YVHA funds run low
Poll uncertain if tax will pass
Friday, June 22, 2007
Steamboat Springs — Local voters may be asked in November to pay a sales tax of one cent for every $10 to support the Yampa Valley Housing Authority.
But Housing Authority officials acknowledged Thursday that a recent poll suggests this fall may not be the right time to ask voters to open up their wallets.
The poll, which surveyed 470 registered voters between May 25 and June 1, showed voters may support only a small sales tax and would likely reject most tax proposals to help fund the Housing Authority.
"We think the only feasible option is to go for one-tenth of 1 percent," said Nancy Stahoviak, a member of the Housing Authority's board of directors and a Routt County Commissioner. "Support goes down dramatically as you increase the rate. Only 20 percent (of polled voters) said they would vote for a half-cent sales tax."
Oak Creek resident Sylvia Watkins-Castillo, of TriIntel, conducted the survey and prepared a 72-page report for the Housing Authority.
"With respect to the potential passage of a sales tax issue in the November 2007 election, an increase of one-tenth of 1 percent, one cent on a $10 purchase, has a likelihood of passage at this time, but higher levels of support would probably fail," the report states. "Passage at any level assumes a strong campaign is mounted to swing uncertain voters to the 'yes' vote."
The poll has a margin of error of about 4.4 percent. While 42 percent of respondents did not support any form of sales tax for the Housing Authority, 32 percent supported a sales tax. The remaining 26 percent of respondents were uncertain, and gave significantly less support for a tax as the proposed taxation rate rose.
About 52 percent of the respondents supported a one-tenth of 1 percent sales tax.
"A one-tenth of 1 percent sales tax would give us operating money, but nothing else," Stahoviak said.
"It would keep the lights on and the doors open," added Mary Alice Page-Allen, president of the Housing Authority board. "But there would be nothing : that would generate a pool of funds to help us build projects."
Page-Allen said the poll will be a valuable resource as the Housing Authority's Strategic Planning Committee works to finalize future funding plans - which may or may not include a ballot issue.
"The poll provided a lot of information not just about the ballot initiative, but about housing in this community in general," Page-Allen said.
Watkins-Castillo noted that affordable housing and sales taxes are touchy issues locally.
"Numerous comments were provided by respondents that should provide YVHA with insight into : the thinking of local residents. Suggestions for alternative funding include private enterprise - including developers and realtors - grants, alternative tax sources and existing local government dollars," reads the report. "Within the community there is significant resistance to raising the sales tax for any purpose and to the concept of subsidized housing. These are common feelings and perceptions in any community, but needs that must be addressed."
Stahoviak is the chairwoman of the Strategic Planning Committee. She said Routt County Commissioners Doug Monger and Diane Mitsch Bush will be invited to the Housing Authority's joint meeting with the Steamboat Springs City Council on July 10.
On Tuesday, the City Council changed a fee-in-lieu policy in its inclusionary zoning and linkage ordinance, which regulates affordable housing. Fee-in-lieu payments from developers to the city - instead, or in-lieu, of providing required affordable housing units - are now prohibited in much of Steamboat Springs.
Such payments have been discussed as a funding source for the Housing Authority, but have not yet been specifically earmarked.
"We still don't know what the city is going to do with any fee-in-lieu money they collect," Stahoviak said. "As far as how it would impact the YVHA, that depends on what the city is going to do."
The Housing Authority suffered a setback last week when Housing Authority Executive Director Elizabeth Black announced her resignation, effective July 15.
Page-Allen stressed that despite the funding questions and soon-to-begin search for a new director, the Housing Authority will continue work on affordable housing projects such as the Elk River Village development on Routt County Road 129.
"Our projects are going to go forward," she said. "The Housing Authority builds houses. That's our primary responsibility - implementing the affordable housing in this community."
Comments
SteamboatJoe 5 years, 12 months ago
We already have sky-high sales tax. Increasing taxes won't fix a broken organization. How about a creative solution that actually enhances the market for "affordable" housing? But it may be asking too much for the YVHA to add value. Better to do studies and pay for the obvious - "The higher the tax, the less likely people will vote yes." Do these people need to hire a consultant to tell them to come in out of the rain?
It's hard to support a government organization who continues to tax the community to support ambiguous concepts like "affordable housing."
beentheredonethat 5 years, 12 months ago
if the program cannot stand on it's own merits it does not deserve to be kept in place by taxes. affordable housing is available in phippsburg and in craig. commute!
thecondoguy1 5 years, 12 months ago
this is an inefficient utilization of capital, when we spend a .10% tax and it's only "operating money", meaning salaries and overhead, that's no bargain. the tax payers aren't going to be suckered into this again. housing should be left to the market and private enterprize..........
JustAsking 5 years, 12 months ago
...and what is the city council doing with the fees they have and are collecting? How about it Pilot. Show us the accounting for funds. I'm sure the voters would like to know how our money is being used.
jack legrice 5 years, 12 months ago
Just what part of no we do not want to use tax money for this!!!!! Please stop this insanity. COMMUTE Do what everyone else does in the rest or the US when you can't afford to live in the place you work. Stop the begging!!!
JQPUBLIC 5 years, 12 months ago
In themselves all these "little" tax hikes sound non threatening but they are adding up to the point where all the locals will be shopping out of county and then everyone catches hell again for not "supporting local businesses". It has to stop somewhere and this sounds exactly like the the place to say NO, I hope condoguy is right when he said "the tax payers aren't going to be suckered into this again" but I doubt it.
oneski.... Maybe we should start the "Yampa Valley Vehicle Authority"... we can get the taxpayers to pay for brand new, gas efficient vehicles to give to the people that have to commute because they were unlucky in the affordable housing lottery.
thecondoguy1 5 years, 12 months ago
oh Lordie sbvor, you are makng sense again.......... with referances and facts to boot..........
JQPUBLIC 5 years, 12 months ago
"It would keep the lights on and the doors open,"... "But there would be nothing : that would generate a pool of funds to help us build projects.".... THEN WHY KEEP THE DOORS OPEN? Is that the only job you all have?
"Passage at any level assumes a strong campaign is mounted to swing uncertain voters to the 'yes' vote.".... HOW MANY OF YOU ARE "UNCERTAIN"?
Watcher 5 years, 12 months ago
Does anyone besides me remember that the original affordable housing board enriched themselves by purchasing lots in West End Village. Don't believe me?? Just go to the court house and look it up. for your self.
I am not going to finance someone else's home purchase if I can help it. Say "NO!" to this stupid idea. The only way to determine if housing is affordable is if someone buys it. It is then affordable to the purchaser.
conifer 5 years, 12 months ago
If the rise in real estate values has created this affordable housing dilemna, why propose funding with a sales tax increase? Why not tax the cause via a real estate conveyance tax? And use it to fund open space to boot.
thecondoguy1 5 years, 12 months ago
watcher said it, IF I HAVE A HOUSE FOR SALE FOR 6.5 MIL, AND SOMBODY BUYS IT, IT'S AFFORDABLE, now maybe not affordable to whom me or the boss might choose, but none the less affordable, All housing in Steamboat is affordable. sbvor is on this stuff with facts references, and solutions, everybody should read his thesis more than once, there are answers in there..................
SteamboatJoe 5 years, 12 months ago
but SBVOR, You are asking the public to drive all that way in to work........ shame on you! Don't you realize all citizens deserve to see the mountain and hear the river?
thecondoguy1 5 years, 12 months ago
P.S. I say it again, disband the YVHA now............
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