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Home My WebLink AboutPACKET CompPAC 2021-07-08 CompPAC – TOWN OF ESTES PARK TO BE HELD VIRTUALLY Thursday, July 8, 2021 9:00 a.m. Estes Park, CO 80517 The Estes Park Board Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee will participate in the meeting remotely due to the Declaration of Emergency signed by Town Administrator Machalek on March 19, 2020, related to COVID-19 and provided for with the adoption of Ordinance 04-20 on March 18, 2020. Procedures for quasi-judicial virtual public hearings are established through Emergency Rule 06-20 signed by Town Administrator Machalek on May 8, 2020, and outlined below. Please click the link below to join the webinar: https://zoom.us/j/92672524563 Or Join by Telephone: 1. Dial US: +1 833-548-0276 (toll free) 2. Enter Webinar ID: 926 7252 4563 followed by # The meeting will also be live-streamed on the Town’s Youtube Channel and recorded and posted to YouTube and www.estes.org/videos within 48 hours. Public Comment When the moderator opens up the public comment period for an agenda item, attendees wishing to speak shall: 1. Click the “Raise Hand” button, if joining online on the Zoom client, or 2. Press *9 and follow the prompts if joining by telephone. 3. If you are watching live on YouTube, please call the number listed above, and mute your computer audio for the duration of your remarks. Once you are announced, please state your name and address for the record. To participate online via Zoom, you must: • Have an internet-enabled smartphone, laptop or computer. • Using earphones with a microphone will significantly improve your audio experience. The Town of Estes Park will make reasonable accommodations for access to Town services, programs, and activities and special communication arrangements for persons with disabilities. Please call (970) 577-4777. TDD available. Prepared July 2, 2021 1 AGENDA COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE (CompPAC) TOWN OF ESTES PARK Thursday, July 8, 2021 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. [Note: Please retain packet materials from previous meetings that we did not cover due to time constraints; this will avoid the necessity of sending duplicate materials.] 1. CALL TO ORDER 2. AGENDA APPROVAL 3. PUBLIC COMMENT. (Please state your name and address). 4. ACTION ITEMS: a. Minutes: June 24, 2021 [by voice vote] b. “Plan Branding”: Name; Logo; Color Scheme Staff, Members 5. DISCUSSION ITEMS: a. Future systems: Housing, Childcare Asst. Town Admin. Damweber b. Audit of 1996 Comp Plan; questionnaire Staff c. Discussion: Big Issues (from homework) Committee Members 6. ADJOURN Prepared 07/02/2021 2 3 Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado, June 24, 2021 Minutes of a Regular meeting of the Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee of the Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado. Meeting held via ZOOM in said Town of Estes Park on 24 Jun 2021. Committee: David Bangs, Eric Blackhurst, Chuck Cooper, Matthew Heiser, Bob Leavitt, Kirby Nelson-Hazelton, John Schnipkoweit, Dave Shirk, Karen Thompson, Rose Truman, David Wolf, Matt Comstock, Mike Kennedy Attending: David Bangs, Eric Blackhurst, Charles Cooper, Matthew Heiser, Kirby Hazelton, Bob Leavitt John Schnipkoweit, Dave Shirk, Karen Thompson, David Wolf, Mike Kennedy, Community Development Director Randy Hunt, Larimer County Community Development Director Leslie Ellis, Trustee Barbara MacAlpine, Planner II Alex Bergeron, Planning Tech Charlie Rugaber, Recording Secretary Karin Swanlund Absent: Member Comstock Chair Heiser called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. APPROVAL OF AGENDA: It was moved and seconded (Cooper/Hazelton) to approve the agenda. Chair Heiser requested the following changes: add discussion item 5.a.1 Three-mile map, and move 5.b., Branding, after 5.d. The motion passed with a visual thumbs-up vote. PUBLIC COMMENT. None ACTION ITEM: 1.Approval of Minutes from June 10, 2021 It was moved and seconded (Blackhurst/Kennedy) to approve the minutes. The motion passed with a visual thumbs-up vote. DISCUSSION ITEMS: (all comments have been summarized) 1.Miriam McGilvray, Logan Simpson project manager, reviewed the engagement strategy, a “living document,” updated regularly. It outlines all participant’s roles throughout the process as well as outreach activities. Regarding stakeholders, Member Blackhurst noted that the older demographic might need a non-electronic way of being informed, such as a direct mailing. Member Shirk brought up the non-supporters and having a plan to work with them. Member Hazelton noted that participation in the busy summer months could be a challenge, especially for business owners. Member Truman recommended having a translator available at events. 2.Director Hunt explained that if annexation is addressed in the Comp Plan, we are obliged to use the three-mile-radius plan area, per the DOLA contract. Director Ellis stated that looking outside of current town boundaries and working together to identify concerns outside these boundaries is essential. Some level of coordination between jurisdictions should be taken. 3.Director Hunt reviewed the issues/concerns/keywords that the CompPAC members submitted. The comments were broken down into categories: the environment, economic health, and housing being the top concerns. “Sustainability” (economic, environmental, social) was the most used keyword, followed by the need to be proactive and forward-looking. draft 4 4.Chair Heiser requested putting off the discussion on logos and branding until the next meeting due to time constraints. 5.Director Muhonen presented a Public Works slide show on the history and future of transportation, drainage and engineering. A critical element is to get the Downtown Loop built. Ideally, the Comp Plan should recognize renewing the 2014 Roadway Maintenance and Trail Expansion 1A sales tax initiative, which expires in 2024. There is a need for a transportation impact fee: who pays for it and how to make it fair. The trails master plan needs updating, and the Parking Plan still has phases 3 and 4 to be implemented. A new Stormwater Utility is needed to fund, implement and manage the necessary upgrades to the Town’s stormwater infrastructure. Engineering brings the transportation and stormwater recommendations to life and recommends adopted master plans and the Town Board annual Strategic Plan objectives. Other topics for the committee to consider: town facilities, Parks master planning, neighborhood pocket parks, public art. There being no further business, Chair Heiser adjourned the meeting at 11:03 a.m. Karin Swanlund, Recording Secretary draft 5 6 Workforce Housing and Childcare Ad-Hoc Task Force Final Report 6/11/2019 Submitted by: Trustee Carlie Bangs Trustee Ron Norris Assistant Town Administrator Travis Machalek 7 Table of Contents Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................ 3 Background ..................................................................................................................................... 