The Town of Jackson and surrounding county (Teton) have been struggling with growth issues for years. The raw beauty and recreational opportunities of our valley continue to attract more and more people, where housing is limited by the geography and the fact that 97% of the land in the county is owned by federal, state, or local government.

Demand for housing far exceeds supply, and prices long ago became unaffordable for those living paycheck to paycheck. The most common solutions proposed fall into two camps: Build More, and Close The Door.

Build More strategies include increasing building heights, increasing allowed densities in town, rezoning county land to allow housing, requiring developers to provide price-restricted housing, and using public dollars to build housing.

Close The Door proponents include such groups as Don't Let The Hole Lose It's Soul and Save Historic Jackson Hole.

Each group feels passionately about their cause, and there are great divides even within the groups about the appropriate policies. Local politics in Jackson are not for the timid.

There are no easy answers. People move here to enjoy the wildlife, the vistas, the clean air, the lack of traffic, etc. Yet every additional person that moves here contributes to the loss of wildlife habitat, increases in traffic and changing a small town into a larger town.

What do you think? Build more? Or Close the Door?

Tim Bradley is an owner of Contour Investment Properties, the only brokerage firm in Jackson exclusively focused on commercial and investment property in Jackson Hole and Teton Valley. Tim has earned the MAI designation from the Appraisal Institute as well as the CCIM designation from the CCIM Institute.

Tim Bradley
Owner/Broker
Contour Investment Properties
220 East Broadway
PO Box 1152
Jackson, WY 83001
(307) 733-6400
www.contourproperties.com