Understanding our community's housing needs and developing actionable solutions
Our 2024 community surveys documented a housing crisis: 77% view housing availability as critical, 24 jobs unfilled due to housing shortages, and 1 in 5 households at risk of displacement. With only 28% of housing occupied year-round and 0% rental vacancy, immediate action is essential for community sustainability.
Our project will identify specific housing needs, develop strategies for both new construction and preservation, identify funding options, and create a clear roadmap to address housing challenges. We're focusing on practical solutions that can be implemented in our unique mountain community context.
Community input drives our strategy development. We completed comprehensive surveys with 97 households and 21 employers, and continue gathering feedback through Steering Committee meetings and Town/County work sessions. Stay connected through this website and attend upcoming meetings as we finalize actionable housing solutions.
Stay informed with the latest meeting materials and project developments
August 13, 2025 - Town Council and County Commissioners joint commitment session
Interactive slides presenting housing crisis evidence, community demand study results, and strategic goals for collaborative action.
Comprehensive briefing document with housing crisis data, draft strategy goals, and community demand study executive summary.
July 30, 2025 - Collaborative planning session developing actionable housing solutions
Review key findings, data analysis, and strategic discussions from our first housing committee meeting through interactive presentation materials.
Explore different housing scenarios and their community impacts using our interactive planning tool. Test various combinations of rental vs. ownership housing and income targeting strategies.
Access the comprehensive meeting packet with detailed data analysis, market findings, and supporting documents from our first steering committee session.
Building housing for year-round community stability is essential for our future. We need housing for families and essential workers across all sectors to keep our community alive and functioning.
This will not be easy, but with community support we can start working towards a more equitable housing market that serves our people and our economy.
Key milestones in our housing planning process, this is an iterative process and this timeline will shift as we progress.
April 2025
Formation of Housing Working Group and initial stakeholder engagement
May 2025
Household and employer surveys deployed - 97 households and 21 employers participated
July 30, 2025
Review market findings, establish housing goals, and set production targets
August 13, 2025
Town Council and County Commissioners joint session on housing strategy commitment
September 4, 2025
Review and refine four core housing strategies with financial feasibility focus
October - December 2025
Final delivery of comprehensive plan and local implementation strategies
These events are planned as part of our comprehensive process. Dates and details will be announced as they are finalized.
Review implementation strategies and funding mechanisms
Present refined strategies for formal consideration
Final review and recommendations for implementation
Final plan presentation and adoption consideration
Stay connected for meeting announcements and opportunities to participate
Meet the experts working on Lake City's housing solutions
Common questions about the housing plan process
The Lake City & Hinsdale County Housing Strategy is a strategic initiative to address housing challenges in our community. We have completed comprehensive community and employer surveys (97 household responses, 21 employer surveys) and are now developing four core housing strategies: policies and incentives, optimizing existing housing stock, strategic development, and sustainable revenue sources.
Our community surveys documented a housing crisis: 77% view housing availability as critical, 24 jobs are unfilled due to lack of housing, and 1 in 5 households are at risk of displacement. With only 28% of housing units occupied year-round and a 0% rental vacancy rate, we need immediate action. The strategy addresses these challenges with specific, actionable solutions developed with extensive community input.
There are several ways to stay involved:
- Attend upcoming Steering Committee meetings and Town/County work sessions
- Review meeting materials and presentations available on this website
- Sign up for project updates to receive meeting announcements
- Contact the project team with questions or input
Your continued engagement is essential as we move toward implementation!
The Lake Fork Project is a planned 28-unit rental housing development on Town-owned land that will significantly increase our rental inventory. The project is supported by state grant funding and represents our largest near-term housing opportunity. It serves as a cornerstone of our housing strategy, providing workforce housing for essential employees like teachers, healthcare workers, and public safety personnel.
The Housing Strategy will be completed by the end of 2025, with key decisions expected in the fall. We've completed the research phase (surveys and demand study) and are now in strategy development through Steering Committee meetings. Joint Town Council and County Commissioner work sessions will guide final policy and implementation decisions. Some actions may begin before the strategy is finalized.
Get the latest updates on housing projects, meetings, and opportunities in Lake City and Hinsdale County.
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