ABOUT
What is a Community Land Trust?
The CLT creates permanent affordability by owning the land and only selling the improvements (the house). A Ground Lease is provided to the owner of the house at nominal cost.
As a result, the price of the house is reduced below the market by the value of the land, which could be $50,000 or more.
When houses sell the sales price is governed by a resale formula, so that the value of the land is not rolled into the sale, and therefore the house remains affordable.
A Brief History of Hills & Rivers Housing Trust
August 2009
Incorporation and 501.c.3 non-profit tax status using the name Moscow Affordable Housing Trust
A working board developed the organization and raised $20,000 from private philanthropy
2014
Hired Hils Peterson, the first Executive Director in April. In October, Community Housing Development Organization status achieved. CHDO operating grant for 2014-15 awarded
August 2015 - February 2016
First acquisition-rehab house project. The house was purchased from foreclosure, significant rehab was completed, and it was sold fee-simple with 2nd lien for affordability. Sale price $143,000. MAHT served as General Contractor. Funding from IHFA/HOME and private philanthropy.
June 2016 - March 2017
First new construction house project. Land purchased in Sept 2015. House designed by MAHT staff architect. Local builder serving as GC selected by competitive bidding process. House sold fee-simple with 2nd lien for affordability. Sale price $165,000. Funding from IHFA/HOME, City of Moscow, corporate and private philanthropy.
July 2018 - January 2019
Second acquisition-rehab house project. The house was purchased from an estate, significant rehab was completed and it was sold fee-simple with 2nd lien for affordability. Sale price $185,000. MAHT served as General Contractor. Funding from IHFA/HOME, corporate and private philanthropy.
April 2019
A parcel was purchased with a loan from Banner Bank with the goal of re-platting it into 17 building lots. The purchase also provided funds for construction of an alley, storm and sanitary sewers. SHOP funds were sought for 11 lots to help pay the acquisition costs and contruction costs.
May 2019 - September 2020
Second new construction project – 3-unit townhome. Land purchased Nov 2018 with MAHT funds. House designed by MAHT staff architect. Local builder serving as GC selected by competitive bidding process. Construction loan from IHFA/HOME. First house sold May 2020, using Community Land Trust model. Last house closed Sept 2020. Permanent subsidy provided by MAHT, CommunityFrameworks/SHOP and IHFA/HOME.
Also, during 2020
Work was completed on a 17 lot subdivision called Paradise View at the corner of Nursery St and Powers Ave in Moscow. Funding for the purchase and infrastructure construction was provided by a loan from Banner Bank, private philanthropy and MAHT general funds.
Spring - Summer 2021
A construction loan was awarded to build a twinhome on the Paradise View site. Design for the 2 houses was done by Architecture students at the University of Idaho. Post-COVID price hikes and wild fluctuations in materials costs prevented starting construction in the 2021 season.
Spring - Summer 2022
A construction loan was awarded, combined with commercial lending, to create two duplex units on the Paradise View site. The plan was to use a modular house design from KIT West in Caldwell to control costs and speed the construction process. This project did not start because of limitations in modular unit design options and challenges related to the Section 3 rules governing the Federal Funds.
Collaborations with the University of Idaho, College of Art and Architecture
In 2021 the College approached the Trust to allow a student team, and faculty member/contractor to design and build a small house on Trust land. From the Trust’s standpoint this was not much different than hiring a commercial General Contractor. The project was run at arm’s length from the University. Construction lending was from a UI Alumnus. Subsidy came from non-Federal sources, including Banks, private donors, manufactures of materials, and the City of Moscow and Latah County (the latter using COVID/ARPAfunds).
- 2022 House #1 - the Black house was completed and sold, closing Jan 2023
- 2023 House #2 - the roof Garden house was completed and sold, closing February 2024
- 2024 House #3 - the "Wedge" shed roof house was constructed from May to October. It used Structural Insulated Panels (SIP) for walls and the roof. This house sold in summer 2025.
- 2025 House #4 - a 24x36 foot 2 bed/1bath house began construction in May 2025 and was completed in October. It sold in May 2026.
- 2026 and beyond - The goal of the College of Art and Architecture is to establish a Design-Build program. To launch the program the Trust made a commitment of 6 lots to be built one per year. In January 2026 the College decided it needed to pause for a year while it worked to instutionalize the program in order that it be more sustainable. None of the University of Idaho project lots used SHOP or HOME funds.
Winter 2023 - Summer 2024
A construction loan was awarded to create two twinhome units on the Paradise View site. A “twinhome” is a City term for side-by-side duplex with a common wall on the interior lot line of two adjoining lots. The houses were stick built. Federal HOME funds were used in the project. The novelty in this design is the use of Styrofoam ICF blocks (Integrated Concrete Forms) to build the foundation walls. The crawl space will be “conditioned” with room air, rather than left cold.
Fall 2024 - Spring 2025
The Board of the Moscow Affordable Housing Trust made the decision to expand operations into Pullman, WA, and Whitman County. Simultaneously, the name of the organization was changed to Hills and Rivers Housing Trust to better reflect the regional service area. The Trust also submitted a grant to WA Commerce for a 3-house project in Pullman. Funding was denied in Jan 2025.
FALL 2025 - SPRING 2026
Hills and Rivers Housing Trust submitted a grant to WA Commerce for an 8-house project in Pullman. Funding of $1.2M was awarded in Jan 2026. The project will create 4 townhouse units using modular building systems. The purchase of the land will close in May 2026, site work is anticipated to start during the summer. Modular units are expected to arrive during the winter. The homes are anticipated to be completed in early summer, 2027.