City advances plan to seek IHFA housing trust funds for 429 Washington Ave. redevelopment

Planning and grants staff told the Pocatello City Council work session they will pursue a Housing Trust Fund opportunity through the Idaho Housing and Finance Association to build affordable rental housing on the city-owned property at 429 Washington Avenue.

Christine Howe, grants manager, and Brett McLean, planning director, said the funds — described during the presentation as “just over a million dollars” available from the state’s Housing Trust Fund — could be used for demolition or site clearance, environmental remediation and construction of housing for households earning 30% of area median income or below. “The funds available through the Housing Trust Fund program are just over a million dollars, and they can be used toward site clearance demolition, developing those engineering or architectural plans for the housing, and then construction of those units on the property,” Howe told the council.

The city acquired the building as part of a larger block associated with the historic Alameda town site.…