Affordable Housing

A guest post from Dave Marston and Writers on the Range looks at housing prices in Durango and southwest Colorado.

Many approaches to homelessness restrict access to services based on certain criteria. But some service providers are attempting to shift the narrative by offering housing first.

On June 7, the Town of Crested Butte declared a local disaster emergency in response to the affordable housing crisis. It was the first of its kind among mountain communities in the West. The declaration allowed for a creative housing solution.

The Bridge Shelter in Cortez is only open in the winter months. The shelter's executive director says “We literally have no options for families right now..."

With rents at mobile home parks rising across the mountain west, some residents are taking matters into their own hands to keep prices down. One park in Durango, Colorado, was purchased by residents earlier this year and is being run as a co-op. Now, other communities in Southwest Colorado are considering emulating the model.

The purchase is part of the town's larger plan to ensure available workforce housing.

The town of Ridgway, Colorado is in an affordable housing crisis. However, some relief is on the way. Ouray County’s first low-income housing complex is under construction

The USDA's Mutual Self Help Program helps educate builders and provide more space for future homeowners.

Telluride, Breckenridge, Carbondale, and Summit County are working on similar programs.

The cost of extending roads, and water and sewer lines, and finding developers to work with them are among the biggest challenges facing towns grappling with a housing crisis.