BY KAREN BOSSICK
Representatives from three organizations recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for a quadruplex in Bellevue that will provide housing for St. Luke’s Wood River employees and their families.
Representatives from St. Luke’s Health System, St. Luke’s Wood River Foundation and ARCH Community Housing Trust gathered for the occasion.
They opened four long-term rentals for St. Luke’s employees at Quigley Farm in Hailey in September 2021, and those homes should be ready for occupancy this fall. Four more units are planned for the Woodside neighborhood of Hailey.
“ARCH is delighted to provide additional housing for St. Luke’s employees,” said Michelle Griffith, executive director of the nonprofit organization, which is committed to developing affordable housing solutions. “Our partnership has been a tremendous asset to our organizations and has served as a model for the development of employee housing locally, regionally and nationally.”
The Bellevue project is a quadruplex. Each unit features three bedrooms and two and a half bathrooms, as well as an attached garage, private outdoor space and plenty of storage. All units are pet-friendly, and all are near bus service.
The limited availability of housing to rent or own is having a significant impact on St. Luke’s ability to recruit and retain employees, said Almita Nunnelee, chief operating officer/chief nursing officer at St. Luke’s Wood River. .
“Despite the offer of financial incentives, the lack of available housing and the cost of living are frequently cited as the main reason for the decline in job offers. This is an important investment to help St. Luke’s Wood River recruit and retain essential healthcare workers,” she said.
“We are grateful to our donors who have helped put St. Luke’s Wood River Foundation in a position of strength from which to invest in a housing solution for healthcare workers,” added Megan Tanous, Director development of St. Luke’s Wood River. Foundation.
Those interested in supporting healthcare worker housing can visit https://www.slwrf.org or contact Megan Tanous at 208-727-8444.
HIRE TO HEALTHCARE WORKERS
Landlords who have rental properties that can accommodate current and potential St. Luke’s employees are encouraged to submit information to a St. Luke’s Health System portal.
Rental property information may be subject to https://www.stlukesonline.org/housing
It will be securely shared with employees, potential employees and contract labor in need of housing. The form allows for both short-term and long-term rental transactions.
St. Luke’s is not the listing agent and will not enter into any agreement or contract for the rental property.
Want to know more? Visit www.stlukesonline.org/housing