The Yampa Valley Housing Authority told the Steamboat Springs School District No. Re 2 board on June 2 that its Cottonwoods development is intended to create homeownership opportunities for local workforce households, including district staff.

Araceli Guggins, housing navigator at YVHA, described the project as “more than a housing development. It's a place to land for people who make this community what it is,” and said the Cottonwoods will offer approximately 86 one‑, two‑ and three‑bedroom condominiums with energy‑efficient finishes and heated underground parking.

Why it matters: District staff frequently cite housing affordability as a barrier to recruiting and retaining employees. The housing authority framed Cottonwoods as a workforce‑targeted option with deed restrictions and income eligibility intended to keep units available to local employees.

Eligibility and income limits: YVHA staff said units will be restricted to households with at least one member who works in Routt County and to households that do not own another property (sole residency). Alyssa (La la), sales and asset manager for YVHA, said the project sets an upper income ceiling at 140% of Area Median Income (AMI) for the higher tier of units. She provided example ceilings quoted in the meeting: about $127,000 for a single‑person household at 140% AMI and roughly $182,000 for a four‑person household. YVHA also noted a 100% AMI reference point near $91,000 in the examples it presented.

Application process and timeline: YVHA plans to open a prospective buyer qualification process around July 1, run a lottery this fall to allocate units fairly, announce lottery winners late in the fall and aim to move initial families in by the end of 2025, pending construction timing. YVHA advised prospective buyers to meet with a lender to determine buying power and to watch the YVHA and Cottonwoods newsletters for updates.

Unit counts and a discrepancy: YVHA staff initially described the project as 86 units. Later in the meeting, Jason Peasley, YVHA executive director, gave a bedroom count of 22 one‑bedroom, 52 two‑bedroom and 14 three‑bedroom units. Those counts sum to 88 units, which does not match the 86 figure cited earlier. The board and housing authority did not resolve that discrepancy during the presentation.

Other conditions and outreach: YVHA said income limits are intended as ceilings (not floors) and that they will not exclude lower‑income applicants. The agency said it will require sole residency (no ownership of other residences, including mobile homes) and that retirees may remain in a unit if the residence remains their sole home. YVHA said it may pursue city council funding (short‑term rental revenue or other local assistance) to lower purchase prices and that exact pricing would be shared after those municipal discussions.

Board questions and next steps: Board members asked whether applicants could be offered units if they are not yet working in Routt County but have an employment intent letter; YVHA said a letter of intent would not disqualify them. The housing authority agreed to distribute floor plans and a spec sheet to district staff and to share updates after the city council discussion. The board was directed to the YVHA newsletter and a July 1 start of the qualification form for prospective buyers.

Ending: YVHA invited staff to sign up for updates and to meet with YVHA staff for prequalification; no district action or allocation was taken at the meeting.