Why do investors evict families from their homes?
Well, because they care.
And after all, it’s a free country.
When you have enough money to buy a 16-unit apartment complex — say, $2 million — you are free to kick people out of those apartments in the middle of winter, and there’s really not much anyone can do about it.
But if you are asked to explain your actions, you can make the case that you actually did this because you care about the people you have evicted.
Here are short excerpts from a letter (provided to the Daily Post) that was sent to the Springs Resort “Team” in late January, wherein Managing Partner David Dronet notes:
Some other significant achievements…
…We secured access for our team to rent another 16 apartment units in Pagosa Springs at below market rates. The units will be available this spring once renovation work is completed…
…We’re also very excited about beginning the expansion of the resort in 2022 — creating a new one-of-a-kind geothermal spa, a new greenhouse-to-table restaurant and providing even better experiences and service for our guests.
Happy New Year and thank you all for a wonderful 2021! Let’s make 2022 amazing!
Obviously, a major expansion of a leisure and hospitality business — one of the lowest paying industries in the U.S. — suggests an increase in the number of employees needed. The additional employees will, of course, need places to live, and Pagosa Springs, in 2022, is not the friendliest place, if you are looking to find housing for low-paid employees.
The expansion plans recently presented to the Town Planning Commission by Mr. Dronet did not include any housing for employees. Only housing for tourists.
But as we note, Mr. Dronet explains to the Resort Team that the company has now purchased an existing apartment complex and evicted the 16 families living there.
A few days later, General Manager Tom Inman, sent the Resort staff a follow-up letter (also provided to the Daily Post) explaining that the 16 families had been evicted because the Springs Resort cares.
Why did we purchase an apartment building to renovate into affordable housing?
We did this because we care. Despite our community knowing for many years that this is a community-wide problem, nothing has materialized as a solution. Just talk. We care when you tell us that lack of affordable housing is a life-changing issue for you, therefore we’re choosing to solve the housing problem for our team and others in the community.
Why would we purchase an apartment if it meant we’d evict 16 [families] who needed a place to live?
We care. We were concerned that in the inspection process before the purchase, water damage, mildew and ventilation issues were discovered creating conditions that we felt were unsafe, and unhabitable. We care enough to recognize that allowing residents to continue living there would be irresponsible and goes entirely against our care for our community.
What actions are being taken to fix the problem?
To make these apartments safe and habitable, the current residents must move out, so that a company that specializes in these matters can eliminate the problem and certify that the apartments are safe. We are investing in this project to help our team and the community we care about.
What happens when the apartments are safe to live in again?
As soon as the repairs are completed, and the units are deemed safe, our Springs team will have the chance to apply to live in the apartments.
The existing [evicted] tenants will also be given the opportunity to apply to live int eh apartments. We’re making that an option for them because, even though they are not part of our Springs team, they are part of our community, and we care for them as well.
This series of events… a year of record profits for the Springs Resort, (with record bonuses paid out to employees) due to an ever-increasing number of tourists coming to Pagosa Springs to spend a few days or weeks, and to spend their dollars… and the eviction of 16 families to facilitate “Springs Team’ housing… illustrates the general direction our community has been heading for the past three decades.
- More tourists.
- More low-paying leisure and hospitality jobs.
- More sales tax revenue and lodgers tax revenue for local governments.
- A construction industry ever more focused on high-end homes.
- An exploding Short-Term Rental industry.
- Skyrocketing prices for rental homes and condos.
- More working families and individuals paying in excess of half their monthly income for housing.
A community slowly changing from an authentic town into a privately-owned resort…
…Like Aspen, Colorado (‘owned’ by Aspen Skiing Company) or Vail, Colorado (‘owned’ by Vail Resorts Inc.)
Many people might say, “Well, it’s a free country, and capitalist investors are free just like the rest of us, to buy up property and convert it into company housing.”
But is “company housing” the best possible future for the town we love?
What happens to the company employee, living in ‘affordable’ company housing, who accepts a job offer with a different employer, that might pay more or have better working conditions?
Isn’t it likely this employee will get evicted from their ‘company-owned’ apartment?
Because the company cares? About profits?
Will this employee end up living in their car? Or in a tent in the National Forest?
Bill Hudson began sharing his opinions in the Pagosa Daily Post in 2004 and can’t seem to break the habit. He claims that, in Pagosa Springs, opinions are like pickup trucks: everybody has one.