POST FALLS — Newlyweds Tatum and Reece Mahaffy live in a small mother-in-law home on her parents' Coeur d'Alene property.

"We've been living there for cheap rent, which has been a huge blessing,” Tatum said Thursday.

Two months ago, they found out they were approved to move into the Miracle on Britton neighborhood, where they'll finally have a place to call their own.

"It's been kind of a whirlwind," Tatum said. "I was definitely extremely happy."

Finding, financing and owning a home for first-time buyers is unattainable for many in North Idaho, especially middle-income earners who don't qualify for assistance and don't have the means to buy a median-priced $552,500 Kootenai County single-family home.

Reece, a Coeur d'Alene High graduate, is a lead at a cabinet company. Tatum, who graduated from Venture Academy, is in graphic and web design. Both grew up in North Idaho.

Both also grew up in rental homes.

"My parents were stuck in the rental system. I went to 13 different schools, but stayed in the area," Tatum said. "My personal belief is I don’t want that for our kids."

Buying a house has been impossible even though they work full time.

"We’ve scouted through all the different options and there was no way we’d ever be able to afford a home," Tatum said.

Married since August, they're excited to start a family. That’s why they started shopping for a home. They look forward to moving into a neighborhood full of families and children.

"That's one of the things that drew us in (to Britton) most," Tatum said. "We just want to be a part of a healthy community and make good friends."

Through the Panhandle Affordable Housing Alliance's innovative Miracle on Britton, homeownership is no longer a dream for the Mahaffys. They were among the last to be approved for a home in the Post Falls neighborhood, which is now full.

"We were both surprised and thankful for our community and the people supporting this program," Tatum said.

The final homes are going up on Britton Road, just north of Greensferry Elementary. All 28 homes and a 6,800 square-foot park will be complete by end of summer.

PAHA Executive Director Maggie Lyons said from the beginning, Britton was never just about building homes. It was about proving this model could work.

Britton was designed as an answer to North Idaho's housing shortage for the working class. It is a fee-simple, shared-equity neighborhood built through a Fannie Mae-certified deed restriction management program. This model keeps the land and the home attainable over time.

"When these homes resell, they are structured to remain within reach for the next working family," Lyons said. "That’s the difference — we’re not just creating access once; we’re protecting it long term."

Ninety percent of Britton's buyers are dual-income families that annually earn between $79,000 and $120,000, with an average household income of $97,000. They are overwhelmingly local; 95% were raised in Kootenai County. Most are between the ages of 22 and 34.

Their jobs range from teachers, firefighters and police officers to health care workers and electricians. 

PAHA's battle cry is, "We refuse to accept that only the wealthy can afford to buy a home."

Lyons said she is often asked why she stays in this work. She said it's simple: She gets to see people who are working hard every day get not a handout, but a foothold. That changes how people think about their futures.

"When I think about Idaho’s future, what I’m most concerned about losing is that very idea — that if you work hard, you can build a life here," she said. "That’s been part of the fabric of this state for a long time. If homeownership slips out of reach for middle-income households, we lose more than housing. We lose stability, continuity and a sense of belonging."

Popular tourism towns such as Sun Valley are experiencing housing shortages for middle-class residents who don't make enough money to keep up with rising home prices.

Lyons said Sun Valley is not an outlier.

It's a preview.

She said when those who make a community function can’t live near where they serve, the impacts show up everywhere — employers struggle to hire and retain, commutes get longer, families are stretched thinner.

Over time, the character of a place starts to change.

Lyons said the barriers to more attainable housing aren't mysterious; land and infrastructure are expensive, timelines can be long.

But there’s also hesitation, Lyons said. A lot of places are still studying the issue instead of acting on solutions that already exist.

"We hear a lot about supporting workforce housing, but moving from words to action is where things tend to stall," she said.

Miracle on Britton moved forward because that alignment existed. The city of Post Falls and private partners leaned in. It was understood that doing nothing wasn’t a viable option.

The tools that made Britton are not unique. Cities already have them, Lyons said.

"Fee reductions, land partnerships, zoning flexibility, expedited permitting, these are all available right now," she said. "

A tax credit initiative in discussions at the state level could also make a meaningful difference, Lyons said.

If the tax credit moves forward, it could open the door for a number of families to become homeowners in a way that remains sustainable over time.

"To me, this approach reflects Idaho values," Lyons said. "It’s about work, contribution and creating a fair shot for people to stay rooted in the communities they help sustain."

"Miracle on Britton isn’t a one-time success. It’s a blueprint."

    Reece Mahaffy, left, and wife Tatum Mahaffy are among the final buyers to be approved for homes in the Miracle on Britton neighborhood in Post Falls.
  

    Construction is underway on some of the last houses to fill the Britton neighborhood in Post Falls. Every home in the innovative deed-restricted fee simple Miracle on Britton has been sold.
  

    An early March 2024 photo shows the intersection of Kalin Street and Britton Road before 28 houses were constructed. The neighborhood is now nearing completion, and every home has been bought. A Britton Barbecue Bash will be held this fall to celebrate.
  

    Lyons