Wednesday, July 26, 2023

‘All the eyes are on us’: Summit County hopes to set national precedent for housing solutions as US Forest Service project moves forward

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A proposal to lease United States Forest Service land to a local government to build workforce housing is still underway in Summit County. 

While details continue to be hammered out ahead of a final deal, officials say it could be a model for the rest of the country if the plan is successful. 

“This is a tool that we’ve been given to utilize under the 2018 Farm Bill,” said Dillon District ranger Adam Bianchi. “We’re kind of the first one out of the gate. All the eyes are on us.”  

Bianchi, whose district is situated within the White River National Forest, said Forest Service officials recently completed a public outreach effor on the project and have signaled their intent to use the authority given to them under the 2018 Agriculture Improvement Act, or Farm Bill.

The law grants officials the ability to lease National Forest land in exchange for cash and non-cash agreements, paving the way for a three-way effort between the ranger district, Summit County government and the town of Dillon. 

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