Welcome to our new board members!
We are thrilled to introduce our four new board members: Ariel Kazunas, Anna Kerr (AK), Shila Morillon, and Mckenzie Myers! Please read their bios here. They are already contributing greatly to Shelter’s leadership and we look forward to seeing all we accomplish together this year and beyond.
Northern South Park updates
The County Commissioners will be considering the Northern South Park (NSP) draft Land Development Regulations (LDRs) on February 20. We submitted a Guest Shot to the paper outlining our concerns about NSP—please give it a read!
While it is clear that the NSP LDRs pave the way for the conveyance (transfer from landowners to developers) of land that will be used for deed-restricted housing, our primary priority concerns the physical construction of these homes. There will be a significant subsidy required to make these deed-restricted (i.e. available to locals exclusively) residences a reality—estimates hover around $400 million. We are concerned that if the subsidy doesn’t materialize, the homes won’t either, and then we’ll be worse off than when we started as free-market homes continue to be built.
We know this topic is complex—be sure to visit our website to read background information about NSP and see a timeline of events. Please consider utilizing our provided talking points and be sure to email the Commissioners to weigh in ASAP! We’re also here to answer any questions: info@shelterjh.org.
Member survey ends tomorrow!
Our annual survey is live now and will close tomorrow! As we approach the 2024 election season, your feedback is crucial. Take a moment to share your thoughts on how we can better support and represent you to ensure that our advocacy for housing access in Teton County aligns with your needs.
Legacy Lodge case decided
We are continuing to monitor the litigation surrounding the Legacy Lodge building. This month, judge Melissa Owens ruled in favor of the Darwiche family’s plan to categorize the use of the building as commercial, putting us one step closer to housing locals there. This decision could be appealed to the Wyoming Supreme Court; we’ll keep you updated.
We received another grant!
We are excited to announce that we received a grant from the Unitarian Universalist Association through their Fund for a Just Society! This funding will allow us to continue hosting inclusive, accessible events to ensure our community members are able to engage effectively and authentically with local politics. Thanks, UU!
Thanks for joining us at our Annual Meeting!
We were so glad to see our members this month at our Annual Meeting. Huge thanks to everyone who braved the storm and made it to our gathering where we shared updates on Northern South Park, property tax reform, the upcoming election, and more. We’ll see you at our next event!
Hot Topics in Housing
ShelterJH members share relevant media pieces with one another through our Google Group. Here are what our conversations have been about this month:
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A new series turns the mountain town housing crisis into a game show, Outside (thanks to member Libby Cornelssen!)
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Property tax ballot initiative an unaffordable option for schools, JH News & Guide
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Town Council explores expanding 4th story housing incentive, JH News & Guide