4 Purpose ........................................................................................................................................ 4 Process ........................................................................................................................................ 4 Foundational Documents ............................................................................................................ 5 Evaluation Criteria ...................................................................................................................... 5 Public Engagement ......................................................................................................................... 6 Process ........................................................................................................................................ 6 Key Themes ................................................................................................................................ 7 Workforce Housing ......................................................................................................................... 8 The Problem ................................................................................................................................ 8 Key Themes ................................................................................................................................ 8 Summary of Recommended Town Role ..................................................................................... 9 Recommendation #1 – Establish Role Clarity .......................................................................... 10 Recommendation #2 – Provide Financial Support ................................................................... 10 Recommendation #3 – Adapt the Estes Valley Development Code (EVDC) .......................... 12 Recommendation #4 – Utilize Town-Owned Land .................................................................. 13 Recommendation #5 – Ensure Accountability ......................................................................... 14 Childcare ....................................................................................................................................... 14 The Problem .............................................................................................................................. 14 Key Themes .............................................................................................................................. 14 Summary of Recommended Town Role ................................................................................... 16 Recommendation #1 – Coordinate Community Efforts ........................................................... 16 Recommendation #2 – Provide Financial Support ................................................................... 17 Recommendation #3 – Utilize Town-Owned Land .................................................................. 18 Recommendation #4 – Ensure Accountability ......................................................................... 18 Not Recommended at this Time ................................................................................................... 19 Workforce Housing ................................................................................................................... 19 Childcare ................................................................................................................................... 19 Conclusion .................................................................................................................................... 19 8 Executive Summary Background The Town Board created the Workforce Housing and Childcare Ad-Hoc Task Force (Task Force) on November 13, 2018 to evaluate the Town’s role in the issues of workforce housing and childcare, and to develop recommendations for consideration by the Town Board. To develop its recommendations, the Task Force reviewed past studies, plans, and recommendations; developed criteria for evaluating potential actions; conducted a comprehensive public engagement process; and created a list of options for Town involvement for both childcare and workforce housing. Public Engagement The Task Force completed a comprehensive public engagement campaign consisting of meetings with stakeholders, three focus groups with a total of roughly 20 people, a large community meeting, and an open dedicated email address. Combined, the Task Force had face-to-face contact with approximately 100 people. Everyone who participated in the public engagement process was both receptive and up-front with their opinions, creating numerous high-quality discussions. Evaluation Criteria The Task Force agreed on evaluation criteria after recognizing the need to review all of the potential opportunities for Town involvement in these issues using the same general frame. Three criteria were agreed upon: 1. Is the action administratively feasible? 2. Is the action politically acceptable? 3. Is the action measurable and consistent with the Strategic Plan Outcome Areas? Workforce Housing Recommendations 1. Establish Role Clarity A. Establish Workforce Housing Guidelines B. Participate in Workforce Housing Strategic Planning Effort 2. Provide Financial Support A. Establish One-Time Reserve B. Increase Ongoing Support for Utility Tap Subsidies C. Consider Future Dedicated Funding as Financial Needs Become Clear 3. Adapt the Estes Valley Development Code (EVDC) A. Prioritize Proposed EVDC Amendments that Impact Housing B. Incentivize Downtown Housing C. Implement the Downtown Plan D. Ensure that the Comprehensive Plan Considers Workforce Housing 4. Utilize Town-Owned Land A. Work with 3rd Party to Develop Fish Hatchery Property B. Re-evaluate Dry Gulch Property for Less-Dense Housing C. Begin Land-Banking for Workforce Housing 9 5. Ensure Accountability A. Designate the Assistant Town Administrator as Point Position B. Incorporate Workforce Housing into the Strategic Plan Childcare Recommendations 1. Coordinate Community Efforts A. Convene Leaders of Local Childcare Capacity Efforts B. Participate in County Strategic Plan Childcare Capacity Team 2. Provide Financial Support A. Develop Childcare Funding Policy B. Establish One-Time Reserve C. Direct Ongoing Funding to Growing Infant/Toddler Capacity D. Establish Capital Grant Pool to Incentivize New Infant/Toddler Capacity 3. Utilize Town-Owned Land A. Create a List of Town-Owned Property Suitable for Childcare Facilities B. Begin Land-Banking for Childcare Facilities 4. Ensure Accountability A. Designate the Assistant Town Administrator as Point Position B. Incorporate Childcare into the Strategic Plan Conclusion With the submittal of these recommendations, the Task Force’s job is complete. The Town Board must now decide which of the recommendations contained in this report should be implemented. For a quick look at how each recommendation can be operationalized, see Appendix A. Background Purpose The Ad-Hoc Workforce Housing and Childcare