Moving from and back into Durango several times, I have been lucky to find housing; slipping into sub-leases, finding less expensive places with friends, crammed into small spaces with subpar heating units and crumbling water pipes.
A month ago, I returned from a summer away and began the great house hunt once again. I was so surprised to see the few listings that awaited me online and in the paper. Since I moved here in 2010 to enroll in Fort Lewis College, finding affordable, safe and comfortable housing has felt like an uphill battle, and I know I’m not the only one struggling. College students, new families, seniors and anyone with an average income seem to be caught in the eddy of expensive rentals and unattainable properties.
With a median rent comparable to Aspen and Summit County coupled with a median income that continues to remain low, affordable housing in the city limits seems to be an issue now more than ever.
Durango is an amazing town, with so much to offer both in and outside the city and that is why I, and so many others, love it and chose to live here, but the La Platas and San Juans have become an expensive place to play. It seems like every year options become harder and harder to find. The numbers agree, with a healthy housing market having 8 percent to 12 percent vacancies, and Durango only reaching a mere 1.5 percent.
The progress made by Durango City Council in the study of affordable housing options in the community is heartening, and I have high hopes for seeing fruition of these projects in the near future. I encourage anyone invested in, affected by or concerned with this topic to join the discussion at the City Council meeting from 3 to 6 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall.
Emily Haefner
Durango
