Estes Valley Workforce Housing
People are at the heart of every economy, and businesses thrive in locations that attract and retain talented individuals and families. Workforce Housing has become an important challenge for many of the most successful metropolitan areas, as well as mountain resort communities.
The Estes Park Economic Development Corporation (Estes Park EDC) identified workforce housing as a top community priority in the 2015 Economic Development Strategy and in the report: The Economic Benefits of Implementing a Workforce Housing Strategy in Estes Park.
In 2023, Root Policy Research released the “Estes Valley Housing Needs Assessment & Strategic Plan” to the Town of Estes Park and the Estes Park Housing Authority.
The Plan lists the following Housing Vision, Goals, Objectives, and Values:
Vision. Working age households have stable, desirable housing in the Estes Valley, enabling them to support our local economy, provide essential Services, and thrive as vital members of our community.
Goals. Create and preserve 550 to 700 dwelling units affordable to the local workforce over the next five to seven years.
Objectives:
Increase the preservation and creation of workforce housing, so that the Estes Valley begins to improve availability and affordability of housing to the workforce.
Match Housing Investments with areas of greatest need in the workforce community.
Create neighborhoods that are desirable, compatible and affordable for the long Term.
Values:
Collaboration. No single entity can solve the complex problem of our workforce housing shortage. A strong collaborative approach is needed between the two lead agencies and across the broader community. The EPHA and Town of Estes Park will use a collaborative framework to advance workforce housing solution, engaging partners, residents, funders, and other key stakeholders as appropriate.
Equity and Inclusion. All efforts to develop and preserve housing that is affordable to the local workforce will be inclusive, and take particular care to support the populations most negatively impacted by rising housing costs. Each project and initiative that comes out of this strategic plan should proactively include and recruit members from the most vulnerable populations to ensure that housing is being built and marketed equitably.
Accountability and Stewardship. As stewards of taxpayer funds and the below market housing inventory, Town of Estes Park ahd EPHA will create transparent processes for allocating resources, prioritizing investments, ensuring fair access to the housing created, and managing the housing resources for the long term. The Estes Valley will bring the talent and resources of the local and regionl community together to address the financial gap that is a barrier to housing our workforce. Use State and Federal resources strategically, when their requirements align with the local market and community need. Leverage the expertise of the public and private sectors, to manage risk and use limited resources efficiently.
To read or download the full report, please click HERE.