MINERAL COUNTY — To better understand the short-term rental market in Mineral County, the Mineral County Commissioners voted to hire a company to help them track and locate short-term rentals in the area.

Mineral County Commissioners approved hiring Rentalscape to do what is termed a deep-dive investigation into the short-term rentals in the county to collect data for future use. 

During the discussion, several members of the public spoke about the short-term rental situation in Mineral County and voiced concern that it may be one of the reasons, long-term rentals are in short supply for summer employees coming to the area to work during the busy season.

A business owner spoke during the public comment period and asked the board to consider placing a moratorium on short-term rentals just long enough to come up with regulations that would cap some of the prices or time-lengths of the rentals. 

Commissioners immediately stated that they were not in favor of a moratorium and that they were only wanting to collect data to better understand the market of short-term rentals in Mineral County.

Mineral County Commissioner Chairman Scott Lamb spoke on the subject stating that the board was not trying to put limits on the market or go about telling people what they can and can’t do with their properties.

“I think that is very murky water and we are not about telling people what they can do with their property. I do not know what the solution is but there is a solution here is we look for it,” Lamb said.

In a previous meeting, it was mentioned that the Creede and Mineral County Chamber of Commerce was also looking into a grant that would help pay for data collection through another company that would gather some of the same information. Lamb and other commissioners thought it would be in the best interest of all parties involved if only one company was contracted to collect the data.

“I think it would be better to offer the chamber access to the data that is collected through the company we have chosen to hire. It would save them a considerable amount of money in the long run,” Lamb said.

Though housing continues to be an issue in the Mineral County area and the San Luis Valley as a whole, several officials throughout the region are looking at solutions to the problem.

Mineral County Commissioners agreed that though the data collection will offer beneficial information about the short-term rentals in the county, it is only the beginning of the process and the plight to solve the issue.

Employment shortages are on the rise as many who venture to the area looking for work are not able to find places to live. The lack of housing in the San Luis Valley became more and more apparent as its popularity grew during the pandemic.

In addition to the work being done at local levels, the San Luis Valley Housing Coalition has been working to collect housing data for all Valley communities for the past year and have since been working with Mineral County on completing a grant that would help with costs associated with constructing affordable housing in the county.

According to a press release issued by the San Luis Valley Housing Coalition, “Mineral County on behalf of the San Luis Valley Housing Coalition will submit an application to the Colorado Division of Housing (DOH). The purpose of this application is to request up to $400,000 to purchase 4 units plus land for future development of up to 10 units. The request of funding from DOH is to benefit persons with low and moderate incomes by increasing the availability of affordable housing in the City of Creede and Mineral County. It is not the intent to cause displacement from any existing housing; however, if persons are displaced from their existing residences reasonable housing alternatives shall be offered.

All interested persons are encouraged to contact the applicant for further information. Written comments should be sent to San Luis Valley Housing Coalition P.O. Box 592, Alamosa, CO 81101 or [email protected] and will be forwarded to DOH for consideration during the application process. 

Members of the public may attend a public meeting and provide comment. Applicant(s) shall hold the public meeting on April 4th at 10:45 am at 1201 N. Main Creede (County Building) and will post proper notice to ensure members of the public are aware of the meeting. If reasonable accommodations are needed for persons attending the public meeting, please contact the Applicant.”

The public is encouraged to attend the April 4 meeting at the Mineral County Courthouse at 10:45 a.m.