Housing Land Trust Established to Address Attainable Housing in Sheridan County

The Sheridan City Council considered a number of items at their business meeting Monday night to address the issue of attainable housing. Sheridan Media’s Ron Richter has the details.

A special joint-meeting of the Sheridan County Commissioners and the Sheridan City Council was held October 19 in Council Chambers at Sheridan City Hall. Development of a Housing Land Trust was the topic of the joint meeting. In February, a Housing Land Trust Committee was formed to evaluate the feasibility of using a housing land trust to address attainable housing in Sheridan County. The committee recommended that Habitat for Humanity of the Eastern Bighorns manage the Housing Land Trust.

The City Council Monday night approved three documents that set forth the establishment of a Housing Land Trust; a memorandum of understanding between the City, County and Habitat for the Land Trust; an agreement to establish the Sheridan County Attainable Housing Council and a resolution that authorizes the use of ARPA funds and approval of the two agreements. The Housing Land Trust through Habitat will be a distinct and separate operation from Habitat’s other housing projects.  The City and County are each contributing $1.5 million in ARPA funds that will be used for attainable housing through the Housing Land Trust. City Councilman Shawn Day.

The Sheridan County Attainable Housing Council will evaluate attainable housing projects and authorize the expenditure of ARPA funds and the terms and conditions of the attainable housing projects. The seven member council will include three members appointed by the City and four members appointed by the County.  Since the purpose of the council is to distribute ARPA funds, the council will automatically terminate a year after all of the ARPA funds have been spent or December 30, 2027.