When need for housing gets bogged down in politics, everyone loses
We understand why he asked the question, as well as the frustration behind it. But instead of "When did housing become so political?," Cheyenne Mayor Patrick Collins might as well have asked, "When did everything become so political?"
Unfortunately, there isn't enough time or space in several editions of the Wyoming Tribune Eagle to unpack that broader question. So instead, we'll focus on the decision made during the April 2 meeting of the State Loan and Investment Board (SLIB).
During that meeting, the state's top five elected officials – Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon, Secretary of State Chuck Gray, State Auditor Kristi Racines, State Treasurer Curt Meier and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder – were discussing grants to local communities for affordable housing projects. Cheyenne had two on the agenda, First and Union and Magic Meadows.
First and Union is a development to be built at the northwest corner of Carlson Street and Converse Avenue. While it started as a 184-unit complex partially funded by Related Digital, which is building a large data center on the east side of the city, capital city leaders had applied for $2.175 million to buy more land and expand it to 444 units.
The Wyoming Business Council (WBC) had vetted the project and recommended approval of a Community Readiness Grant through the Business Ready Community program. WBC Grants Portfolio Manager Noelle Reed and Mayor Collins gave a detailed presentation of the project's scope and its importance to a community struggling to provide affordable housing for its workforce.
When it came time for SLIB to discuss the grant application, what was expected to be rapid approval quickly devolved into an argument about how best to ensure only U.S. citizens could live in facilities funded with taxpayer dollars.
Secretary Gray made a motion that would have required applicants for First and Union to provide WBC with enough information to verify that they are a U.S. citizen. He said WBC officials could use the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) Program database, and they could report to SLIB periodically.
"This is a priority of the (Trump) administration, is ensuring that these benefits are only afforded to United States citizens," Mr. Gray said.
We don't disagree that affordable housing should be provided to citizens who need it, rather than those who are in the country illegally. What bothers us is the fact this issue was brought up during this meeting, rather than well in advance of the grant approval discussion.
Did Mr. Gray raise this with anyone at WBC before the meeting? Based on the discussion, it sure didn't seem like it.
Cynics will say it was yet another attempt by the candidate for Wyoming's lone seat in the U.S. House of Representatives to curry favor with the president, but we try to avoid assigning motives to elected officials. What is clear is that this concern could have been addressed earlier in the process. Mr. Gray had seen the agenda well before April 2, and he had plenty of time to consult with WBC staff and officials in the Wyoming Attorney General's Office.
Ultimately, the vote on the First and Union grant application was 3-2 against, with Ms. Degenfelder and Ms. Racines joining Mr. Gray as "no" votes. (The Magic Meadows project was tabled until a future meeting.) Ms. Degenfelder – who is running for governor with President Trump's endorsement – said she agreed with Mr. Gray's premise, but how to implement it needed to be worked out.
Ms. Racines wrote in an op-ed this week that she doesn't think the Business Ready Community program was the correct funding mechanism, and the city should have sought part of the $5 million pot of funds the Legislature set aside for "unmet housing needs."
Ms. Racines made some valid points, especially as they relate to the intense scrutiny that WBC is under this year. Would this have been an improper use of Business Ready Community funds? That's for legal experts to decide.
Regardless, Wyoming's top five elected officials owe it to the folks they represent to do better. Before their special meeting next Thursday, they need to hammer out the details related to funding sources, immigration status verification and any other relevant issues.
The state has a critical need for housing that workers at all income levels can afford. Elected officials should be helping to meet that need, not standing in the way.
THIS EDITORIAL was written by Managing Editor Brian Martin with input from members of the WTE Editorial Board. Have feedback for us? Drop us a line via email to opinion@wyomingnews.com.