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Housing

This survey is being conducted to better quantify housing needs and identify strategies to address housing issues in Sandpoint. It will also be used to update goals and policies included in the Comprehensive Plan.

The deadline has passed

36 registered responses


Using the numbered areas in the map below, identify where you live in Sandpoint. If you do not live in the Sandpoint city limits, please select the city or area in which you live.

Response Percent Response Count
Area 2 2.8% 1
Area 3 2.8% 1
Area 4 19.4% 7
Area 5 22.2% 8
Area 6 2.8% 1
Area 7 2.8% 1
Area 8 8.3% 3
Area 9 16.7% 6
Kootenai 2.8% 1
Dover 5.6% 2
Other Bonner County 13.9% 5

Using the numbered areas in the map above, identify where you work. If you do not work in the Sandpoint city limits, please select the city or area in which you work.

Response Percent Response Count
Area 2 12.1% 4
Area 4 6.1% 2
Area 5 9.1% 3
Area 6 12.1% 4
Area 7 3.0% 1
Area 8 12.1% 4
Area 9 12.1% 4
Ponderay 12.1% 4
Kootenai 3.0% 1
Dover 3.0% 1
Other Bonner County 3.0% 1
Outside of Bonner County 12.1% 4

What is your housing status?

Response Percent Response Count
Rent 19.4% 7
Own a primary residence 80.6% 29
Own a long-term rental property 5.6% 2
Live with family 5.6% 2

Adults

Average
2.00
Total
72.00
Count
36
Skipped
0

Children

Average
0.83
Total
19.00
Count
23
Skipped
13

Extended Family

Average
0.13
Total
2.00
Count
15
Skipped
21

Non-family members

Average
0.14
Total
2.00
Count
14
Skipped
22

Disabled Family Members

Average
0.23
Total
3.00
Count
13
Skipped
23

How much of your current gross household income do you spend per month for housing (rent or full mortgage payment, excluding utilities)?

Response Percent Response Count
Less than 10% 20.0% 7
Less than 20% 17.1% 6
Less than 30% 42.9% 15
Less than 40% 11.4% 4
Less than 50% 2.9% 1
Less than 60% 2.9% 1
60% or more 2.9% 1

Which of these best describes the type of housing you currently reside in?

Response Percent Response Count
Apartment 2.8% 1
Townhome 2.8% 1
Single family home 83.3% 30
Duplex/Triplex/Fourplex 8.3% 3
Mobile/Manufactured home 2.8% 1

If you have recently looked for a rental or home to purchase, how difficult was it to find?

Apartment, condo, townhome, duplex or other attached housing type to rent
Response Percent Response Count
Very difficult 25.7% 9
Moderately difficult 14.3% 5
Fairly Easy 8.6% 3
Have not recently looked 42.9% 15
Single family home to rent
Response Percent Response Count
Very difficult 48.6% 17
Fairly Easy 5.7% 2
Have not recently looked 42.9% 15
Condo, townhome or other attached housing type to buy
Response Percent Response Count
Very difficult 17.1% 6
Moderately difficult 14.3% 5
Fairly Easy 5.7% 2
Easy 2.9% 1
Have not recently looked 48.6% 17
Single family home to buy
Response Percent Response Count
Very difficult 31.4% 11
Moderately difficult 11.4% 4
Fairly Easy 8.6% 3
Easy 2.9% 1
Very Easy 2.9% 1
Have not recently looked 40.0% 14

If it was difficult to find a rental or home to purchase, please indicate reasons. Choose as many as apply:

Response Percent Response Count
Affordability 29.2% 7
Availability, regardless of price 20.8% 5
Poor condition in my price range 4.2% 1
Type of home desired not available in my price range 8.3% 2
Size of home desired not available in my price range 4.2% 1
Other 33.3% 8

Does your current housing meet your needs?

Response Percent Response Count
Yes 85.7% 30
No 14.3% 5

If you would like to move from your current home/apartment, what is the reason? Choose as many as apply:

Response Percent Response Count
Currently rent, would like to purchase 25.0% 4
Bigger house/apartment 43.8% 7
Different neighborhood / location 43.8% 7
Get something less expensive 18.8% 3
Want to be in a rural environment 6.3% 1
Want to be closer to work and/or school 6.3% 1
Want to be closer to restaurants/entertainment/shopping/services 6.3% 1
Want a different type of housing 12.5% 2
Need a home accessible to people with disabilities 6.3% 1
Want alternative transportation options (bus, bike paths, sidewalks) 6.3% 1
Other 31.3% 5

Have you tried to buy a home before?

