(Coeur d'Alene) City of Coeur d'Alene and Lake City Development Corporation announced today that it has partnered with Idaho Housing and Finance Association to create a long-range community housing needs assessment plan for the City of Coeur d'Alene. BBC Research and Consulting, a Denver-based firm, was selected to produce the plan in cooperation with the three partners. The group shares a common goal to identify and address the City of Coeur d'Alene's growing need for community housing for its working families and professions that provide critical skills and services to their community.

"Through the creation of this important partnership we will leverage our expertise and resources in the areas of housing and economic development in order to create a comprehensive plan for the City," said Mayor Sandi Bloem. "Our community's sense of place is dependent on quality housing for all."

IHFA's role as a partner will be to bring its extensive experience in formulating statewide affordable housing policy and statewide strategic planning for housing and community development. The association has worked with Idaho cities and counties for more than three decades assisting them in the development and creation of viable long-term solutions for affordable housing needs statewide.

"We are pleased to assist Coeur d'Alene in addressing their critical workforce housing issues. This plan will offer the city a housing road map that will allow them to assess both their current and future housing needs for their community," said IHFA's President and Executive Director, Gerald Hunter.

BBC Research and Consulting's role in the plan will be to engage local stakeholders in a community dialogue through a series of public forums, interviews and surveys to gather data for the plan that will help identify local needs, and assets in order to identify a sense of local priorities. The group will then work together to develop a long-term strategy and action plan that the City can use to implement its community housing goals.

The City's housing needs assessment plan will identify the type of housing needed, where it would best complement existing land uses and traffic patterns, and the most appropriate financing options available. Ultimately, this effort will result in a more efficient use of available land, resources, and a more economically sustainable Coeur d'Alene.

Workforce housing is key to sustainable economic development. Employers understand that a stable labor force is important for productivity, since long commute times and financial strain can impact job attendance and performance. And when households can comfortably meet basic needs such as rent or mortgage payments, there is more left over each month to invest in the local economy.

"The community development needs assessment process represents money and time well spent. It also addresses economic and community development, employment, land use, infrastructure, transportation issues, and more," said Executive Director, Tony Berns, Lake City Development Corporation.

In addition to the housing study being conducted in Coeur d'Alene, IHFA's Community Housing Services has assisted other cities statewide for these needs assessments. Interested communities may contact IHFA's Housing Information and Resource Center toll-free at 1-877-438-4472 to learn more about this process.

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The Idaho Housing and Finance Association, a financial services and housing business organization, provides funding for affordable housing in communities where it is most needed and when economically feasible.