February 15, 2012

SandBox Comments: Glenwood Springs Post Independent "Garfield County suspends affordable housing rules"

John Stroud:
"Under the further relaxed housing rules approved Monday, any houses that are built within the next three years will be subtracted from the overall number of units granted in the subdivision approvals.

For example, if a developer is approved for 25 lots and five houses are constructed over the next three years, the percentage of required deed-restricted units would be based on 20 lots, rather than the original 25.

County staff had recommended a two-year suspension of the rules. The term was extended to three years at County Commissioner Tom Jankovsky's suggestion.

“I believe it's going to take that long for building to come back,” he said.

The incentive is aimed at kick-starting the lagging home construction market.

Home building and residential real estate sales have been slow to rebound from the downturn in the housing market, locally and nationally, that accompanied the 2008 recession.

Sarah Thorsteinson works as the government affairs director for several Western Slope Realtors associations, including the Glenwood Springs Association of Realtors. She applauded the Garfield commissioners' move.

“We need anything at this point to try to get the housing market going again,” said Thorsteinson, who attended the commissioners' meeting. “Any little bit of incentive can help.”

Although there are a lot of houses currently on the market, it takes new construction to help stimulate the market, she said...."  (Read more?  Click title)

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

No comments: