SANDPOINT — Local companies are having trouble gaining and retaining employees as affordable housing is hard to come by.

Paul Kusche, executive director of the Bonner County Economic Development Corporation, said he has heard from local companies regarding the issue of affordable housing, prompting the theme for this year's "What's Happening Up North Prospering Business Workshop." The theme is aptly titled, "Housing and Labor: Issues and Solutions," and will examine topics such as how North Idaho can recruit and keep a prospering workforce when their employees can't find affordable housing.

"I think it's important that we, as a community, work to figure out how to attract more labor to support our manufacturing and services industries," Kusche said. "That means we have to do housing, more than just low-income housing. We have to figure out how to do affordable housing."

Using Thorne Research as an example, Kusche said the company chose to leave, in part, because of the lack of available labor, and the lack of available labor ties to the lack of available housing. Affordable housing, he said, is needed for those who are making $15-$18 per hour so they can afford to live and raise a family.

"I think we are missing that as a resort community, some people just can't afford to buy a $400,000 home," he said. "It's not easy."

The economic summit is hosted by the Bonner County Economic Development Corporation in conjunction with the Boundary County EDC and cities of Sandpoint and Ponderay. As in previous years, the workshop will feature a host of notable speakers drawn from business and government, plus panel discussions and open forums to engage attendees.

The summit will kick off with breakfast at 7 a.m. and the first speaker will take the stage at 7:50 a.m. Jason Gidding's will be talking about his startup company, Rhino Hide, and the line of two-part chemical wall filler Gidding's developed that will "turn any classroom into a bulletproof safe room."

"That's a tremendous product," Kusche said. "... Long term, his company, assuming it gets going, could add 20 to 30 jobs to this community. That's the kind of economic growth that we need. And it goes back to labor and housing ... where are we going to put them."

Giddings will be followed by Sam Wolkenhauer from the Idaho Department of Labor, who will speak on the state of the economy and labor in Bonner and Boundary counties. Paul Lewin, rural economist with the University of Idaho Extension, will then speak on the rural economic impact on housing and labor.

Housing issues and solutions will be addressed by Sandpoint planning and economic development director Aaron Qualls, Bonner Community Housing Agency executive director Chris Bassett, Jim Haynes from Realm Partners, and Cory Phelps with Idaho Housing and Finance Association. The keynote speaker at lunch will be Idaho Department of Labor Director Melinda S. Smyser. Speaking on the topic of labor solutions will be John Russ and Wendi Sechrists of the Idaho Workforce Development Council.

Other presentations include the "value of high-speed internet" by Ting, a company presentation by Matchwood Brewing, and Kusche will address the restoration of a commercial kitchen in Ponderay.

"It will be a fun day" Kusche said. "It all stems from the fact that we need employees, and to have employees, we need decent housing. It's a vicious circle."

The summit runs from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 1, in the Sandpoint Technical Center, 130 McGhee Road, Kootenai. The event is free but space is limited and available on a first-come basis; registration is open at whatshappeningupnorth.org . Though it's free, BCEDC asks for a voluntary contribution of $10 per attendee to help cover the lunch cost.

Mary Malone can be reached by email at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter @MaryDailyBee.