Task Force (“Task Force”) was formed November 13, 2018 by the Town Board of Trustees (Resolution #24-18) to develop recommendations for the Board on the Town’s role related to workforce housing and childcare. The Task Force was directed to focus on strategies and tactics that could be utilized by the Town to address availability and affordability concerns in both housing and childcare. Process The process used by the Task Force to develop recommendations can be divided into four steps: 1. Reviewed Foundational Documents (existing recommendations from community groups and studies); 2. Developed an initial “long list” of potential Town actions to evaluate for each issue; 3. Engaged with the community to get additional feedback on workforce housing and childcare; and 10 4. Utilized agreed-upon evaluation criteria and feedback from engagement efforts to edit the long list of recommendations down to final recommendations. Foundational Documents The following documents were used as a starting point for the Task Force’s work: • Town of Estes Park Strategic Plan (2019) • Stanley Park Master Plan (2019) • Childcare Needs Assessment (2018) • Family Advisory Board Recommendations to Town Board (2018) • National Citizen Survey Community Livability Report (2018) • Housing Needs Assessment (2016) • Avalanche Economic Development Strategy (2015) Evaluation Criteria Summary The Task Force agreed on evaluation criteria after recognizing the need to review all of the potential opportunities for Town involvement in these issues using the same general frame. Three criteria were agreed upon: 1. Is the action administratively feasible? 2. Is the action politically acceptable? 3. Is the action measurable and consistent with the Strategic Plan Outcome Areas? Administrative Feasibility Is the action administratively feasible? This criterion focuses on whether the Town has the resource flow and skills necessary to carry out the action. For example, providing utility fee subsidies from the General Fund is administratively feasible; running a childcare tuition assistance program on a large scale is not. Political Acceptability Is the action politically acceptable? This criterion focuses on whether or not a particular action is acceptable to the community and a majority of the Town Board. For example, developing Workforce Housing Guidelines is probably politically acceptable; raising the height limit to four stories throughout Town is likely not. Measurability and Consistency with Strategic Plan Is the action measurable and consistent with the Strategic Plan Outcome Areas? This criterion is intended to ensure that the Town is able to track progress on recommendations and know when they are completed and how effective they were at achieving their purpose. It is also intended to ensure that any recommendations fit within the Town Board’s Strategic Plan 11 Public Engagement Process Summary The Task Force used multiple methods to engage with the public and collect feedback on the Town’s role with regard to workforce housing and childcare. Outreach was conducted through articles from the Task Force, social media posts, updates at public meetings, a web page with electronic resources, and one-on-one networking with community stakeholders. Below is a list of the different methods the Task Force used to gather feedback: • Stakeholder Meetings (16 entities) • Focus Groups (~20 people over three focus groups) • Targeted Outreach to Business Community • Community Meeting with recording on webpage • Dedicated Email Stakeholder Meetings The Task Force met with the following groups in the initial phase of outreach: Organization Reason for Meeting Communities that Care (Larimer County) Working on childcare Estes Area Lodging Association Organization of employers Estes Early Childhood Education, Inc. Working on childcare Estes Park Economic Development Corporation Organization of employers Estes Park Health Critical-service employer Estes Park Housing Authority Working on workforce housing Estes Park Sanitation District Critical-service employer Estes Park School District R-3 Critical-service employer Estes Valley Fire Protection District Critical-service employer/volunteers Estes Valley Investment in Childhood Success Working on childcare Estes Valley Partners for Commerce Organization of employers Estes Valley Recreation and Park District Major taxing district employer Estes Valley Library Major taxing district employer Restorative Justice Work experience with impact of issues Upper Thompson Sanitation District Critical-service employer YMCA of the Rockies Nonprofit childcare provider These groups directly employ approximately 2,197 people (705 year-round employees and 1,492 seasonal/volunteers). They were selected based on their status as critical- service employers, an organization of employers in the community, or their work on workforce housing and or childcare. Focus Groups Focus groups were used by the Task Force in an effort to collect diverse and highly- detailed viewpoints from the public, scheduled based on the availability of the interested 12 individuals. Russ Nehrig, a volunteer with the Estes Valley Restorative Justice Partnership who has a professional background in running focus groups for corporate clients, coordinated three focus groups for the Task Force. Two of these groups were composed of volunteers responding to a public call for participation and one was made up of residents recruited by Mr. Nehrig. This format was effective in getting detailed and complex feedback and opinions from the community, and the Task Force would advocate its use in the future for similar issues. Targeted Outreach to Business Community The Task Force used direct email invitations sent through the Estes Valley Partners for Commerce and the Estes Area Lodging Association to specifically target the general business community for feedback. Despite this effort, the number of responses received from individual business owners was disappointingly small. The Task Force suggests more effort be expended on an ongoing basis to engage with these stakeholders to understand their challenges and the unique ways they adjust to the difficulty of hiring and retaining quality employees. The few individual conversations that took place with local business owners were incredibly valuable in seeing how employers are adapting. Community Meeting A large community meeting was held May 22, 2019. The Task Force gave a short presentation before asking attendees (roughly 50) to write their thoughts, questions, and reactions to the presentation of draft recommendations on Post-It® notes. These notes were then placed on sticky pads that referenced each category of recommendation. The 145 comments received through this exercise are representative of the wide range of suggestions the Task Force received from the other public engagement efforts, and can be reviewed in Appendix B. Dedicated Email A dedicated email address was made available for the duration of the Task Force’s work. The email was publicized in press releases and on the Task Force’s website landing page. Fifteen emails