three-bedroom homes, rather than smaller units.
That’s according to a May survey of 384 residents by the Jackson Hole Community Housing Trust. The results support the current design of the proposed affordable neighborhood at northern South Park, said Housing Trust Director Anne Cresswell, but the preferences also mean nonprofit developers have to put up larger subsidies.
Almost 90% of 384 people surveyed wanted homes with two or bedrooms. (Jackson Hole Community Housing Trust / Courtesy)
In response to a question if Jackson Hole residents would rather own or rent their housing, 82% said “own.” Respondents said they were three times as likely to stay in the area if they owned. (Jackson Hole Community Housing Trust / Courtesy)
Already, the Housing Trust and Habitat for Humanity of the Greater Teton Area are ramping up to raise hundreds of millions of dollars for the roughly 400 affordable homes slated near the high school.
Cresswell said the math is challenging: “It costs more to build and yet we have less revenue to recoup from that sale.”
But it also means the impact of providing the type of homes local workers want could be generational.
“When you think about housing as a long-term financial investment in our community, these results really drive home the idea that different types of housing have different returns on investment,” she said.
The Housing Trust’s first community survey results come as planning commissioners prepare to consider block-by-block plans for northern South Park.
The results also suggest that community wants differ from recently shot-down plans for housing at 90 Virginian Lane, which Teton County Commissioners are set to discuss Monday.
The original proposal for the Jackson RV park conversion called for one-bedroom apartments to make up more than half of 221 homes to rent or own.
“Hopefully [the survey] is helpful information for the electeds as they start a conversation around next steps,” Cresswell said. The results are available online.
Town Councilor Alyson Spery specifically called for better data when deciding next steps for the Virginian project at a July 20 meeting.
The last related government survey of housing needs was in 2022. It suggested that Teton County needs to build another 2,000 affordable homes in the coming years to keep 60% of local workers living in the county.
Respondents of the Trust’s recent survey overwhelmingly want larger homes and reported they were three times more likely to stay in Jackson Hole if they own rather than rent.
Another point of agreement: nearly everyone wants a garage. That amenity beat out proximity to work and transportation when respondents were asked to select a top choice.
Although the Housing Trust fell about 100 responses short of its target, Cresswell said the poll was still representative.
Half were essential workers including nurses, teachers and nonprofit employees. Another quarter work in hospitality and tourism and the rest in service and retail.
More than half of respondents were considered “essential workers.” That included school district employees, medical professionals and nonprofit workers. (Jackson Hole Community Housing Trust / Courtesy)
Most earn less than 120% of area median income, or $178,000 for a family of four.
That family could afford about $400,000 for a two-bedroom home, Cresswell said. The Housing Trust subsidized homes of similar size by $366,000 at its recent Hansen Corner project, not including land costs. Subsidy varies dramatically each project, she added.
Land for workforce housing in northern South Park is set to be donated by the Gill family, who also received an upzone to build free more market homes on their ranch land. Traffic mitigation has become the latest hurdle to a project more than six years in the making.
Cresswell plans to put out additional surveys in the years ahead and address shortcomings from the first. She’d like to ask how long people have lived here, for instance.
One thing that won’t change, she said, is how the nonprofit decides who receives the affordable units. For 35 years, applicants have earned points for how long they’ve lived in Jackson Hole, their employment, and community service.
That means nurses and teachers won’t necessarily be prioritized for the first blocks in northern South Park.
But it also means the person who skis by day and waits tables by night is still in the running for a home.
“That’s a part of our culture,” Cresswell said. “And you can get yourself to the top of our waiting list by tutoring little kids or coaching little league.”
The full neighborhood could take 20 years to complete.
This article has been updated to include subsidy costs per home for a recent housing project, clarify those costs vary and show where survey results can be accessed online. — Ed.
