December 15, 2025

Dear Mayor Jorgensen and Town Councilors,

Thank you for the continued discussion and care you are giving to the Nelson Drive project. We want to be clear at the outset: we support the new Nelson Drive neighborhood. Additional homes at Nelson Drive will meaningfully contribute to our community’s housing goals, and that shared vision should remain front and center.

When there are competing needs and many possible ways to deploy limited funds, it is your responsibility as public representatives to be careful and judicious stewards of these dollars. We agree with the Housing Supply Board’s assertion that the proposed $675,000 price per home raises legitimate concerns. We were encouraged by the board’s creative discussion which began to address this core tension: how do we ensure the Nelson Drive project moves forward while also maximizing the public’s investment? Those two goals are not mutually exclusive, but they do require thoughtful negotiation.

In other words, what is an appropriate level of public investment for a 30-year lease option that provides neither ownership nor rental income? It is reasonable to question whether that level of investment reflects the value the public receives, especially given that past lease options have sold for about $275,000, anecdotal input from the County’s realtor suggests condos have been listed for around $650,000, and there appears to be an existing market for lease options closer to $250,000.

Ultimately, we ask that you continue to use the resources that the public provides to leverage a deal that works for everyone involved. In its current form, the proposal serves too few people for too many dollars. Every dollar that is potentially overspent at Nelson Drive will disallow another community member accessing a safe, stable home. We strongly believe there is a middle path forward—one that allows the Nelson Drive project to succeed while also maximizing the amount of people served by limited funds. One example of a path forward is the Housing Supply Board’s recommendation is to supply $4.05 million to the Trust in exchange for options for twelve homes; six at Nelson Drive, and six additional rental homes from the Housing Trust’s inventory (for the Town side only).

There are also important outstanding questions related to the lease terms themselves—questions about renewal, potential cost increases at the end of the lease term, and what happens if the Forest Service lease is not renewed and alternative units are not available within a reasonable timeframe. As community advocates, we understand the importance of planning for worst-case scenarios when public dollars are involved. We trust that you will undertake the due diligence necessary to protect the community’s investment in what is a novel and complex arrangement with the Forest Service.

We ask that you negotiate with the Housing Trust to make this project work for everyone involved—for the Trust, for taxpayers, and for the many people who will need homes at Nelson Drive and elsewhere in our community. We believe there is a solution that supports the project and delivers more proportional and long-term public value.

Thank you for considering these comments. Best,

Clare Stumpf

On behalf of ShelterJH board members and membership