were received in total. Key Themes Crisis… The lack of availability and affordability of workforce housing and childcare are at crisis levels. The Task Force heard from multiple large employers who indicated high turnover rates, difficulty attracting talent, and numerous anecdotal stories indicating the severity of these issues. A sampling of these stories is included in the key learnings of the workforce housing and childcare sections of this report. …But Not Everywhere While the Task Force heard from many major employers and individuals that workforce housing and childcare were crisis-level issues, that characterization was not uniform. Some smaller critical-service employers indicated that these issues are not a large problem for them presently as they have small, long-serving staff who are rooted in the 13 community. These long ties and lack of turnover appear to have sheltered these employers from the impact seen by larger employers with more frequent turnover. Wide-Spectrum of Views It would be a mistake to assume that the community is divided into solely two camps (pro and con) on either workforce housing or childcare. The Task Force’s engagement experience indicates a wide spectrum of thoughts and opinions on these issues that do not break down into easily definable groups. Opportunities for Partnership Throughout the public engagement process numerous organizations offered support to help with future engagement efforts. Specifically, the Estes Valley Library, the League of Women Voters, and Restorative Justice have indicated a willingness and ability to help with future outreach and education efforts. Additional/Ongoing Engagement Needed Lastly, and perhaps most important, the public engagement effort identified a strong need for additional and ongoing engagement and education. More robust feedback from the business community should be a priority, as should engagement efforts around balancing the needs of workforce housing with concerns about density negatively impacting quality of life in the Valley. Workforce Housing The Problem Concerns about the affordability and availability of housing in Estes Park are widespread. Only 7% of the respondents to the National Citizen Survey rated “Affordable quality housing” positively and only 11% rated “Housing options” positively (e.g., excellent/good).1 The summary of housing needs in the Housing Needs Assessment indicated a range of 1,480 to 1,690 new units needed through 2020.2 A partial corroboration of the need indicated by the Housing Needs Assessment is the wait list maintained by the Estes Park Housing Authority, currently holding at roughly 425 people. Key Themes Crisis A sense of crisis emerged from the Task Force’s review of the data and public engagement process. Multiple large employers indicated that workforce housing was directly related to increased turnover and difficulty in hiring and retaining employees. In addition to the quantitative data above, numerous impactful anecdotal stories were relayed to the Task Force. A few startling examples from the engagement effort will suffice: 1 National Research Center Inc., Estes Park Community Livability Report (2018), 4. 2 Rees Consulting Inc. and WSW Consulting, Estes Park Area Housing Needs Assessment (2016), 90. 14 • People camping in the National Forest all summer because they cannot find housing. • An employee sharing a bathroom with eight (8) other roommates. • A crowded hotel room with up to 12 people living together. • Multiple employers indicating that they have lost staff, and have had good candidates withdraw from consideration, due to housing availability. Multifaceted Housing Needs Workforce housing is not a homogenous designation. Within that overarching term are a number of clearly-definable segments with differing needs. The primary two segments identified by the Task Force are: (1) year-round workforce housing needs (e.g. nurses, police officers, utility workers) and (2) seasonal workforce housing needs (e.g. time- limited expanded staffing required for guest services). These segments can be further broken down along income (anywhere from 40% to 150%+ of the Area Median Income) and housing preferences (e.g. Rent vs. Own, Short-Term vs. Long-Term, and Single Family vs. Apartments vs. Duplexes, etc.). Business Owner Efforts Many local business owners are taking steps to address their workforce housing challenges. The Task Force spoke to, or heard of, at least four businesses/organizations that have purchased homes or property to house their employees. A recurring sentiment during the public engagement period was a belief that businesses should solve their own problems and not expect assistance from the government. In at least a few cases, they are. Diverse Community Opinions Residents of the Estes Valley have a wide range of opinions about the Town’s role in addressing workforce housing issues. Feedback ranged from opinions that any Town involvement in workforce housing would be an unacceptable transfer of public money into private hands, to a belief that the Town should build and operate workforce housing. Balance The need to balance workforce housing developments with other community values is a widely-held opinion. Many who supported workforce housing also indicated their belief that these developments should be carefully developed to maintain the character of the community. They indicated a desire to see workforce housing that has the appropriate look and feel in relation to surrounding neighborhoods and the community as a whole. Summary of Recommended Town Role A full 90% of respondents supported “Town sponsored solutions for workforce housing issues (codes, funding, land)” (54% in favor of increasing service, 36% in favor of keeping current service level).3 Clarity of roles has been a major barrier to an organized and aligned approach to addressing workforce housing. Numerous entities (including the Town) have taken steps to 3 National Research Center Inc., Estes Park Community Livability Report (2018), 10. 15 increase the number of available workforce housing units, but these actions have not been happening in a coordinated or systemic way. Collectively, the Task Force recommendations on workforce housing serve to drive clarity on roles and objectives among the community stakeholders working to address the availability and affordability of housing. They do this by communicating the role that the Town intends to fill with regard to workforce housing (Establish Workforce Housing Guidelines and Participate in a Workforce Housing Strategic Plan). With this role communicated, the Town can work with other entities to determine where the gaps in our community efforts to address workforce housing are located as well as who should fill those gaps. Recommendation #1 – Establish Role Clarity Summary The Town has the opportunity to drive community-wide role clarification with regard to workforce housing by establishing its own role. The Town should formalize this role and promote it during workforce housing strategic plan conversations. (A) Establish Workforce Housing Guidelines The Task Force