For 30 years,
The Jackson Hole Community Housing Trust has developed and managed 181 homes that have served more than 563 adults and children in Teton County.
In 1991, the Jackson Hole Community Housing Trust, Jackson Town Council, Board of County Commissioners, Teton County Housing Authority, and Jackson Hole Land Trust worked together to develop the first affordable homes in Jackson, Wyoming. Today, the Community Housing Trust continues to rely on strategic partners to get affordable housing out of the ground.
For 30 years, the Community Housing Trust has leveraged a variety of innovative financial and legal instruments with the philanthropic power of this community to create housing opportunities for our workforce.
The preservation of philanthropic and public investments in affordable housing was a guiding principle prioritized by the founding board. This fundamental commitment anchors every effort undertaken by the Community Housing Trust.
In 1991, the median family income in Teton County, Wyoming, was $33,600 and the median price of a home was $157,000. Although it was a stretch, a household earning median income could still afford to purchase a free-market home.
Today, the least expensive single-family home available for sale in Jackson is $1.8M— four times what a working family earning the median income ($115,600) can afford.
As I reflect on the history of the Community Housing Trust, I am filled with awe and deep appreciation for the vision embraced by the founding board and the relentless commitment of donors and board members along the way.
30 years later, 563 people have been served by the Community Housing Trust.
As I look to the future, I am buoyed by the commitment of the current board and staff to attack this issue with urgency and enthusiasm. As we embark on this next chapter, I hope that you will be inspired to join us so that together, we can ensure Jackson remains a thriving, resilient community.
Sincerely,
ANNE CRESSWELL Executive DirectorWorking together, we can ensure Jackson remains a thriving, resilient community.
a letter from an
Out of the gate, the Jackson Hole Community Housing Trust recognized that quality, affordable housing would be needed to keep the people who contribute to the texture and diversity of Jackson Hole in our community.
30 years ago it seemed like I knew everyone in town. Every April, May, then October, and November (off-season!), there was a strong sense of community in Jackson. I am so grateful to the board and staff, past and present, for keeping this vision of community alive and for paddling hard upstream when necessary.
The Jackson Hole Community Housing Trust has had an immeasurable impact on Jackson Hole by way of the professional and civic contributions made by hundreds of Community Housing Trust residents. It’s an awesome legacy from the founders that continues to gain steam and momentum today.
Sincerely,
MARGOT SNOWDON Emeritus Board Member
The Housing Trust has had an immeasurable impact on Jackson Hole...it’s an awesome legacy from the founders that continues to gain steam and momentum today.
is not possible without land. Over the years, the Jackson Hole Community Housing Trust has been the beneficiary of several transformative gifts of land.
In 1992, Jane and David Love donated an acre of land to the Jackson Hole Community Housing Trust at the base of Snow King. With their dedication, they insisted that the value of their property was a function of the community that developed and matured around them.
In 1996, Stanley R. Resor donated 3.4 acres in Teton Village to the Community Housing Trust. “The Housing Trust serves an important community purpose and I am glad that I have the opportunity to help with its mission.”
Impressed by the Community Housing Trust’s ability to develop 28 affordable rentals on Redmond Street, and struck by rapid change unfolding in East Jackson, an anonymous donor wanted to ensure that one centrally located property in town would be used to serve the hardworking people in our community through affordable housing. In January, three lots were generously donated to the Community Housing Trust.
The Jackson Hole Community Housing Trust is thrilled to ensure the 11 homes on Hansen Street remain affordable.
The Jackson Hole Community Housing Trust has been committed to serving Teton County by developing affordable homes on time and on budget for the last 30 years.
In response to the acute need for more permanently affordable housing for the workforce, the Jackson Town Council kicked off 2020 with a gift of land and capital to the Jackson Hole Community Housing Trust. The Community Housing Trust leveraged the Town’s contribution with generous private philanthropy and on May 15th, broke ground on 24 condos at 174 North King Street.
This winter, 55 people will have stable, secure housing as they head into the holidays.
With each project, we have an opportunity to support the work of dozens of organizations. Affordable housing supports the people who deliver our health care, teach our children, manage the essential infrastructure of our town, and protect our natural resources. Affordable housing ensures Jackson is a safe and sustainable place for us all.
Berte Hirschfield, Chairwoman
Alexis Dittmer, Vice-Chairwoman
When I moved to Jackson 25 years ago, I was struck by how expensive real estate was. I believed that the market, in time, would resolve the imbalance between supply and demand. As home prices increased, I was convinced that if employers wanted to keep good employees they would raise prices on products and services to support higher wages, which would, in turn, enable their employees to afford housing.
Today, it’s clear I underestimated the structural and enduring imbalance between supply and demand in Teton County. The very things we all love about living in the valley are also what attracts people with significant capital earned outside of Jackson. When limitless capital meets limited supply, the outcome is an upward spiral in home prices, making it more out of reach for most locals every year. Since home prices in town are not determined by what local wages can afford, a growing majority of hard-working community members are shut out of homeownership. Yet, it’s in Jackson’s interest that the employees at our hospital, schools, restaurants, and other small businesses are able to have an opportunity to build equity in their own home rather than be forced to rent or commute.
When I was introduced to the work of the Jackson Hole Community Housing Trust, I was impressed by the Trust’s ability to pool private philanthropy and engage interested employers to create housing solutions for hundreds of Jacksonites. The Community Housing Trust is an effective private sector solution making a significant dent in the housing shortage that affects so many people in our community today. It is a good deal for taxpayers, community members, and all stakeholders in Jackson. It is not the only solution Jackson needs to help increase housing opportunities for our workforce, but it is a crucial component to solving one of Jackson’s most immediate problems.
Housing Trust is a non-profit organization dedicated to cultivating a vibrant community through housing. We accomplish our mission through collaboration, innovation, and stewardship.
