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A series of public forums about affordable housing ended Friday by addressing a key concern: cash.

The fifth and final installment of the five-part discussion series was titled "Show Me the Money: Funding Strategies and Resources." Four panelists talked about public and private funding sources for housing, focusing on people who can't afford to buy units at market value. Suggested funding sources for building and financing included the Alliance for the American Dream, NeighborWorks America, cities and counties, the Colorado Housing Division, the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority and private loans. Getting grants, discounts or donations for land and infrastructure is crucial, one panelist said.

"You really have to be strong right now in this climate," said Joanne Brothers, a development manager with Thistle Community Housing in Boulder. "You have to partner in the community; you have to have strong support from the community."

The other panelists were Pattie Snidow, the northwest area director for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development division; Scott Aker, manager for the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority; and Jane Harrington, vice president of single-family housing with Mercy Housing.

The Steamboat Springs Chamber Economic Development Council, Steamboat Ski and Resort Corp. and the Steamboat Springs Board of Realtors hosted the lunchtime forum series throughout several months.

Several speakers Friday noted that organizations have different restrictions on funding for affordable-housing projects and loans. For example, Routt County is not designated to receive direct loans for multifamily housing from the Rural Development agency, Snidow said. The county must show a lack or disrepair of such units before it is eligible, she said.

Residents in the county are eligible, however, for multifamily and single-family guaranteed loans, she said.

Those interested in creating local affordable housing will need to do some research. They also will need multiple funding sources, Harrington said. Her group, Mercy, is a national nonprofit organization that develops lower-income housing.

Each of the four Colorado housing developments Harrington discussed had at least seven funding sources.

"The point is it takes a lot of sources, a lot of energy and land to make this work," she said.

The panelists also spoke about home financing. Colorado's Housing and Finance Authority was created by the state Legislature in 1973 and is completely self-sufficient, Aker said. The nonprofit group uses no tax dollars, instead issuing bonds as a source of capital, he said.

"We basically borrow money and turn around and lend it back out" to homebuyers, he said.

Although public and private partnerships are key to building affordable housing, panelists said, those interested in buying must have financing.

"One thing I want to stress about home ownership is you can't have a good home ownership program if you don't have good mortgage infrastructure : especially when you're limiting what these people can sell homes for," Harrington said. "You need a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage and nothing but."

To reach Blythe Terrell, call 871-4234 or e-mail bterrell@steamboatpilot.com