The mission of the Hills and Rivers Housing Trust is to create and preserve safe, inclusive, and affordable housing opportunities in keeping with the character of the community.
Hills and Rivers Housing Trust is an Idaho Corporation and an IRS 501.c.3 non-profit organization
Contact Information
Nils Peterson, Executive Director
627 N Van Buren St, Moscow, ID 83843
509/336-1664
HillsRiversHousingTrust@gmail.com
Tax ID #27-0306873
UEI# SAK4V46457Y1
WA State UBI 605 611 244
August 2009. Incorporation and 501.c.3 non-profit tax status
A working board developed the organization and raised $20,000 from private philanthropy
April 2014. Hired Nils Peterson, the first Executive Director
October 2014. Community Housing Development Organization status achieved. CHDO operating grant for 14-15 awarded.
August 2015-Feb 2016. First acquisition-rehab house project. The house was purchased from foreclosure, significant rehab was completed and it was sold fee-simple with 2nd lien for affordability. Sale price $143,000. MAHT served as General Contractor. Funding from IHFA/HOME and private philanthropy.
June 2016-March 2017. First new construction house project. Land purchased in Sept 2015. House designed by MAHT staff architect. Local builder serving as GC selected by competitive bidding process. House sold fee-simple with 2nd lien for affordability. Sale price $165,000. Funding from IHFA/HOME, City of Moscow, corporate and private philanthropy.
July 2018-Jan 2019. Second acquisition-rehab house project. The house was purchased from an estate, significant rehab was completed and it was sold fee-simple with 2nd lien for affordability. Sale price $185,000. MAHT served as General Contractor. Funding from IHFA/HOME, corporate and private philanthropy.
April 2019. A parcel was purchased with a loan from Banner Bank with the goal of re-platting it into 17 building lots. The purchase also provided funds for construction of an alley, storm and sanitary sewer. SHOP funds were sought for 11 lots to help pay the acquisition costs and contruction costs.
May 2019-Sept 2020. Second new construction project - 3-unit townhome. Land purchased Nov 2018 with MAHT funds. House designed by MAHT staff architect. Local builder serving as GC selected by competitive bidding process. Construction loan from IHFA/HOME. First house sold May 2020, using Community Land Trust model. Last house closed Sept 2020. Permanent subsidy provided by MAHT, CommunityFrameworks/SHOP and IHFA/HOME.
Also, during 2020, work was completed on a 17 lot subdivision called Paradise View at the corner of Nursery St and Powers Ave in Moscow. Funding for the purchase and infrastructure construction was provided by a loan from Banner Bank, private philanthropy and MAHT general funds.
Spring-Summer 2021. A construction loan was awarded to build a twinhome on the Paradise View site. Design for the 2 houses was done by Architecture students at the University of Idaho. Post-COVID price hikes and wild fluxuations in materials costs prevented starting construction in the 2021 season.
Spring-Summer 2022. A construction loan has been awarded, combined with commercial lending, to create a two duplex units on the Paradise View site. The plan is to use a modular house design from KIT West in Caldwell to control costs and speed the construction process. This project did not start because of limitations in modular unit design options and challenges Section 3 in the rules governing the Federal Funds.
Collaborations with the University of Idaho, College of Art and Architecture. In 2021 the College approached the Trust to allow a student team, and faculty member/contractor to design and build a house on Trust land. From the Trust's standpoint this was not much different than hiring a commercial General Contractor. The project was run at arm's length from the University. Construction lending was from a UI Alumnus. Subsidy comes from non-Federal sources, incuding Banks, private donors, manufactures of materials, and the City of Moscow and Latah County (the latter using COVID funds).
2022. House #1 - the Black house was completed and sold, closing Jan 2023
2023. House #2 - the roof Garden house was completed and sold, closing February 2024
2024. House #3 - the "Wedge" shed roof house is ready to get a building permit in March 2024. It will use Structural Insulated Panels (SIP) for walls and roof. This house is for sale March 2025.
2025. House #4 - a 24x36 foot 2 bed/1bath house is being designed by University of Idaho students for construction to begin by May 2025.
2026 and beyond - The goal of the College of Art and Architecture is to establish a Design-Build program. To that end MAHT made a commitment of 6 lots to be built one per year. None of the University of Idaho project lots has any involvement of SHOP or HOME funds.
Winter 2023- Summer 2024. A construction loan was awarded to create a two twinhome units on the Paradise View site. A "twinhome" is a City term for side-by-side duplex with the common wall on the interior lot line of two adjoining lots. The houses will be stick built. Federal HOME funds are being used in the project. The novelty in this design is the use of Styrofoam ICF blocks (Integrated Concrete Forms) to build the foundation walls. The crawl space will be "conditioned" with room air, rather than left cold.
Fall 2024-Spring 2025. The Board of the Moscow Affordable Housing Trust made the decision to expand operations into Pullman, WA, and Whitman County. Simultaneously, the name of the organization was changed to Hills and Rivers Housing Trust to better reflect the regional service area. The Trust also submitted a grant to WA Commerce for a 3-house project in Pullman. Funding was denied in Jan 2025.