(Idaho State) U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) celebrated the U.S. Forest Service’s (USFS) announcement to enter into a public-private partnership with Ketchum Lookout Partners to develop a 1.94 acre site in Ketchum for the purposes of mitigating affordable housing shortages for USFS and community service employees.
“The availability of affordable housing is becoming an increasingly critical issue across the state of Idaho, particularly for natural resources and recreation-based workers and communities,” said Crapo. “Congress explicitly predicted this need during enactment of the 2018 Farm Bill and provided for creative leasing authorities for affordable housing units in forested and public lands communities. Project Lookout will serve as a unique opportunity to begin addressing the housing issue for the Ketchum community through public-private partnerships. It will allow the USFS to hire and retain a well-skilled workforce to meet the area’s needs. Moreover, it has the potential to serve as an innovative blueprint for future similar projects across the Mountain West.”
“I am delighted to see that the lease for Project Lookout has been signed” said Ketchum Mayor Neil Bradshaw. “Workforce housing is a critical issue for our community and creative solutions are required to address this pressing need. Project Lookout is not only creative, it leverages private funding and expertise, and directly houses the workforce that is critical to the success of our town. On behalf of the City of Ketchum, I am thankful to all those involved and I look forward to further progress of this project.”
“This project is the culmination of nearly two years of work, negotiation, and problem solving,” said Sawtooth National Forest Supervisor Jake Strohmeyer. “We’re proud to be a part of this first-of-its-kind public-private partnership to address the housing issue and to have laid the groundwork upon which other Forests can build.”
Crapo led a letter, with fellow Idahoans U.S. Senator Jim Risch and Representative Mike Simpson, to USFS Chief Randy Moore in July 2024 advocating for due consideration of Project Lookout. The 2018 Farm Bill, Section 8623, authorized the leasing of Forest Service administrative sites for the purposes of innovative leasing opportunities, including housing. Lookout Partners signed a 99-year lease with the USFS to develop a multi-unit workforce housing site at 330 Lewis Street in Ketchum. Project Lookout is the second 2018 Farm Bill leasing project of its kind, preceded only by a project in Summit County, Colorado.