The nonprofit partnership’s focus is workforce housing in Idaho

Three Idaho nonprofits have joined forces in Priest River to address the affordable housing shortage.

LEAP Housing of Boise accepted an invitation to work with the Kaniksu Land Trust and the Bonner Community Housing Agency to build affordable homes for locals in the North Idaho region.

Six homes will be built using the land trust model developed by LEAP. The Kaniksu Land Trust works to preserve lands, waterways and open spaces in the northern part of the state and northwest Montana. The BCHA is an organization that addresses the need for affordable housing in Bonner and Boundary Counties. The groundbreaking ceremony for the project took place in November.

The organizations have teamed up to build a housing development that is an “infill project” that will “convert a six-lot property into workforce housing for local families within an existing neighborhood.” The homes will be 1,545 square feet and have three bedrooms and two bathrooms. New homeowners are selected through a lottery system among residents currently living in the zip codes 83804, 83841, 83848, 83856, 83822 and 8382183804, 83841, 83848, 83856, 83822 and 83821.

Applicants can receive up to 100% of the regional median income for the zip code in which they live.

The target price for the six homes will be under $260,000. The median home price in Priest River is currently $391,000 and in Sandpoint is $614,000, according to a news release.

“We are creating a model for sustainable development through strong partnerships with local organizations,” said Bart Cochran, CEO of LEAP Housing. “The Village at River View is a testament to what can be achieved when we work together to develop housing solutions that do not rely on state or federal funding. This approach not only benefits the Priest River community, but also sets a precedent for how local collaboration can meet housing needs and strengthen the fabric of rural areas.”

When Priest River Mayor Jeff Connolly first heard about the project from Katie Cox, executive director of the Kaniksu Land Trust, he called the Village at River View the best idea he had ever heard.

The completion date for the houses is expected to be in spring 2025.