SLV Housing Coalition requests donations for housing study

MINERAL COUNTY- Dawn Melgares, Executive Director of the San Luis Valley Housing Coalition gave a brief presentation to the Mineral County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday, Oct. 20, and made a request for a donation to help with a Valley-wide housing study to determine where housing issues lie throughout the six SLV counties and 14 communities in the area.


Melgares began her presentation with a history of the housing coalition stating, “A group of leaders came together to find a solution to the current housing needs across the San Luis valley. This group has determined the first step is to prove our perceptions of the need is a reality. To do this, we need the data to support our theory.”


Melgares continued explaining that housing issues in the Valley are and have been directly affecting employers who while seeking employees are having issues finding proper housing in almost all counties within the Valley and the SLV Housing Coalition began a study of housing in these communities at the beginning of September. “We know there is an issue but now we have to have the data to back it up.”


The housing study would look at the current housing stock, population verses housing availability in order to determine the need of housing growth and the type of housing available, whether it is rental or homeownership. “We will also look at the add on’s like homeless population, mobile home park status and seasonal workforce housing. After that, we will create an action plan and look at how to bring the housing needed and who will bring it.”


At this time, Melgares and her team are reaching out to local business owners and employers to gain perspective of what their housing needs are and when housing needs increase whether it be in spring, summer, fall or winter. “Most of our communities have housing issues during the summer, which makes us somewhat unique,” stated Mineral County Commissioner Scott Lamb.


Melgares addressed the statement adding that the SLV Housing Coalition study will continue until June 2021 will allow them to collect data during the seasonal time in Creede when housing issues are at an all-time high. “We are hopeful for additional funding through DOLA which will help with the costs of the study and are asking communities like Mineral County to make a donation. The City of Creede has already pledged to donate $5,000 to the study and we are asking the county for a donation as well.”


At the end of the conversation, Mineral County Commissioner Ramona Weber made a motion to approve a donation for $1,500 to come from the 2020 budget which was seconded by Lamb and passed by Chairman Jesse Albright.


The coalition has already collected most of the funding needed to complete the study and are looking to raise the last $85,377 of the total cost of $272,000. The coalition is currently working on a grant application to DOLA which, if approved will amount to about $60,000 of the remaining $85,377.


The coalition also needs feedback from business owners and employers in the Valley to help with data collection and to understand housing needs in each community. To contact SLV Housing Coalition please visit their website at www.slvhc.com or please take the survey at http://sgiz.mobi/s3/Alamosa-and-San-Luis-Valley-Employer-Survey


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