The City of Ketchum is exploring emergency housing options

KETCHUM, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — The City of Ketchum is still exploring emergency housing options for people who will be dealing with housing insecurity during the winter months.

The city’s housing strategist said last winter about 250 people were experiencing homelessness in Ketchum, and city leaders expect that number to rise significantly this winter. It is estimated that an additional 20 to 40 new families will be homeless this Winter. On top of that, another 100 families will be dealing with some form of housing security.

It is believed the increase is due to people moving to the area to fill vacant job openings. However, due to the area’s housing crisis, and cost of living, people can’t find places to live permanently.

“That’s the crisis that is taking this to another level where we have workers and small children living outside exposed to the elements...families freezing to death, risk of suicide, and that the thing that scares all of us,” said Carissa Connelly, Ketchum Housing Strategist.

Some temporary solutions the city is looking at are locking up hotel motel rooms for displaced people throughout the winter, and setting up temporary housing on city-owned land.

Connely said it is estimated that they will need at least 60 emergency housing units, and they are working with other Wood River Valley communities in finding solutions to the problem.

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