recommends developing, adopting, and publishing Workforce Housing Guidelines (WHG). These guidelines would include: • Town definition of “workforce housing” that considers both income (percentage of Area Median Income) and work requirements; • Clearly articulated Town role (comprised of recommendations contained in this report that are adopted by the Town Board); • Identification of Town priority segments (income, housing type, etc.); and • Plain-language explanation of regulations and incentives. The other Task Force recommendations contained in this report, if adopted, will be integrated into the WHG as the cornerstone of the Town’s role in this issue. (B) Participate in Workforce Housing Strategic Planning Effort The Task Force recommends using the WHG to participate in a Strategic Planning effort led by a separate entity (ideally, the Estes Park Housing Authority). During this process, the Town should push for role clarification among all parties, gap identification (what income levels and needs are not being served), and hard-number goals and objectives. Recommendation #2 – Provide Financial Support Summary The amount of financial support required from the Town will depend on the role the Board chooses to play. For the purposes of these recommendations, the Task Force is recommending a two-pronged approach to providing financial support that is composed of a reserve for large, unanticipated, one-time expenditures as well as ongoing financial 16 support dedicated to utility fee subsidies that can be budgeted annually. The Workforce Housing Guidelines should guide any Town financial allocations to workforce housing. (A) Establish One-Time Reserve The Task Force recommends that the Town Board begin accumulating funds to make one-time investments in workforce housing by building a Board-restricted General Fund balance with an initial target of an additional 5% fund balance to use for both workforce housing and childcare (would bring total General Fund balance to 25%). This would equate to roughly $950,000 using 2019 expenditures as a base. Many of the one-time investments envisioned by the Task Force are difficult, if not impossible, to anticipate. These opportunities include supporting project-specific funding requests from the Estes Park Housing Authority, land-purchase opportunities, and large utility tap fee subsidy requests beyond the scope of the annual tap fee subsidy allocation. Taking advantage of these opportunities when they arise will require an earmarked reserve. The amount of funding will vary depending on the specific role the Town Board chooses to play (for example, if the Board decides to begin land-banking, the reserve will likely need to be higher than if it decides to just assist with project-specific funding requests). The Fund-Balance Reserve mechanism works by budgeting for fund-balance growth during the annual budget process and designating that extra fund balance specifically for unanticipated one-time investments in workforce housing. An example would look like this: • 2019 o Town Board amends Policy 660 – Fund Balance to establish an additional 5% General Fund balance in 2019. o Town staff creates 2020 budget with a structural surplus (more revenues than expenditures) to be dedicated to one-time workforce housing investments. • 2020 o As the 2020 budget is executed, excess revenues flow into fund balance and increase the fund balance level o This extra fund balance is specifically designated as the Board’s workforce housing reserve. o The fund balance reserve may be used by appropriation from the Board, following the Workforce Housing Guidelines. It is replenished and can be grown (or reduced) through the budget process. (B) Increase Ongoing Support for Utility Tap Subsidies The Task Force recommends increasing the ongoing budget funding for utility tap subsidies for workforce housing projects to $50,000. In 2018, the Town budgeted $20,000 for utility tap subsidies, only enough for a 50% subsidy for roughly four units. Expanding these funds will allow the Town Board to support workforce housing developments constructed by other entities. The utility tap subsidies should be included 17 in the incentives section of the Workforce Housing Guidelines and should be marketed to developers. (C) Consider Future Dedicated Funding as Financial Needs Become Clear The Town does not have a long or consistent history of providing financial support to workforce housing projects. As such, it is unclear what the true ongoing financial needs of this effort will be. A more realistic estimate of the funding needs of this effort will be possible once the Town has solidified its role and accumulates a few years of financial requests for reference. These estimates can inform future conversations about the need for dedicated funding streams. Recommendation #3 – Adapt the Estes Valley Development Code (EVDC) Summary Planning and Zoning regulations are among the most powerful tools the Town has to address the lack of affordable and available workforce housing. They are also among the most controversial. Public engagement and recent history indicate that there is a great deal of concern about density, especially in relation to workforce housing developments. The implementation of any recommendation in this section must consider the balance between the need for more workforce housing and the need to protect the characteristics that make the Estes Valley a great place to live. (A) Prioritize Proposed EVDC Amendments that Impact Housing The Task Force recommends continuing progress on the Master List of Proposed Amendments to the EVDC presented to the Town Board on May 9, 2017. As there are a sizable number of amendments on that list, the Task Force recommends prioritizing any amendments that impact the ability to construct workforce housing. The first step in this process would be a discussion between Community Development Department staff and the Estes Valley Planning Commission on this prioritization. (B) Incentivize Downtown Housing Downtown is an appropriate location for increased housing density. The Task Force recommends encouraging the development of workforce housing Downtown by adopting the height increase recommendations contained in the Downtown Plan 4 and by amending the EVDC to facilitate private redevelopment. (C) Implement the Downtown Plan As Downtown is a high-opportunity area for workforce housing, the Task Force also recommends that the Town Board formalize an implementation plan for the Downtown Plan. While increasing the height limit and updating redevelopment-related EVDC items would facilitate more workforce housing Downtown, the implementation of the Downtown Plan will help to make it a vibrant and desirable place to live. Therefore, the Task Force supports the inclusion of the following draft 2020 Board Objective in the Robust Economy Outcome Area: “4.1 Determine the strategic direction, financial options and leadership responsibility for implementation of the Downtown Plan”. 4 Town of Estes Park, Estes Park Downtown Plan (2018), 38-39. 