If County leadership is serious about housing stability, it must begin with what is directly controllable. While regional and state factors play a role, property taxes, land use codes, and permitting policies fall under direct County jurisdiction.
— from ‘Voices and Vision: Housing Realities and Solutions in Archuleta County’, April 2025
A new report on the Archuleta County housing crisis combines the findings of the 2025 Housing Needs Assessment (HNA) with direct input from residents through a grassroots survey conducted in April 2025. With 233 individuals responding in 7 days, the independent grassroots survey reflects a high level of public engagement and concern.
You can download the PowerPoint overview document here.
You can download the Report Conclusions here.
The survey results highlight urgent needs related to affordability, housing availability, and the effects of local policy decisions. Residents are calling for immediate, practical action rooted in what the County and Town governments can directly control.
2025 Housing Needs Assessment (HNA): Data collected from over 600 residents, including individuals identified as employers and workers alike. primarily in November–December 2024, though survey distribution and advertising efforts were observed as early as October, including at community events.
Resident Survey (April 2025): Survey collected insights on housing barriers, community priorities, and perceptions of policy. Outreach was conducted through community networks, word-of-mouth, and informal local partnerships, without funding or institutional promotion — reflecting authentic public demand for representation. The independent survey indicated extremely high community engagement: 233 responses collected within 7 days, compared to 600 responses over a 3-month official period. Estimated outreach-to-response conversion rate was 38%, which exceeded the average survey rate of 15–20%. High response was based solely on organic community sharing, without paid advertising, and was publicized in the Pagosa Daily Post.
Key Findings
89% of respondents are full-time residents.
35% are actively seeking affordable housing solutions or are concerned about their future housing.
66% of respondents feel the county and town’s housing strategy does not reflect the priorities of working families and landowners, with an additional 26% who were unsure.
69% of respondents feel the land use regulations make it harder to afford or build housing.
70% expressed concern about the impacts of short-term rentals (STRs), with an additional 9% unsure.
82% of respondents state that individuals (not just developers) should be eligible for housing fee waivers and state funding if they are building an affordable primary residence.
86% of respondents would consider or already support a pause on the county and town considering applying for housing grants for high-income earners (e.g., $115,000 income households) until subsidies are available to lower-income or working class families, indicating in other areas of the report that they may be in support of essential workers receiving this assistance.
56% of respondents support diversifying the lodging tax to use for workforce housing and childcare. An additional 34% of respondents are unsure or asked for more information to make a decision.
Major barriers include high permitting and hookup fees, insurance instability, and a lack of affordable contractors.
These findings reinforce that both the scope of concern and the willingness to explore practical policy change—like lodging tax reform—are widespread across the community.
Conclusion
The long-term consequences of increasing unaffordability extend far beyond individual hardship — they ripple throughout the entire community. As housing becomes less accessible to low- and middle-income workers, Archuleta County risks a destabilized workforce. Local businesses may struggle to retain employees, schools may face staffing shortages, and essential services — from road crews to elder care — become more difficult to sustain. With fewer families able to settle here, school enrollment declines, volunteerism shrinks, and the very social fabric of the community begins to erode. The cost isn’t just economic; it’s human, cultural, and generational.
Survey respondents may not always frame it this way, but their concerns point to a future where economic growth stalls and community resilience falters if housing is not stabilized.
A striking trend throughout the survey is the number of full-time residents in stable housing who nonetheless expressed deep concern for others in the community — especially low-income workers who can no longer afford to live here. This outpouring of support demonstrates that Archuleta County residents value compassion, inclusivity, and shared responsibility. Many believe strongly in protecting the people who serve the community every day, from grocery clerks to teachers, tradespeople, and service workers. Respondents consistently voiced that they do not want to see these neighbors priced out or forced to move. The survey reveals not only frustration but also hope: the desire to preserve a diverse, equitable community where everyone belongs.
Residents expressed extreme frustration with the lack of follow-through on previous housing initiatives and planning. Comments noted that local policies often prioritize future development or outside investment over current residents.
The survey also revealed:
- Requests for permitting reform, zoning flexibility, and support for alternative housing types
- Ongoing struggles with infrastructure access (e.g., septic, water)
- Insurance inaccessibility due to wildfire risks