
Housing Matters

Ketchum is now implementing its first Housing Action Plan as adopted on May 9, 2022.
This community-designed and -driven plan takes a holistic approach to address the housing crisis in Ketchum and Blaine County.
Housing Matters ‘Impact Placemat’:
YEAR-1 ACTIONS
Research – including a scan of best practices and comparable communities and community input – resulted in five comprehensive goals and 280 ideas that were filtered for immediate feasibility and impact. The goals and a sample of year-1 actions are as follows:
Goal 1 | Produce + preserve housing
- Develop new and preservation pipelines
- Create ownership and preservation program
- Incentivize conversion of vacant/seasonal/short-term rentals to long-term rentals
- Begin master planning on publicly owned lands
- Increase development and occupation of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)
- Continue to support Bluebird Village development.
Goal 2 | Update policy to promote housing
- Update code and process
- Propose tenant displacement and local discrimination ordinances
- Adopt interim ordinance to increase housing supply and require no net loss of units.
Goal 3 | Expand + improve services to create housing stability
- Provide displacement support
- Train case workers on fair housing and landlord-tenant law, and bring in a tenant advocate
- Create a housing navigation system
- Coordinate supportive services
- Mediation support – housing@neuromediationgroup.com; phone: (208) 314-1330
Goal 4 | Expand + leverage resources
- Create a database of philanthropic, state, and federal housing resources, write grants
- Coordinate philanthropic efforts and offer employer-sponsored options
Goal 5 | Inform, engage + collaborate
- Update Housing Action Plan annually
- Launch county-wide coordination process with other jurisdictions and implementation partners
- Initiate bi-monthly check-ins with comparable ski area housing staff
HOUSING ACTION PLAN | 2022-2023
The City of Ketchum developed the Housing Action Plan based on relevant housing needs data, community input, and guidance from a Task Force comprised of a cross-section of community members. The Housing Action Plan is also built on the understanding that no single organization or jurisdiction can solve the housing challenge. The Action Plan is also built on the belief that solving community housing issues requires a multifaceted approach. No single solution offers the silver bullet to solve all the housing issues and there is simply no way to build, re-zone or buy our way out of the problem.
Foundational to the Housing Action Plan is the tenet that through innovation, coordination, and tenacity, we can together strengthen our community by securing homes for our families and workforce.

CONTEXT
Development of the Housing Action Plan included three in-depth periods of public engagement, including three Task Force meetings. A needs assessment was also conducted, primarily of census data and relevant local analyses.
Findings Summary
Are you in need of housing assistance?
Reach out to these programs to get help.
Blaine County Housing Survey 2023
Thank you for taking the time to fill out this year’s Blaine County housing survey. Your input is extremely important since it will inform housing actions countywide!

Donate to the Housing Trust
Your tax deductible donations will go directly to the Housing Trust and used for future developments and programs.
Stay in the Loop
The monthly ‘Housing Matters’ newsletter provides updates organized via the five defined goals of the Housing Action Plan.
Upcoming Events
- May 9, 2023 – Learning from Peer Communities: Housing Lessons and Opportunities with Summit County, Colorado’s Housing Director | 6pm at The Community Library. In collaboration with the Spur Community Foundation.
- April 27, 2023 – Learning from Peer Communities: Housing Lessons and Opportunities with Park City, Utah’s Housing Development Manager | 6pm at The Community Library. In collaboration with the Spur Community Foundation.
- January 24, 2023 – Learning from Peer Communities: Housing Lessons and Opportunities with Jackson, Wyoming’s Housing Director | 6pm at The Community Library. Watch the recording here.
- Recurring events:
- The Hunger Coalition Food Distribution Mondays & Thursdays at Hemingway
- St. Thomas Church’s Ketchum Community Dinners Curbside – Wednesdays
PRESS
- Blaine County mediation program seeks to prevent evictions before they reach court – Boise State Public Radio
- Blaine County and City of Ketchum tap NeuroMediation Group to launch landlord-tenant mediation program – Press release
- Three Blaine County cities are partnering on a new pilot program to address housing crisis – KMVT
- City of Ketchum creating housing for locals with ‘Lease to Locals’ – KTVB
- Ketchum’s Housing Matters – Letter to the Mt. Express
- The Hunger Coalition Joins Forces with Ketchum Housing Action Plan
- Housing Matters Task Force Quotes
Related Resources
- Property Tax Reduction Program 2022
- Blaine County Comprehensive Plan
- Short-Term Rentals in Ketchum
- Homeowner’s Exemption Application
- Regional Workforce Housing Report
- Mountain Migration Report
- 2017 Needs Assessment
- Idaho’s Landlord and Tenant Manual
- National League of Cities – Local Tools to Address Housing Affordability