18 (D) Ensure that the Comprehensive Plan Considers Workforce Housing Workforce housing issues must be a major consideration in the upcoming Comprehensive Plan process. The Task Force recommends that, in addition to a general consideration of maintaining a vibrant community with a diverse mix of housing opportunities, the following items be specifically addressed: • Vacation Rentals • Accessory Dwelling Units (attached and detached) for long-term rentals • Consideration of areas where increased density is, and is not, appropriate Recommendation #4 – Utilize Town-Owned Land Summary The Town owns two parcels of land that are suitable for constructing workforce housing. Many of the large parcels owned by the Town are subject to restrictions or site conditions that make the development of workforce housing impractical or impossible. (A) Work with 3rd Party to Develop Fish Hatchery Property Initial plans to develop the Fish Hatchery property with high-density workforce housing failed to materialize, in part due to infrastructure challenges identified by AmericaWest Housing Solutions based on its proposed density for the site. The Task Force has determined that less-dense development may still be feasible, and is therefore recommending that the Town Board reconsider previously submitted proposals for the Fish Hatchery property that contain more realistic density levels. This is also consistent with the community’s need for a variety of housing options, including small single- family homes, duplexes, etc. (not just RM apartment-style units). (B) Re-Evaluate Dry Gulch Property for Less-Dense Housing Initial plans to develop the Dry Gulch property fell through due to parcel-access issues and concerns from the neighborhood about an Open Space designation (erroneously applied by previous Community Development staff). The Task Force recommends that the Town re-evaluate this property for less-dense housing (such as townhomes or duplexes). The parcel may also be appropriate for space for a childcare center or a public park. (C) Begin Land-Banking for Workforce Housing More developable Town-owned land will be required if the Town takes on the role of catalyzing housing developments by providing land. Accordingly, the Task Force recommends that the Town begin a land-banking program to acquire suitable properties for future development or redevelopment. Any land acquisition should be informed and guided by the Workforce Housing Guidelines to ensure it is appropriate for the type of workforce housing the Town has prioritized. The Town should also coordinate and cooperate with the Estes Valley Land Trust to ensure that the need for developable land for workforce housing is balanced with the need to preserve open space in the Estes Valley. First steps in this process would be Town-participation in the Open Space and 19 Outdoor Recreation Plan and a Study Session with the Land Trust to discuss the topic more generally. Recommendation #5 – Ensure Accountability Summary Maintaining a Town focus on workforce housing will require that the topic be structurally incorporated into the Town’s operations. The two primary methods of accomplishing this are designating a staff position to execute the Town’s role in workforce housing and incorporating workforce housing into the Town Board’s Strategic Plan. (A) Designate the Assistant Town Administrator as Point Position The Task Force recommends that execution of the Town’s role in workforce housing be added to the job description of the Assistant Town Administrator. Placing these responsibilities in the Town Administrator’s Office will enable full coordination between various Town departments and outside entities. (B) Incorporate Workforce Housing into the Strategic Plan The Task Force recommends including the following Strategic Policy Statement in the 2020 Strategic Plan: “We will assist in increasing the amount and diversity of housing solutions for underserved segments of our community”. All other Strategic Plan items related to workforce housing will fall under this Strategic Policy Statement. Childcare The Problem The lack of availability of infant and toddler care in the Estes Valley is at a crisis level, and has been getting worse for several years. The Childcare Needs Assessment completed in 2018 revealed that there are only 12 licensed spots for infants and toddlers (age 0 to 2 ½) in the Estes Valley.5 Responses to the Parent survey conducted as part of the needs assessment indicated that, for households with infants/toddlers, finding care for an infant was the biggest childcare utilization challenge for 54% of respondents.6 Perhaps the most shocking result from the Parent survey was the fact that 80% of responding households with infants/toddlers would change some aspect of their childcare arrangement.7 Key Themes Crisis A sense of crisis emerged from the Task Force’s review of the data and public engagement process. In addition to the data used above to describe the problem with childcare in the Estes Valley, numerous impactful anecdotal stories were relayed to the Task Force. A few startling examples will suffice: 5 BBC Research and Consulting, Estes Valley Childcare Needs Assessment (2018), I-6. 6 Ibid, II-13. 7 Ibid, II-10. 20 • A woman unexpectedly became guardian to her two grandchildren (two and three) and was unable to find childcare so her own teenage daughter was missing high school in order to provide care for the younger children. • A local licensed provider was shut down by the State for exceeding the legal number of children under two years of age they could care for (impacted care for seven children two-years-old or younger). • EVICS has been inundated with phone calls from people looking for daycare. In one week alone, they received calls from four families looking for care for their infants and toddlers. They have no place to send these families as all of the infant and toddler spots they are aware of are full. Market Struggles The Estes Valley is a difficult market for childcare providers. According to the needs assessment, average Estes Valley childcare prices are between 70% and 85% of statewide market rates.8 Despite this, 43% of Estes Valley parents with children ages six or younger do not regularly use non-parent childcare providers and cite affordability (29%) and not being able to find/get into quality care (20%) as the top two barriers.9 The tightly limited ratios for caring for infants/toddlers and the low revenue for childcare providers in the Estes Valley are likely part of the reason for the shortage in infant and toddler care. Efforts Underway There are local efforts underway to build new childcare capacity in the Estes Valley. These efforts include Estes Early Childhood Education, Inc. discussions about a new Childcare District (enabled by State legislation passed in 2019), conversations about supporting existing providers, and discussions on how to encourage more licensed family home childcare capacity. The Town’s own Family Advisory Board played a key role in these efforts by identifying obstacles and making recommendations to the Town Board on how to address them. Low Community Awareness Unlike workforce housing, there did not appear to be a widespread awareness of the issues associated with childcare in the Estes Valley. Efforts to address this issue will likely run into community awareness as a barrier; the Town involvement should plan for a high-degree of education and public engagement around any implementation of the recommendations contained in this report. Early Childhood Education Childcare quality was a consistent theme throughout the Task Force engagement efforts. The term “early childhood education” was frequently used to describe the desired type of childcare in the community. This is a critical distinction for some people as they associate the term “childcare” with low-quality “warehousing” of children. For the purposes of this report, childcare is used to refer to high-quality early childhood education. The Task 8 Ibid, IV-9. 