A Community at Risk: A Discussion of Estes Valley’s Housing Needs

Sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Estes Park and the Economic Development Corporation of Estes Park

 A sustainable community, most would agree, is one in which citizens of all ages have ready access to the goods and services necessary to maintain and improve its quality of life.  By this definition, a community in which a large portion of those who supply its most essential services are forced to commute long distances is clearly a community at risk. Yet because of the lack of housing this is precisely the situation faced each day by a significant number of our teachers, our hospital and EMT staff, our police and firefighters, our librarians and other workers.  In addition, more jobs are being left unfilled, and each year the situation gets demonstrably worse.

What is the current and projected dimension and impact of this problem upon on those directly responsible for delivering the services essential to sustaining the quality of life we enjoy in the Estes Valley?  What are the major barriers and opportunities?  What role can concerned citizens play in helping to address the problem?  

The following people have agreed to participate in the panel discussion:

Randy Brigham - Estes Park Medical Center

David Wolf - Town of Estes Park Fire Chief

Wes Kufeld - Town of Estes Park Police Chief

Sheldon Rosenkranze - Estes Park School Superintendent

Claudine Perrault - Estes Valley Library District

Jeffrey Boring - Estes Valley Land Trust

Estee Murdock - Rocky Mountain Conservancy

Please join us for this discussion sponsored by the Estes Park League of Women Voters and the Estes Park Economic Development Corporation and facilitated by those best in a position to tell us. The event will be held at the YMCA of the Rockies on November 8th from 6:00 – 8:00 pm in the Willome Conference Center and is open to the public. There will be no charge for the event.  For more information, please contact Liz Zornes at 970-480-1888.