Commissioners asked staff for updates on county-owned properties and a $378,000 set‑aside connected to the Front Street housing project, which is intended to include three units the county could use for transitional or employee housing.

Staff said the funding — drawn from grant and GRAMA (grant?) sources — was reserved for county participation in the Front Street project, which the housing authority has developed with the county's participation on land and a commitment to three dedicated units for county use (transitional housing, seasonal staff, or employee housing). County staff said the project began about two years ago and developers are still assembling financing; recent updates from the housing authority suggested the project was moving forward but progress has been slow.

Commissioners discussed contingency options if the project stalls: (1) review the county’s property inventory to identify underused parcels, (2) consider leasing county land to revenue-generating uses such as solar leases or a shooting range to produce ongoing revenue, or (3) auction or sell low-value parcels. Staff noted most county parcels are low-value and sale or alternative uses would likely generate modest revenue but could be repurposed to support ongoing costs or be redirected to remaining-cash balances if needed.

(Ending) Staff will re-examine agreements related to Front Street to determine how reserved funds would be handled if the project fails to proceed and will produce an inventory and options analysis for uses of county-owned land (sale, lease for revenue, or development for county needs).