Jackson OKs Hitching Post deed-restriction carveouts for St. John’s housing

The Jackson Town Council voted March 2 to approve amendments to the workforce-housing deed restrictions for the Hitching Post development at 460 E. Broadway (development plan P25-041). The changes apply to the project’s accessory residential units and are intended to give St. John’s Health more flexibility to house employees and visiting/short-term professionals under the Town/County housing rules. See the council packet item, “Hitching Post Deed Restrictions.”

Per the staff memo, the approved carveouts include (1) an exemption from the standard 75% local-income rule for renter households with at least one full-time St. John’s Health employee (or an employee of an entity providing services to the hospital); (2) a process for vacancies exceeding 60 days to be reported and treated as an exception request, with extensions not to be “unreasonably withheld;” and (3) potential exceptions to the six-month minimum lease term for full-time employees serving short-term assignments. The packet notes council had previously indicated support for these concepts when discussing P25-041 in 2025.

The flexibility is conditional: staff recommended — and the amendments reflect — that the exceptions terminate if the property is sold, and that the exceptions do not apply to any units leased to the general public (i.e., households not tied to St. John’s Health or qualifying service providers).

Sources: Town Council Regular Meeting Agenda Packet (2026-03-02); Hitching Post Deed Restrictions memo + draft restriction language (2026-03-02).