Response Percent Response Count
Yes, in Sandpoint city limits 58.6% 17
Yes, in Bonner County but not in Sandpoint city limits 24.1% 7
No, not in Sandpoint city limits or in Bonner County 17.2% 5

Have you faced any of the following obstacles to buying a home in Sandpoint or Bonner County? Choose all that apply:

Response Percent Response Count
Could not save enough money for down payment and closing costs 25.0% 5
Could not qualify for a mortgage due to current debt load 5.0% 1
Could not find a house in an affordable price range 50.0% 10
Could not find an affordable home where I wanted to live 55.0% 11
Could not find an affordable home that met my family's needs due to size 40.0% 8
Other 15.0% 3

What type of housing is most needed in Sandpoint? Choose as many as apply:

Response Percent Response Count
Single family homes to purchase 74.3% 26
Condominiums or townhomes to purchase 37.1% 13
Single family homes to rent 65.7% 23
Condominiums, apartments, or other attached housing options to rent 45.7% 16
Homeless shelters and/or transitional housing 20.0% 7
Accessible housing for disabled/elderly 5.7% 2
Group homes 2.9% 1
Assisted living 5.7% 2
Accessory dwelling units (ADU) 20.0% 7
Seasonal boarding houses 2.9% 1
Workforce housing 28.6% 10
Cottage housing (cluster of small single-family homes) 42.9% 15
Other 5.7% 2

If you were to purchase a primary home, what is the maximum purchase price you would be able and/or willing to pay?

Average
299046.67
Total
8971400.00
Count
30
Skipped
6

What is the maximum amount of rent you are able and/or willing to pay?

Average
1277.59
Total
37050.00
Count
29
Skipped
7

What is your perception of the affordability of housing?

Housing in the Sandpoint city limits?
Response Percent Response Count
Very Expensive 51.4% 18
Expensive 45.7% 16
Moderate 2.9% 1
Housing in Bonner County outside of Sandpoint city limits?
Response Percent Response Count
Very Expensive 14.3% 5
Expensive 54.3% 19
Moderate 28.6% 10
Affordable 2.9% 1
Name not shown inside the County of Bonner
January 18, 2020, 10:01 PM
  • Using the numbered areas in the map below, identify where you live in Sandpoint. If you do not live in the Sandpoint city limits, please select the city or area in which you live.
    • Area 9
  • Using the numbered areas in the map above, identify where you work. If you do not work in the Sandpoint city limits, please select the city or area in which you work.
    • Area 9
  • What is your housing status?
    • Own a primary residence
  • Adults
    2
  • Children
    0
  • Extended Family
    0
  • Non-family members
    0
  • Disabled Family Members
    0
  • How much of your current gross household income do you spend per month for housing (rent or full mortgage payment, excluding utilities)?
    • Less than 10%
  • Which of these best describes the type of housing you currently reside in?
    • Single family home
  • If you have recently looked for a rental or home to purchase, how difficult was it to find?
    • Apartment, condo, townhome, duplex or other attached housing type to rent - Have not recently looked
    • Single family home to rent - Have not recently looked
    • Condo, townhome or other attached housing type to buy - Have not recently looked
    • Single family home to buy - Have not recently looked
  • If it was difficult to find a rental or home to purchase, please indicate reasons. Choose as many as apply:
    No response.
  • Does your current housing meet your needs?
    • Yes
  • If you would like to move from your current home/apartment, what is the reason? Choose as many as apply:
    No response.
  • Have you tried to buy a home before?
    • Yes, in Sandpoint city limits
  • Have you faced any of the following obstacles to buying a home in Sandpoint or Bonner County? Choose all that apply:
    No response.
  • What type of housing is most needed in Sandpoint? Choose as many as apply:
    • Single family homes to purchase
    • Single family homes to rent
    • Condominiums, apartments, or other attached housing options to rent
    • Cottage housing (cluster of small single-family homes)
  • If you were to purchase a primary home, what is the maximum purchase price you would be able and/or willing to pay?
    No response.
  • What is the maximum amount of rent you are able and/or willing to pay?
    No response.
  • What is your perception of the affordability of housing?
    • Housing in the Sandpoint city limits? - Expensive
    • Housing in Bonner County outside of Sandpoint city limits? - Expensive
  • What factors are most important to you in choosing a home or apartment? Choose all that apply:
    • Like the neighborhood
    • Close to work / school
    • Walkable neighborhood
  • Should the City invest funding into creating more affordable housing options?
    • Yes
  • Please indicate if you would support the following ideas to meet the community's housing needs (with 1 being do not support and 5 being strongly support):
    • Partnership with local employers for workforce housing. - 4
    • Down payment assistance programs. - 4
    • Incentives for landlords to convert seasonal rentals to long-term rentals. - 5
    • Incentive programs to help with cost of infrastructure for new housing developments. - 4
    • Incentives for homes built within a specific price range, of a specific type, or in a specific area. - 5
    • Fund infrastructure to support workforce housing with taxes or fees collected from vacation homes. - 4
    • Land trusts created in partnership between private developers and public agencies, non-profit agencies, or employers. Rental or for-sale housing built on land held in a trust to control cost of homes as a result of land value. - No opinion
    • Annexation of adjacent land to build more housing near Sandpoint's current city limits. - 4
    • Build more high-density housing in the city (i.e., large apartment complex). - 5
    • Build more medium density housing in the city (i.e., duplex, townhouses, small multi-family developments). - 5
    • Encourage residential development above commercial or in mixed-use buildings. - 5
    • Tiny home (400 sq ft or less) planned unit developments. - 3
    • Shared equity down payment assistance grants tied to the property. - 4
    • Change zoning to allow construction of duplexes in single family-zoned neighborhoods. - 5
    • Utilize small pockets of vacant land within existing Sandpoint neighborhoods for appropriately scaled multi-family housing types. - 2
    • Pocket residential / cottage housing (cluster of small single-family detached homes of approximately 1000 sq ft). - 5
    • Limit the number of non-resident owned short-term/vacation rentals in residential neighborhoods. - 5
  • Please share additional thoughts or comments regarding housing in the City of Sandpoint.

