The Town of Estes Park received the International City/County Management Association’s Local Government Excellence Award in the Community Partnership category for its role in the collaboration with Visit Estes Park and Larimer County to tackle the critical workforce housing and childcare issues that have been pervasive in the Estes Valley for decades.
The award was presented to Jason Damweber, Estes Park’s deputy town administrator, at the 2026 ICMA conference, Oct. 25 to 29 in Tampa, Fla. More than 5,400 participants attended the conference from 24 countries, 148 counties, and 1,673 towns.
“Receiving a Local Government Excellence award from ICMA is a tremendous honor, and I am so proud to be part of the collaborative effort that led to this recognition,” said Damweber, who explained that the award recognizes the dedication and effort put forth by the public servants from the town, local marketing district, and county.
“The partners’ innovative approach is a reflection of their shared commitment to generating more housing and childcare opportunities throughout the Estes Valley,” added Damweber.
“This was an ‘all hands on deck’ effort,” Damweber told the Estes Valley Voice, referring to the collaboration of the government agencies involved.
This partnership between the Town, County, and Visit Estes Park led to the passage of Ballot Measure 6E, which created a funding stream of more than $5 million annually dedicated to workforce housing and childcare.
The Estes Valley, whose economy relies heavily on tourism, has struggled for decades with a shortage of both affordable workforce housing and childcare options. Many Estes employers have struggled to recruit and retain employees due to the limited availability of housing and childcare options.
While private funding and development fell short of meeting the Town’s needs, a new state law (HB 22-1117) signed by Gov. Jared Polis opened the door for communities like Estes to use lodging tax revenue to provide funding for housing and childcare.
The Town of Estes Park and Larimer County partnered with Visit Estes Park – the only entity allowed to put the tax question on the ballot – to ask the voters of the local marketing district to support adding 3.5 percent to the existing 2 percent lodging tax.
Visit Estes Park created a marketing campaign that emphasized tourists would pay the tax – “The tax you don’t pay” — and the town proposed a framework for how the funding would be administered and spent. The measure passed by 61 percent.
Over the past three years, the Town has collaborated with the Estes Park Housing Authority, which has utilized the revenue to provide more than 120 new housing units dedicated to the local workforce. Additionally, the EPHA has secured more than 14 acres of land, and development plans have been initiated for approximately 115 additional housing units.
The funding has also been instrumental in raising wages and adding benefits for childcare workers, developing a robust tuition assistance program, and preserving 40 childcare spots through the purchase of an existing facility that housed childcare.
The implementation of Estes’ 6E lodging tax has served as a model for other tourism-dependent communities in demonstrating how intergovernmental partnerships can deliver results.