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Yampa Valley Housing Authority eyeing city’s urban center, mountain area for location of next project

Construction crews work on the new affordable housing project, called the Reserves at Steamboat Springs, in the summer.
Scott Franz/File

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — A five-acre plot of land in west Steamboat that has been pitched to local governments in the past for future growth is back on the market for $1 million.

But after the latest sales pitch to Routt County about the Klein property on Tuesday, county commissioner Doug Monger floated the idea of instead letting it become a location for a future affordable housing project.

The Klein parcel lies right across the street from the Routt County Jail and the city’s soon-to-be constructed share law enforcement facility and has close access to the Yampa River Core Trail.



Yampa Valley Housing Authority board member and Steamboat city councilwoman Kathi Meyer said the Housing Authority has looked at the Klein property as a potential workforce housing site in the past.

But she noted the amount of wetlands on the property might make it more difficult.



“My understanding is there’s a significant amount of wetlands, and the amount of buildable land might not lend itself to a tax credit deal,” Meyer said. “It’s not something we would say no to, but it’s been at least six months since we looked at it.”

Meyer said the housing authority this year formed a development committee that has been investigating sites for future Housing Authority projects.

She said the committee found about 12 parcels that had potential, but six of them fell off the list due to issues including environmental challenges and soil conditions.

Meyer added the group has been encouraged to find a site for an upcoming project that isn’t right next to the one that was just built at the Reserves.

“We are probably going to look mid-corridor or mid-mountain for our next project,” Meyer said.


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