    In 2008, the city voted to legalize building ADU sites on the same property as single residences. I supported this idea, to enable people working in low wage jobs get affordable housing.
    Unfortunately, many of the ADU sites that were built have become more lucrative short term Airbnb or vacation rentals instead. Although the city says it is limiting how many short term rentals will be allowed in each sector of Sandpoint, I suspect plenty are running under the regulatory radar.
    I don’t know how Sandpoint can fix this issue.

  • Housing Variety Goal: Provide a variety of housing types across income levels in Sandpoint. (1=not important, 5=very important)?
    • Encourage diversity in housing types by permitting detached, duplex, townhouse, stacked flats, ADUs and other types as appropriate in land use districts. - 5
    • Encourage low to moderate-income housing with development incentives (like density bonuses) or other similar strategies. - 4
    • Help reduce household transportation costs by locating housing near daily needs. - 3
    • Blend mixed densities in neighborhoods to provide for income diversity among neighborhood residents while ensuring that the bulk, mass or scale of any individual development does not dominate a street. - 5
    • Strongly encourage housing above existing retail. - 5
  • Existing Neighborhoods Goal: Protect and enhance the charm and comfort of Sandpoint’s existing neighborhoods. (1=not important, 5=very important)?
    • Implement appropriate controls in consideration of transition areas between existing neighborhoods and adjoining districts. - 5
    • Create street environments that would be appropriate for historic single family neighborhoods. - 3
    • Encourage small accessory dwelling units throughout Sandpoint. - 5
    • Encourage the formation of active neighborhood organizations and advocate their participation in the public process. - 4
  • New Neighborhoods Goal: Ensure that new neighborhoods provide the same charm and comfort of Sandpoint’s historic neighborhoods. (1=not important, 5=very important)?
    • Cul-de-sacs and other dead-end streets are discouraged, with a preference instead for traditional grid street patterns. Where cul-de-sacs are allowed, they must provide for continuous, non-motorized connections between streets. - 3
    • Neighborhood services, public open space and parks shall be connected with multimodal paths. - 2
    • Development shall occur with a safe, appropriate street system in a network that provides easy access but does not allow rapid or high volume traffic to disrupt the neighborhood. - 4
    • Encourage a variety of housing sizes within a block. - 5
  • Are there any goals or policies that you feel are missing from the list above?
    No response.
  • Looking out 20 years, what does a livable neighborhood in Sandpoint look like to you? Be specific.

