Lake City & Hinsdale County
Housing Strategy
Joint Town Council & County Commissioners Session
Today's Goal: Understand the housing reality and explore solutions together
What The Lake City and Hinsdale County Community Is Telling Us
Critical findings from people experiencing the crisis firsthand
Your Community Says Housing is a Crisis
RESIDENTS:
- 77% view housing as serious or critical
- More than half call it our biggest challenge
EMPLOYERS:
- 24 jobs unfilled due to housing
- 43% providing housing assistance
"This isn't consultants talking – it's your voters and business owners"
The Real Impact: What Households Face
Based on 97 Household Surveys
Projected to all 380 county households
54
Households
overcrowded
(14% of county)
340
Say housing is
too expensive
(90% of county)
50
Renters blocked from
homeownership
(65% of renters)
"This is what housing crisis looks like across our entire community"
What's Causing Displacement?
"Market forces are systematically displacing year-round residents"
Living Conditions: What Residents Face Daily
HOUSING CONDITIONS:
- 55% not very satisfied with their housing
- 14% living in overcrowded homes
- 20% need more bedrooms for their family
- Many unable to afford needed repairs
MARKET REALITY:
- 0% rental vacancy rate
- 90% say housing costs too expensive
- Only tiny units (<500 sq ft) under $306k
- Families forced to take whatever's available
"People are taking anything they can find, regardless of condition"
The Coming Exodus
12%
Households planning to leave
(~46 households, ~100 residents)
12.8%
Workforce retiring in 5 years
(~60 positions valley-wide)
25%
Want to stay but can't find housing
BUT THERE'S HOPE:
51% interested in deed-restricted housing if available
Businesses Can't Function Without Housing
21 Local Businesses Surveyed
Representing 287 jobs - 62% of county employment
24
Jobs unfilled
due to housing
43%
Providing housing
assistance to staff
65%
Report
"No applicants"
"We're having to provide housing just to keep our doors open"
- Local employer survey response
Essential Workers Can't Afford to Live Here
What They Earn
Teacher:
$39-69k
Nurse:
$32-64k
Deputy:
$26-56k
What They Can Afford
Teacher:
$245k
Nurse:
$200k
Deputy:
$165k
Median Home Price: $563,000
"Teachers face a $318,000 gap between salary and home prices"
The Self-Sufficiency Gap: What Families Actually Need
Self-Sufficiency Standard
What it actually costs to live in Hinsdale County without public assistance
Family with School-Age Child
Housing: $1,100/mo
Childcare: $617/mo
Transportation: $826/mo
Healthcare: $884/mo
Other basics: $2,275/mo
Required: $68,427/year
($16.20/hour per adult)
Single Parent with 2 Young Kids
Housing: $1,100/mo
Childcare: $2,812/mo
Transportation: $430/mo
Healthcare: $784/mo
Other basics: $2,566/mo
Required: $92,302/year
($43.70/hour)
"A teacher earning $39k falls $29,427 short of basic self-sufficiency for a family"
What Local Jobs Actually Pay vs. What Families Need
IMPLAN Data: Average Wages by Sector (2025)
Food Service:
$25,499
Gap: -$42,928 to -$66,803
Teachers:
$34,353
Gap: -$34,074 to -$57,949
Office Support:
$36,458
Gap: -$31,969 to -$55,844
Construction:
$44,072
Gap: -$24,355 to -$48,230
Even our highest-paid workers can't afford basic family life
Construction workers - the best-paid local jobs - still fall $24,355 short annually
"This isn't about poverty - it's about the impossibility of middle-class life in Hinsdale County"
Who Makes Hinsdale County Function
318 Wage & Salary Employment by Occupation - IMPLAN 2023 (excludes sole proprietorships)
Essential Services (91 jobs)
Education: 22 jobs • Essential for families
Healthcare: 10 jobs • Critical for aging population
Protective Services: 17 jobs • Sheriff, fire, emergency
Gov't/Admin: 42 jobs • County/Town operations
Economic Drivers (227 jobs)
Food Service: 45 jobs • Tourism backbone
Construction: 26 jobs • New housing
Sales/Retail: 20 jobs • Local business vitality
All others: 136 jobs
318 jobs but only ~250 workers — many hold multiple positions to make ends meet
Hinsdale County's $92 Million Economy
2023 Value of Goods and Services Produced IMPLAN
$70.6M - Local Economy (76%)
Services: $23M • Gov/Education: $10M • Financial: $9M • Healthcare/Household: $8M
Mining: $8M • Construction: $5M • Manufacturing: $4M • Retail/Restaurant: $6M
Tourism & Outdoor Recreation (6%)
Vacation Home "Industry" (18%)
Our diverse $70.6M local economy is 3x larger than tourism — but it all depends on housed workers
Insight: Services, government, education, and healthcare generate $50M+ annually — these sectors need year-round workforce housing
Housing is Infrastructure, Essential to Our Community's Foundation
Just Like Roads and Water
- We maintain our roads to keep our community connected
- We invest in water systems to keep our community healthy
- Housing infrastructure keeps our community whole
$960k+
Annual economic loss from unfilled jobs
8.2%
Population decline since 2010
Proposed Vision for Lake City and Hinsdale County Housing
"To provide housing opportunities across all life stages, enabling residents to find appropriate homes as they begin careers, raise families, and retire in the community they love."
"Does this vision align with the community's values?"
Proposed Goal 1: Create 40 New Housing Opportunities
Impact: 10% increase to our 380 households • 80-100 potential new residents
28
Lake Fork Project
(MHN Grant)
12+
Conversions &
Down Payment Assistance
1-2 Lots
Land Banking
(future)
Right-sized for our capacity • Meaningful community impact • Foundation for growth
Proposed Goal 2: Balanced Housing Mix
Current: 20% Rental / 80% Ownership → Target: 25% Rental / 75% Ownership
Current Crisis:
• Only 76 rentals for 465 jobs
• 0% vacancy rate
• Workers can't find housing
Market Context:
• Colorado: 33% rental
• Mountain towns: 30% rental
• Lake City today: 20% rental
Why This Mix:
• Workers need rentals
• Families want ownership
• Creates housing mobility
This modest shift creates housing options for workers while maintaining strong homeownership opportunities
Proposed Goal 3: Building a Year-Round Community
How We Compare (Year-Round Occupancy):
Lake City at 28% → Goal of 35% is a modest first step
■ Year-Round
■ Vacant/Seasonal
Path: New construction + conversion incentives + permanent resident priority
Comprehensive Strategy Approach
Policies & Incentives
Fast-track permitting
ADU ordinance
Enhanced STR regulations
Low Cost
Optimize Existing Stock
Preservation fund
Conversion incentives
Down payment assistance
Low-Medium Cost
Revenue Development
Housing trust fund
STR fees
Employer partnerships
Medium Cost
Development Projects
Lake Fork (28 units)
Land banking
Ownership programs
High Cost
"Multiple pathways to address the crisis – all necessary, all coordinated"
From Housing Crisis to Community Opportunity
STATUS QUO:
- Continued population decline
- Business recruitment failure
- Essential worker exodus
WITH ACTION:
- Teachers living where they work
- Businesses able to recruit
- Families choosing to stay
"This isn't just about housing – it's about the future of your community"
Your Questions, Our Collaborative Solutions
Discussion Topics:
- Specific concerns about goals?
- Questions about implementation?
- Resource considerations?
- Community feedback?
Let's work together to find solutions that work for our community