Council weighs $4.05 million SPET investment for Nelson Drive employee rentals; decision continued to Dec. 15

The Jackson Town Council on Dec. 1 heard a request from the Jackson Hole Community Housing Trust to use $4,050,000 of the town's 2022 special-purpose excise tax (SPET) set aside for employee housing to secure six 30-year rental options at a proposed Nelson Drive project.

The request was presented by town staff and by Anne Creswell, executive director of the Housing Trust, who said the proposal leverages a 30-year Bridger-Teton National Forest special-use permit, a $2.3 million U.S. Department of Agriculture grant and private philanthropy. Creswell told the council the town's cost for each option would be $675,000 while the project's total per-unit construction and land value is approximately $1.3 million, due largely to donated federal land and grant funding.

Why it matters: Staff and the Housing Trust said the project would provide rental housing priced to keep town employees paying no more than 30% of compensation for one-person households, and that free federal land and grants make the proposal significantly less expensive than building equivalent units privately. Councilors and dozens of public commenters raised questions about traffic and wildlife impacts on Nelson Drive, the precedent of housing private-sector residents on federal land, lifecycle and deferred-maintenance costs, and how this subsidy compares to other local proposals such as the 90 Virginia Lane project.

Key details: - Request: $4,050,000 from the town's $10,000,000 SPET allocation dedicated to town employee rental housing (2022 ballot measure). - Proposed commitment: six options for 30 years to lease six rental units for town employees (the Trust's full Nelson Drive plan comprises 36 rental units overall). - Project terms: modular construction with an accelerated procurement schedule; the Trust described a plan to procure in January, factory construction beginning in March and site delivery the following October, a 15-month build cycle. - Financial support: a $2.3 million USDA grant, $13 million of private philanthropy referenced by the Trust, and the value of free federal land provided by a special-use permit. - Affordability approach: rents were described as set so an eligible employee pays no more than 30% of income; the Trust expects modest annual rent increases (3—4%) driven by rising operating costs.

Exchanges and objections: Several council members emphasized the project's urgency to meet modular procurement windows; others urged caution. Residents living near Nelson Drive sought more studies on traffic, wildlife and neighborhood impacts and objected to density and precedent concerns. A former National Park Service official and conservation groups urged careful attention to lifecycle costs and to limiting who can occupy housing on federal land. Some councilors proposed committing to fewer than six options as a leadership signal while allowing county partners and other funders to fill gaps.

Council action and next step: Rather than vote to fund the full request, the council voted to continue the discussion to its Dec. 15 meeting to review additional fiscal details and the housing supply board's input. The continuation passed by voice vote with the mayor recorded in opposition.

The council's discussion will resume Dec. 15; the Housing Trust and staff said they are prepared to return with any additional financial clarifications requested by councilors.