Our Town has made a commitment to helping the people who work in Estes Park to live in Estes Park.
Progress toward this goal has been limited, in no small part because we have been examining the problem from the perspectives of government, developers, and agencies, but not consumers.
The Comprehensive Plan of 2022 states, “GOAL H1: Ensure new housing meets the needs of the workforce and families,” and “Ensure affordability restrictions to support the workforce.”
The Development Code includes incentives for developers in exchange for reserving apartments and condominiums for people in the “workforce.” It defines “workforce” as “employed within the Estes Park School District R-3 Boundary Map,” and requires an IRS form W-2 for documentation.
Revenue from the Ballot Initiative 6E supports “workforce” housing operated by the Estes Park Housing Authority. Deed restrictions the EPHA and the Town agreed to define further who qualifies for subsidized housing.
These regulatory requirements do not adequately define the terms “work” and “workforce” from the consumers’ perspectives.
The Estes Valley Voice contacted Scott Moulton, Director of the Estes Park Housing Authority, to clarify what the EPHA means by “work” and the “workforce.”
The EPHA obtains detailed records from employers each year to document employment. For self-employed individuals, the EPHA assesses this on a case-by-case basis.
However, many activities involve time and effort, and benefit the community, but do not meet the EPHA or the Development Code parameters of “work.” For example:
- A person working remotely for a company based in another state.
- A person who does not need an income, who volunteers 30 hours a week.
- A self-employed consultant whose clients do not live in Estes Park
- A local artist whose work is exhibited exclusively in a gallery in San Francisco.
- A local author who earns nothing for a year and then gets published by a New York City publishing house.
- A person working 70 hours a week doing three jobs during the summer, but just 20 hours a week in the winter.
- A person moving their business to Estes Park, or starting a new business, with no income generated locally.
- An employee who works in spring and summer but is laid off in the winter.
- A person working in a family business that has yet to show a profit and receives no salary or wages.
Moulton deferred a decision in several other instances, including parents homeschooling their children or providing childcare for neighbors.
More inclusive definitions of “work” and “workforce” are needed.
Estes Park will soon embark on rewriting the Development Code. There will be input from developers, regulators, the EPHA, elected officials, and Town employees.
Will there also be input from those who work here and want to live here?
The Estes Park Housing Needs Assessment and Strategic Plan of January 2023 reported that the “2022 total need” for housing was 2,720, an estimate based on 2016 data and little else. Before we draw any conclusions, will we get a realistic appraisal, based on evidence and not just opinion, of how many residences we need and what type?
The traditional definition of “work” is inadequate in the digital age. Will we be more inclusive in our definitions of “work” and “workforce”?
Adding apartments, condominiums, and houses entails more than putting up buildings. Will we consider how the expansion of the infrastructure affects utilities, commerce, schools, health care, the environment, wildlife, and transportation in Estes Park?
The loudest and most persistent voices have been heard. What has not been heard well enough are the voices of the people these policies and programs are intended to help.
If we do not consider the perspective of potential residents, neither the Town’s needs nor the people’s needs will be met.
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