Housing challenges discussed at Joint Corporations

Posted by Bobbie Frank on April 24, 2024

Topics ranging from tax increment financing, local regulations and ordinances impeding development, impacts of out of state buyers driving up property values, land availability and abandoned building legislation and programs to help reduce interest rates were discussed today by the Joint Corporations Committee today during their two-day meeting in Lander Wyoming.

As housing availability, and specifically workforce housing, continues to be a huge challenge and projections indicating that this issue will intensify, the Committee discussed a number of options to help address impediments to ensuring housing availability.

By the end of the discussion and testimony, the Joint Corporations Committee ultimately decided to pick up House Bill 216  – Residential rental properties- applicability from the 2023 general session preventing local governments from regulating ownership or leasing of residential rental property. The Committee also discussed having a draft regulatory reduction bill to prevent and minimize excessive local regulations impacting housing development including minimum lot sizes, parking requirements and restrictions on use of natural case.

The Committee also discussed the impact interest rates are having on the ability for moderate income housing to be affordable combined with property value increases the state has experienced. Discussion of a bill draft to increase and expand programs through Wyoming Community Development Authority (WCDA) was discussed. Representative Sherwood’s 2024 bill House Bill 82 – Cities and towns-abandoned and nuisance buildings, changes to the Tax Incentive Financing through Urban Renewal Authorities, access to public land for housing development, Land Bank development and accessory housing development were all topics that were of interest to the Committee to move forward at their August 8-9 meeting in Evanston.

Posted in Advocacy on the Move, Wyoming Advocacy.