ShelterJH summer events coming up!

View this email in your browser

Dear <<First Name>>

Thanks for tuning in! It's been an eventful month here at Shelter—in large part thanks to YOU. Here’s an update on what we've been working on:

We'll see you on Sunday, rain or shine!

Affordable Housing Block Party

Join us this weekend for an Affordable Housing Block Party hosted by the Teton Democrats! Enjoy local fare while listening to music and checking out information tables from local housing groups including Habitat for Humanity, the Housing Trust, the House Department, and us. This will be a bi-lingual event and local electeds will also offer remarks on our housing emergency. See you on Sunday, June 5 at 5pm at the Center for the Arts!

We have lots of exciting events coming up this summer. We can't wait to see you all in person!

Save the Dates!
We have some exciting events coming up this summer—come join us! Members and potential members are welcome at every event.⁠ Come play Bingo at High Point Cider on Wednesday, June 29th and bring a friend! We are excited to participate in our first event in Teton Valley and thank High Point Cider for their support.

We'll be focusing on election education at our member meet-up on July 14 at 6pm. We'll be available to answer all kinds of questions and we're looking forward to getting our members together in person.⁠

Finally, on August 31 at 5:30pm, we will be hosting a forum to inform voters about local candidates and races. Make sure you know your candidates before heading to the polls!

There is still room for a win-win-win for the Darwiches, Rafter J residents, and the community.

Legacy Lodge Update
After the County Commissioners’ decision denying Workforce rentals in Legacy Lodge via master leases to businesses, we heard from community members who were frustrated that the commissioners were not supporting homes for locals. Though it seems counterintuitive, this initial “no” vote could be a win for our community. After the commissioners' vote to continue the same application, stakeholders now have time to collaborate on conditions to establish regulations for affordability. We feel optimistic about the outcome for Legacy Lodge.

We need to remember that not all housing is created equally. Sometimes we need to say “no” to get to a “yes” that meets our mission to support housing affordability. We hope that stakeholders can use these next four months to come to an agreement to welcome locals into Legacy Lodge.

We are working hard this election season to make sure our members are prepared before they head to the polls!

Join our Election Taskforce
The candidate filing period ended on May 27, which means that election season has officially begun! If you are interested in weighing in on our endorsement processes, planning our election events and/or helping us design questions for candidates, please reach out to join our Election Taskforce: shelter@gmail.com.

Let's make sure we prioritize housing neighbors in our neighborhoods—not tourists.

Short-term rental change moves to Town Council

The Town Planning Commissioners recently voted to recommend extending the short-term rental minimum from 30 to 90 days. We support this change so short-term rentals remain inside of the lodging overlay (aka be available to rent to locals) where they belong. On June 21 at 1:30pm, the Town Council will be considering this change. We created a template letter (special thanks to dedicated member Ariel Kazunas!) you can fill out to send to the Council: send it over now!

Thanks for your donations!
Thanks to our dedicated members who gave during our May matching campaign with Circa Houses and to our new members who have been joining. Of course, a special thanks to Shacks on Racks leader Esther Judge-Lennox for kickstarting this fundraiser and matching donations during that week. We are inspired by all of our momentum!

Hot Topics in Housing
ShelterJH members share relevant media pieces with one another through our Google Group. Here are what our conversations have been about this month:

WyoFile: Jackson Hole’s wealth forcing out Star Valley’s neediest
Granicus: Six ways that short-term rentals are impacting communities
JH News and Guide: Electeds discuss SPET proposals

Join Us!
If you’re not already a member, please join our movement. We suggest a donation of $20 per year; however, we want our membership to be as accessible as possible, so please pay what you can. Members receive access to special meetings, vote on the Board of Directors, and help set the vision and trajectory for the organization. Already a member? Forward this email to five friends who care about the housing emergency!

As always, I am here to answer any questions. Thanks for your steadfast support of ShelterJH!

Best,
Clare Stumpf
she/her/hers
info@shelterjh.org
(510)418-0654