Rural Housing Solutions: Lessons from the PalouseIdaho Conference on Housing & Economic Development, March 2nd, 2020

Gina Taruscio, Executive Director of the Partnership for Economic Prosperity

Brian Points, President of Points Consulting

Introduction

The mission of The Partnership for Economic Prosperity (The Partnership) is to bring business, government, education and community leadership together for the purpose of strengthening the Latah County economy through the retention and expansion of existing business and industry, the attraction and recruitment of new businesses, and the continuing diversification of our economic base.

Start-up businesses too!

About the Partnership for Economic Prosperity

About Points ConsultingWe believe in the power of peoples’ interests, passions, and behaviors to shape the world around us. Workforce is the primary factor in the success of businesses, organizations and communities. Our work is focused on how to align that potentialto create more successful outcomes for all.

Recent & Ongoing Projects: • Palouse Regional Housing Study• Okanogan County (WA) Housing Needs Study• Clearwater County Opportunity Zone Technical

Assistance• Feasibility & Impact Studies for three Athletic

Centers in Indiana• Economic Impact of Broadband Expansion in

Oklahoma

Project Background

Pre-work• Determine Willingness

• Find Partners/Funders

Work

• Collect Information

• Find Assets

• Identify Barriers

• Seek out Alternatives

• Best Practices Analysis

Implementation• Assign Ownership

• Get Funding (if necessary)

Steps for Conducting A Regional Housing Assessment

Why a Housing Assessment?Analysis

Dubois County Housing Strategy (TPMA, 2015)

Jackson County, Iowa Housing Needs Assessment (EICA, 2015)

Market Study for Affordable Housing on Orcas Island (OPAL Community Land Trust, 2015)

Replacement Needs of Manufactured Homes in Central Appalachia (Virginia Tech, 2016)

Results200+ affordable units constructed, and 686 units in progress

Pocket neighborhood with 10 SFH’s for roughly $150k

$6M in grants to fund a 45-unit complex

Formation of Recycling our Outdated Trailer Sites (ROOTS) Initiative, 8 new homes and counting

Palouse Regional Housing Assessment

Research

Data Analysis

Best Practices

Builders

Employers

Local Gov’t

Recommend-dations

Stakeholder Engagement

Defining the Palouse’s IssuesBuilding Economic Community Regulatory

Two states and two cities: different processes

Mix of recency in local strategies/regulations

Need for more ‘by-right’ development options

Battling a reputation as “hard place to do business”

Productive agricultural use predominates land usage

Highly engaged and skilled population interested in helping out

Short list of high performing clusters

Regional developers focused on larger cities

No Metro Areas (MSAs)

Need more cost-diversity in housing

Insulation from winds of economic change

Nationally, high building costs

Palouse's unique environmental challenges

Blending of student housing, w/in non-student multi-family and single-family areas

• 38% of the region’s population is ‘cost burdened’

• Not just students:◦ 23% of those living in

Whitman County (outside of Pullman)

◦ 16% of those earning $50k to $75k

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

<$20,000

$20,000-$34,999

$35,000-$49,999

$50,000-$74,999

$75,000+

<$20,000

$20,000-$34,999

$35,000-$49,999

$50,000-$74,999

$75,000+

Ow

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s' A

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ual

Inco

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Ren

ters

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Number of Households (Thousands)

<20% 20-29% 30%+

Housing Affordability

• For adult householders since 2007: ◦ Home renters: +46%

◦ Homeowners: +7%

• 7-fold difference in growth between renters and owners

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

14,000

16,000

18,000

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Householder 15 to 24 years: Owner occupied:

Householder 15 to 24 years: Renter occupied:

Householder 25 and over: Owner occupied:

Householder 25 and over: Renter occupied:

More & More Renters

Over next ten years: ◦ 3,273 total units needed, including

◦ 2,684 single family homes

◦ Average of 270 per year

◦ No split out between Pullman and Moscow

Nearly double the SFH production over past ten years

Decreased production of two-family, and multi-family would be ideal

Current & Forecasted Housing Gap

Summary of Recommendations• Develop the Palouse Regional Housing

Leadership Team• Priority Land Set-Asides• Attainable Housing Program• Student Housing Districts• Rural Housing Transition Zones• Grants, Sponsorship & Incentive Programs • Clarity in Development Standards• Increased use of the Land Trust Model• Development of Skilled Labor (Longer-

term)

Early Outcomes for the Palouse• Forthcoming Formation of Palouse

Regional Housing Leadership Team (March 2020)

• RV & Tiny Home Ordinance in the City of Moscow (Jan. 2020)

• Removal of minimum lot size requirements for ADUs (Dec. 2019)

• Discussions of large scale housing development in Pullman (ongoing)

Moscow Farmer’s Market

Moscow Farmer’s Market, Facebook Page, https://www.facebook.com/MoscowFarmersMarket/photos/a.289829104397519/2670637932983279/?type=3&theater

Methow Valley, Washington

• Methow Housing Trust uses the land trust model

• In 2019: 17 people housed and 9 homes built

• Intend to develop 21 homes by 2021

• Canyon Street Neighborhood: 900 to 1,100 SF, $140k!

Best Practices in the PNW

Methow Housing Trust, https://methowhousingtrust.org/

City of Meridian

• FAQ and 24/7 access rules and regulations

• Online applications

• Online appointment scheduling

• Simplified regulations and rules

Best Practices in Idaho

City of Meridian, Planning, https://meridiancity.org/planning/

Mesa, Washington

• Ringold Seasonal Farmworker Housing

• Six duplexes with 12 self-contained units, max of 96 residents

• Lodging for $12/night

• WAFLA also assists employers with H-2A & H-2B guestworkercompliance

Best Practices in the PNW

Wafla/Seasonal & Ag Employers Premier HR Association, https://www.wafla.org/

City of Moscow

• Fair and Affordable Housing Commission

• Moscow Affordable Housing Trust

• City Code review 2019-2020: simplify and streamline

• Palouse Regional Housing Needs Assessment

• ADU’s, tiny homes and RV parking

• Adjusted lot sizes and setbacks

Best Practices in Idaho

Boise Housing First program

Best Practices in Idaho

City of Boise, Housing First, https://www.cityofboise.org/programs/livability-ambassadors/housing-first/

Questions?