    Obviously the vintage feel of some neighborhoods will have to be modified to allow and encourage ADU and other affordable residences.

  • Through initial outreach during the fall, we asked the community to start thinking about what they love about Sandpoint. Of the following, what are the top 3 that are most important to you?
    • Housing options for all incomes
    • Wide range of housing types and sizes
    • Alternative housing options
  • What should Sandpoint be doing to help support these shared values?
    No response.
  • Tell us a little about your relationship with the City of Sandpoint. Choose all that apply:
    • I'm retired in Sandpoint
  • What is your age?
    • 60-69
  • What is your annual household income?
    • $50,000 - $74,999
  • How many children under the age of 18 are living at home?
    0
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How many people are in your household?

Very difficult
Moderately difficult
Fairly Easy
Easy
Very Easy
Have not recently looked
Apartment, condo, townhome, duplex or other attached housing type to rent
Single family home to rent
Condo, townhome or other attached housing type to buy
Single family home to buy
Very Expensive
Expensive
Moderate
Affordable
Very Affordable
Housing in the Sandpoint city limits?
Housing in Bonner County outside of Sandpoint city limits?
1
2
3
4
5
No opinion
Partnership with local employers for workforce housing.
Down payment assistance programs.
Incentives for landlords to convert seasonal rentals to long-term rentals.
Incentive programs to help with cost of infrastructure for new housing developments.
Incentives for homes built within a specific price range, of a specific type, or in a specific area.
Fund infrastructure to support workforce housing with taxes or fees collected from vacation homes.
Land trusts created in partnership between private developers and public agencies, non-profit agencies, or employers. Rental or for-sale housing built on land held in a trust to control cost of homes as a result of land value.
Annexation of adjacent land to build more housing near Sandpoint's current city limits.
Build more high-density housing in the city (i.e., large apartment complex).
Build more medium density housing in the city (i.e., duplex, townhouses, small multi-family developments).
Encourage residential development above commercial or in mixed-use buildings.
Tiny home (400 sq ft or less) planned unit developments.
Shared equity down payment assistance grants tied to the property.
Change zoning to allow construction of duplexes in single family-zoned neighborhoods.
Utilize small pockets of vacant land within existing Sandpoint neighborhoods for appropriately scaled multi-family housing types.
Pocket residential / cottage housing (cluster of small single-family detached homes of approximately 1000 sq ft).
Limit the number of non-resident owned short-term/vacation rentals in residential neighborhoods.

As the City works to update its comprehensive plan, we would like to know how our residents value the goals and policies established in the 2009 Comprehensive Plan. 

A goal provides the community with direction. A goal is a desired ideal and a value to be sought.

A policy is a statement of principle or a course of action that guides governmental action and decision making.

In the following section, please rate how important the following goals and policies are to you.

1
2
3
4
5
No Opinion
Encourage diversity in housing types by permitting detached, duplex, townhouse, stacked flats, ADUs and other types as appropriate in land use districts.
Encourage low to moderate-income housing with development incentives (like density bonuses) or other similar strategies.
Help reduce household transportation costs by locating housing near daily needs.
Blend mixed densities in neighborhoods to provide for income diversity among neighborhood residents while ensuring that the bulk, mass or scale of any individual development does not dominate a street.
Strongly encourage housing above existing retail.
1
2
3
4
5
No opinion
Implement appropriate controls in consideration of transition areas between existing neighborhoods and adjoining districts.
Create street environments that would be appropriate for historic single family neighborhoods.
Encourage small accessory dwelling units throughout Sandpoint.
Encourage the formation of active neighborhood organizations and advocate their participation in the public process.
1
2
3
4
5
No opinion
Cul-de-sacs and other dead-end streets are discouraged, with a preference instead for traditional grid street patterns. Where cul-de-sacs are allowed, they must provide for continuous, non-motorized connections between streets.
Neighborhood services, public open space and parks shall be connected with multimodal paths.
Development shall occur with a safe, appropriate street system in a network that provides easy access but does not allow rapid or high volume traffic to disrupt the neighborhood.
Encourage a variety of housing sizes within a block.
Choose at most 3 options

Demographics

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