Housing shortage causing concern for Silver Valley leaders

Finding quality, affordable housing in Shoshone County has become increasingly difficult due to a combination of economic, geographic, and social factors. For Paige Olsen, director of the Silver Valley Economic Development Corporation (SVEDC), solving this long-standing issue has become a mission. But despite her tireless efforts, progress remains elusive. 

Most recently, a potentially promising opportunity fell through. In March, the Shoshone County Commissioners declined to enter into an agreement with LEAP Charities, an Idaho-based nonprofit focused on affordable housing for vulnerable communities. The proposal involved a property in Silverton, but vocal opposition from residents led the commissioners to reject the plan, leaving Olsen back at square one. 

One of the core challenges is the mismatch between income and housing costs. A household is considered “burdened” when it spends more than 30% of its income on housing. In Shoshone County, the mining industry inflates average incomes, skewing what is officially deemed “affordable.” 

“With our average household income being under $50,000 per year, that means monthly payments around $1,200 are deemed affordable,” Olsen explained. “But you also have to account for the higher wages of the mining industry drastically skewing that average, creating an even bigger discrepancy in what's truly affordable for the majority of our local workforce.” 

Another major hurdle is the scarcity of developable land. The Silverton property was one of the few sites suitable for a multi-unit housing project—just one of many requirements LEAP needs to begin work. 

“Without having land that either the county/city owns or a private owner step forward and specifically designates for development, I'm not sure if we can overcome community resistance,” Olsen said. “The reality is the land has to be developable and fit into certain criteria for LEAP to even pursue it, as it's an incredibly competitive process.” 

If a suitable site is found and construction completed, LEAP’s model includes placing the housing into a trust, which locks in rent prices based on local affordability metrics. 

Colleen Rosson, Shoshone County’s Grants Administrator, has been involved in workforce housing development for over a decade—first with the Silver Valley Chamber, then as SVEDC director before Olsen. She’s seen many proposals fail and worries the community may be unknowingly sabotaging its own future. 

While the housing crisis isn’t as dire as it was five years ago, Rosson says the mining industry’s impact on median income continues to distort the cost of living for non-mining workers. As a result, many residents are forced to seek employment—and eventually housing—outside the county. 

“We do not have the ability to house our workforce locally,” Rosson said. “We don’t pay Spokane or Coeur d’Alene wages despite being only slightly cheaper.” 

Despite the setbacks, Olsen remains committed. The housing issue may not yet be a full-blown crisis, but it’s steadily worsening. 

“We are geologically confined, so we're going to have to get crafty with what we have,” she said. “This means change is coming, which means people are going to feel uncomfortable for a bit. I guess that's where the compromise lies. People are going to have to be willing to educate themselves outside of the rants and raves or classifieds pages, get involved, and actually want to find a solution.” 

Rosson agrees that geography is both a blessing and a curse. 

“Our geography won’t allow for mass expansion, but we’re not planning for our future generations,” she said. 

She emphasized that outside of mining, the county struggles to attract workers in essential fields like healthcare, law enforcement, EMS, and education—largely due to the lack of affordable housing. Without new residents, the tax base will continue to shrink. 

Olsen believes that if more people understood the stakes, they would support organizations like LEAP. 

“LEAP does extensive community outreach to ensure that whatever they are building suits the needs and desires of the community,” she said. “If the neighborhood or community is in need of a park with an added gathering place, they will make sure that happens. If people would just stop and take a moment to listen and learn, they would realize this is a great opportunity for our area.”