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Whitman County Commissioners Monday took in a presentation of a study begun in August called "Palouse Regional Housing Needs Assessment." Paid for by a list of supporters including the City of Pullman, City of Moscow, Avista Corporation, WSU, University of Idaho and Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, and run by the Partnership for Economic Prosperity (PEP, Moscow), it aims to look at area housing matters as has not been done before.
"This is the first time we're going to address this regionally," said Paul Kimmel, Avista's regional business manager, noting that Whitman and Latah counties are participating. "Clear out to Malden, clear out to Bovill."
He noted that a project such as the Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport is dealt with by region.
"Why not approach a housing study in the same way?" he said.
Talking about how people live in outlying communities and drive to Moscow or Pullman for work, Kimmel suggested a reason.
"Is it affordability or a lifestyle choice? We think both," he said.
He showed a slide depicting the State of Idaho's "Housing Wage" of $15.44 – calculated by the Idaho Fair Market Rent (FMR) for a two-bedroom apartment of $803, with residents paying no more than 30 percent of income on housing (utilities included). In Washington, another slide showed the Housing Wage is $26.87 per hour. (Totals account for differing housing costs in urban and rural areas).
The Palouse study began to come together in January and launched in August. PEP brought in a firm based in Indianapolis, Ind., to consult, Thomas P. Miller & Associates. PEP was formed two years ago.
Brian Points, director of research for Miller & Associates, was in attendance Monday. He stood up and spoke.
"I think we have some solutions to help you out," said Points, who lives in Moscow and works remotely.
He talked about connecting real estate companies and contractors with cities to "solve these issues."
Organizers expect to finish the assessment next February.
Gina Taruscio, executive director for PEP, spoke after Points Monday, noting that interviews will begin with 15 "stakeholders," from civic leaders to real estate developers and common citizens.
"We may exceed 15 interviews," Taruscio said. "We're not a region that lacks opinions or ideas."
Focus groups will follow.
County Commissioner Michael Largent asked about the county's involvement, about which Taruscio indicated will be given as much weight as any other entity in the process.
"We're talking to the Ports too," said Kimmel.
County Commissioner Art Swannack asked if the assessment is taking into account the effect of regulations and energy efficiency rules.
"Yes," said Points. "Subdivisions and parceling can have a huge impact."
He explained, talking about rules for minimum lot size and restrictions such as allowing people to only sell five acres at a time in certain areas.
"If it's too restrictive, it could be too tight," Points told the Gazette later.
Kimmel added a comment that sometimes people move out to outlying communities to save on housing costs and find they have higher energy costs – due to older, less efficient homes, which have not been updated.
Points said that the first audience for the Palouse assessment will be the real estate development community.
"They'll build what they can get a return on, it's not gonna change, until we change it," said Kimmel. "We have to create some opportunity for builders, developers to do something a little different."
In further comments to the Gazette, Kimmel suggested what this may be.
"The government could incentivize it, to give developers a level of assurance or predictability. This is not an indictment of developers and builders. They have a lot of capital involved."
Could this study ultimately lead to legislation?
"It could," Kimmel said. "Some of our impediments could be in development code. A fairly easy fix."
The next step for Points is to do a "qualitative analysis of housing stock," in which comparisons are made of housing costs and income levels. One standard question asked in the process is: How many people making 80 percent of a region's median income can afford to buy a house?
It's something Points and the rest of the study group will find out.
"I think what we'll get out of this is a really clear idea of what the challenges are and strong recommendations how to resolve our housing issues," Points said.
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