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The Durango City Council and the La Plata County Commissioners agreed to the change Tuesday afternoon.
The RHA formed the La Plata Homes Fund, as its nonprofit arm to start the home buyer-assistance program.
“It makes sense for the homes fund to be the lead implementing agency going forward,” said Karen Iverson, who is the executive director of both.
The closely tied organizations have had to maintain two boards and other duplicative administration, and that can be largely phased out.
“It really provides a lot of clarity around who we are and who’s leading us,” Iverson said.
If RHA becomes dormant it would save the city and La Plata County about $100,000 annually.
Next year, the city of Durango, La Plata County, Bayfield and Ignacio would all contract with the La Plata County Homes Fund directly instead of working through the RHA.
The Homes Fund will continue helping residents across the county buy homes and on affordable-housing projects, Iverson said.
The staff of local governments would be in charge of managing their own housing policy.
As a result, the city’s planning department will directly negotiate fair-share agreements, Iverson said. The city fair-share policy requires developers of larger projects to build a certain number of affordable and attainable housing in each development.
The RHA will not be dissolved entirely in case it is needed in the future. The Southwest Colorado Council of Governments may manage an annual meeting for the RHA and an audit, Iverson said.
mshinn@DurangoHerald.com
