Future Uncertain for Housing Program Tied to Farm Bill

An obscure affordable housing program could be in jeopardy if Congress doesn’t renew the Farm Bill, a federal bill that dictates agriculture and food policy and land use.

The mechanism in question is “a provision that allows federal officials to lease certain U.S. Forest Service land to local governments for the purpose of building housing. The measure applies only to administrative sites that typically already have some form of housing or storage infrastructure in place,” explains Robert Tann in The Aspen Times.

Tann adds, “In Colorado’s rural resort communities where land availability is scarce and median single-family home prices reach into the millions, officials see the leasing authority as a critical addition to their affordable housing strategies.” The program, and the lease agreements currently in the works, hinges on the Farm Bill’s renewal or extension.

The program is particularly important in Colorado’s rural communities, where, in some cases, up to 80 percent of land is federally owned. Some officials are calling for stand-alone legislation that would decouple the leasing authority from the Farm Bill and ensure its security for the future.