Housing

HB 55 establishes Wyoming's Homestead Opportunity Program, selling state-owned land at $1 per acre (10-acre lots) to eligible Wyoming residents for single-family homes. It directly affects working families and individuals seeking affordable homeownership by prohibiting business entities from purchasing lots and limiting each person to a maximum of 25 acres statewide. Key provisions include requiring all lots to be used exclusively for single-family residences, mandating random allocation through public drawing, and allowing the state to reclaim land if rules are violated (e.g., selling to a business or exceeding acreage limits). The program aims to address housing shortages using surplus state lands while ensuring long-term residential use through perpetual covenants in property deeds.

HB 2, the Fast Track Permits Act, requires cities, towns, and counties in Wyoming to review residential building permit applications within strict deadlines. Local governments must notify applicants within 15 days if an application is incomplete and must approve or deny complete applications within 30 days (excluding delays for clarification or state/federal approvals). If deadlines are missed, permits are automatically approved as submitted the next day. The bill directly affects homebuilders applying for permits for detached single-family homes, townhouses, or small multi-unit projects under specific size and code limits, and the local governments that process these applications.