At the end of 2023, I made a passionate plea for the community to house our workforce in La Plata County, given the rising costs that are pushing many of our friends and neighbors out of the area. When you think of area workforce from service industry employees to essential professionals such as a waiter at your favorite restaurant, or a child care provider, teacher, law enforcement, mechanic – these are the workers who support our lives and our local economy.
La Plata County has taken proactive measures to reallocate a portion of the lodgers tax to help seed funding of workforce housing and child care initiatives. This includes supporting the Regional Housing Alliance of La Plata County (RHA), which will support the ongoing efforts and programs such as rental assistance, construction loans and predevelopment costs for workforce housing projects. These kinds of activities require local investment to match state grants, which can help foster the growth and preservation of workforce housing. The RHA has proved that it can provide technical assistance on housing projects while bringing together the regional support necessary to create and preserve workforce housing. By redistributing funds from the lodgers tax, the county is positioned to bolster ongoing efforts and open doors to new opportunities that will benefit the local community and economy.
It is a strong reminder of the collective effort required to address housing shortages and the key role local policies play in ensuring stability of communities like La Plata County.
Pat Vaughn, RHA Board Chair
Durango