9 Ibid, II-13. 21 Force firmly believes that this care can happen in a variety of contexts, and that it is critical to addressing the needs of our community. Summary of Recommended Town Role Town involvement (specifically financing) in childcare initiatives was supported by 44% of respondents to the 2018 Citizen’s Survey (39% recommended keeping current service level – i.e. funding for EVICS).10 While not as robust as the percentage of respondents favoring Town intervention in workforce housing issues, support for some level of Town involvement in childcare is significant. Additionally, 56% of the 46 employer responses to the Needs Assessment Employer Survey indicated that reliable and affordable childcare is one of the more serious problems in the Estes Valley.11 The Task Force recommendations, when taken together, will put the Town’s focus on addressing the most critical gap in childcare in the Estes Valley; infant and toddler care. This will be accomplished by coordinating community efforts on childcare, providing ongoing and one-time financial support, and exploring ways to leverage Town-owned property to address this issue. Recommendation #1 – Coordinate Community Efforts Summary The Task Force is aware of two primary local groups working on childcare capacity in the Estes Valley: Estes Early Childhood Education, Inc. and Estes Valley Investment in Childhood Success. It is vital that these efforts be coordinated and aligned in order to leverage the most value from each individual organization’s effort, and to simplify working with Larimer County on it’s Strategic Plan objective related to childcare. (A) Convene Leaders of Local Childcare Capacity Efforts The Town should convene leaders of local efforts and facilitate conversations to agree on an aligned and coordinated approach to building childcare capacity in the Estes Valley. These conversations will clarify roles and develop a shared vision and plan for addressing the most pressing childcare needs in the community. (B) Participate in County Strategic Plan Childcare Capacity Team The Larimer County 2019-2023 Strategic Plan established an objective to “…work collaboratively with public and private entities to increase capacity for child care so that at least one licensed child care spot in family child care homes, child care centers or preschool settings exists for every 1.5 children in the community.”12 The Task Force recommends that the Town continue to serve on the Objective Team for this goal to ensure that the interests of the Estes Valley are represented in the solutions developed. 10 National Research Center Inc., Estes Park Community Livability Report (2018), 10. 11 BBC Research and Consulting, Estes Valley Childcare Needs Assessment (2018), III-5. 12 Larimer County Strategic Plan: 2019 – 2023. Goal 2, Objective 3. 22 Recommendation #2 – Provide Financial Support Summary Aside from providing annual Base Funding to Estes Valley Investment in Childhood Success (EVICS) the Town has not provided funding for childcare efforts. Due to the growing problem, and attention on the problem, the Task Force anticipates the Town will receive requests for funding for childcare investments in the near future. Guidelines will be needed for evaluating these requests and resources will be needed for funding them. The Task Force recommends the same two-pronged approach to providing financial support to childcare as it did for workforce housing. This approach consists of a reserve for large, unanticipated, one-time expenditures as well as ongoing budgeted financial support dedicated to growing infant/toddler childcare capacity. (A) Develop Childcare Funding Policy The Town should develop and adopt a funding policy to guide future Town investments in childcare capacity. The policy should include qualification criteria, evaluation guidelines, a preference for matching funds, and specific consideration of milestone- based distributions. The Task Force recommends that the Funding Policy prioritize increasing infant and toddler childcare capacity. (B) Establish One-Time Reserve The Task Force recommends that the Town Board begin accumulating funds for one-time investments in childcare capacity by building Board-restricted General Fund balance with an initial target of an additional 5% fund balance to utilize for both childcare and workforce housing (would bring total General Fund balance to 25%). This would equate to roughly $950,000 using 2019 expenditures as a base. These one-time investments may include supporting project-specific funding requests, land- or facility-purchase opportunities, and large utility tap fee subsidy requests for new facilities beyond the scope of the annual tap fee subsidy allocation. Taking advantage of these opportunities when they arise will require an earmarked reserve. The amount of funding will vary depending on the specific role the Town Board chooses to play (for example, if the Board decides to begin land-banking, the reserve will likely need to be higher than if it decides to just assist with project-specific funding requests). The Fund-Balance Reserve mechanism works by budgeting for fund-balance growth during the annual budget process and designating that extra fund balance for unanticipated one-time investments in childcare capacity. An example would look like this: • 2019 o Town Board amends Policy 660 – Fund Balance to establish an additional 5% fund balance in 2019. o Town staff creates 2020 budget with a structural surplus (more revenues than expenditures) to be dedicated to one-time childcare capacity investments. • 2020 23 o As the 2020 budget is executed, excess revenues flow into fund balance and increase the fund balance level o This extra fund balance is specifically designated as the Board’s childcare capacity reserve. o The fund balance reserve may be used by appropriation from the Board. It is replenished and can be grown (or shrunk) through the budget process. (C) Direct Ongoing Funding to Growing Infant/Toddler Capacity The Task Force recommends working with EVICS to direct the Town’s ongoing funding to support growing infant/toddler capacity. The Town should assist EVICS with developing and funding programs and policies that increase the availability of high- quality