JACKSON, Wyo. — Within hours of the Board of County Commissioners (BCC) approving the Northern South Park (NSP) neighborhood plan on Tuesday, March 5, the Hughes Charitable Foundation (HCF) announced a $15 million challenge grant for Teton Habitat to build affordable homes in NSP.
HCF and Teton Habitat will discuss how the challenge grant will be paid out. According to HCF, the organization will most likely match capital gifts raised for NSP on an annual, dollar for dollar match basis.
“It’s hard to put into just a few words what this extraordinary donation of $15 million from the Hughes Charitable Foundation will do for Teton Habitat, and the working families of this community that are in desperate need of truly affordable housing,” Teton Habitat Executive Director Kris Greenville told Buckrail. “We are filled with gratitude and excitement for the enormous impact it will have on our community. With this generous support, Teton Habitat will build homes in Northern South Park that create stability, and empower families for generations to come. We are building not just houses, but hope and opportunity.”
HCF launched this funding raising campaign to give confidence to the community and honor the commissioners’ leadership.
“We want the commissioners to know we are grateful for their leadership and that the philanthropic community is ready with support, right out of the gate,” HCF Executive Director Molly Hughes said in the announcement.
A main concern of the BCC was that the deed restrictive units would not be integrated and built in concurrence with the free market units. Teton Habitat and the Community Housing Trust have stressed that they are committed to raising sufficient funding in a timely manner to help construct the NSP affordable units.
“The commissioners’ leadership comes at an important time, following years of work and study for people in need,” HCF Board Chairman Wayne Hughes said in the press release. “The HCF is emboldened by that leadership and it moves us now to support those members of our community most in need, the people uniquely served by Teton Habitat. True affordable home ownership for 43% of the Jackson Hole community that qualifies is Teton Habitat’s mission. I hope HCF stepping up to help inspires others to give as well. We can do this together.”
