U.S. Forest Service partnership aims to address housing issues for workers

KETCHUM, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — The U.S. Forest Service is partnering up with a Ketchum developer to create affordable housing for its workers.

The Sawtooth National Forest and Ketchum Lookout Partners agreed to a 99-year lease to develop 1.94 acres in Ketchum’s light industrial area, according to the forest service.

The Project Lookout development hopes to address the area’s affordable housing shortage for forest service employees and community service workers.

“This is the culmination of nearly two years of work, negotiation, and problem solving that will lead to a significant increase in the availability of workforce housing in the Wood River Valley for both forest service employees and the larger community,” said Forest Supervisor Jake Strohmeyer. “This is a first-of-its-kind public-private partnership, and my hope is that the work that was put into this will help pave the way for similar projects across the country.”

Project Lookout will offer workforce housing, work-live units and industrial units by repurposing an underused administrative site, according to the forest service.

The two groups created the partnership under the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 and the Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences Act.

The forest service will release additional information about the project as they become available.

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