infant/toddler care capacity in the Estes Valley. (D) Establish Capital Grant Pool to Incentivize New Infant/Toddler Capacity The Task Force recommends creating a $15,000 capital grant pool in the 2020 budget that will assist with upgrades needed to start up new facilities that serve infants and toddlers. This program should be developed in partnership with EVICS and the Early Childhood Council of Larimer County. Recommendation #3 – Utilize Town-Owned Land Summary Development costs are a major impediment to creating high-quality, affordable childcare. A significant contributor to those costs in the Estes Valley is the cost of land on which to build. The Town can help catalyze projects by providing the land on which they can be built, removing a large, up-front development cost. (A) Create a List of Town-Owned Property Suitable for Childcare Facilities The Task Force recommends that the Town develop a list of Town-owned parcels upon which a childcare facility could be built. The base of this list exists now -- all that is needed is a thorough review of relevant easements and deed restrictions. Once completed, the Town should work with EVICS to market this list to potential childcare providers. (B) Begin Land-Banking for Childcare Facilities The Task Force recommends any land-banking program created by the Town should consider acquisition of land and properties suitable for childcare. The Town should coordinate and cooperate with the Estes Valley Land Trust to ensure that the need for developable land for childcare is balanced with the need to preserve open space in the Estes Valley. Recommendation #4 – Ensure Accountability Summary Maintaining a Town focus on childcare will require that the topic be structurally incorporated into the Town’s operations. The two primary methods of accomplishing this 24 are designating a staff position to execute the Town’s role in childcare and incorporating childcare into the Town Board’s Strategic Plan. (A) Designate the Assistant Town Administrator as Point Position The Task Force recommends that execution of the Town’s role in childcare be added to the job description of the Assistant Town Administrator. Placing these responsibilities in the Town Administrator’s Office will enable full coordination between various Town departments and outside entities. (B) Incorporate Childcare into the Strategic Plan The Task Force recommends including the following Strategic Policy Statement in the 2020 Strategic Plan: “We will work with community partners to grow infant and toddler childcare capacity in the Estes Valley”. All other Strategic Plan items related to childcare will fall under this Strategic Policy Statement. Not Recommended at this Time Workforce Housing • Build and/or operate workforce housing for the community • Lead workforce housing efforts • Lead the development of a Workforce Housing Strategic Plan • Guarantee that new development provides workforce housing o Commercial Linkage Program o Inclusionary Zoning • Develop and implement no-net-loss provisions • Hire a Housing Coordinator Childcare • Operate childcare • Provide five acres in Stanley Park for a future childcare facility • Operate a childcare scholarship fund for individuals in the community Conclusion Next Steps The Task Force recommends the following next steps for consideration of the recommendations in this report: • June 11th Study Session Discussion • Action Item at July 9th Town Board Meeting (Consideration of Acceptance of Report) o Public Comment • Integration with Town Board action on adopting 2020 Strategic plan Town Board should discuss and agree on which of the recommendations contained in this report should be implemented. Once these decisions are made, the implementation guide (Appendix A) may be used to integrate the recommendations into the Town organization. 25 Use of Ad-Hoc Task Force Mechanism The Ad-Hoc Task Force mechanism has been an efficient and effective way to quickly engage the public and develop quality recommendations for the Town Board. The size (three members) and composition (mix of Trustees and staff) has proven to be a potent combination for delivering results. The Task Force would highly recommend the use of the Ad-Hoc Task Force model in the future for similar issues as they arise. Dissolution of the Ad-Hoc Task Force With the submittal of this report, the task assigned to the Task Force by the Town Board by Resolution #24-18 is complete. Pursuant to Policy 102, Section 4.a.i(4) the Task Force is hereby dissolved, effective upon delivery of this report to the Town Board. 26 Recommendation Target Year Integration Mechanism Outcome Area/Responsible Party Classification Workforce Housing 1 -Establish Role Clarity A Establish Workforce Housing Guidelines 2019 Strategic Plan Outstanding Community Services Objective B Participate in Workforce Housing Strategic Planning Effort 2020 Strategic Plan Outstanding Community Services Objective 2 -Provide Financial Support A Establish One-Time Reserve 2020 Strategic Plan Outstanding Community Services Goal B Increase Ongoing Support for Utility Tap Subsidies 2019 Strategic Plan Outstanding Community Services Objective C Consider Future Dedicated Funding as Financial Needs Become Clear -Operational Town Administrator's Office - 3 -Adapt the Estes Valley Development Code (EVDC) A Prioritize Proposed EVDC Amendments that Impact Housing 2020 Strategic Plan Outstanding Community Services Policy Statement B Incentivize Downtown Housing 2020 Strategic Plan Outstanding Community Services Goal C Implement the Downtown Plan 2020 Strategic Plan Outstanding Community Services Goal D Ensure that the Comprehensive Plan Considers Workforce Housing 2019 Operational Community Development Staff - 4 -Utilize Town-Owned Land A Work with 3rd Party to Develop Fish Hatchery Property 2020 Strategic Plan Outstanding Community Services Objective B Re-Evaluate Dry Gulch Property for Less-Dense Housing 2020 Strategic Plan Outstanding Community Services Objective C Begin Land-Banking for Workforce Housing 2020 Strategic Plan Outstanding Community Services Policy Statement 5 -Ensure Accountability A Designate the Assistant Town Administrator as Point Position 2019 Operational Town Administrator's Office - B Incorporate Workforce Housing into the Strategic Plan 2020 Strategic Plan Outstanding Community Services Policy Statement Childcare 1 -Coordinate Community Efforts A Convene Leaders of Local Childcare Capacity Efforts 2019 Operational Assistant Town Administrator - B Participate in County Strategic Plan Childcare Capacity Team 2019 Strategic Plan Outstanding Community Services Goal 2 -Provide Financial Support A Develop Childcare Funding Policy 2019 Strategic Plan Outstanding Community Services Objective B Establish One-Time Reserve 2020 Strategic Plan Outstanding Community Services Goal C Direct Ongoing Funding to Growing Infant/Toddler Capacity 2020 Strategic Plan Outstanding Community Services Policy Statement D Establish Capital Grant Pool to Incentivize New Infant/Toddler Capacity 2020 Strategic Plan Outstanding Community Services Objective 3 -Utilize Town-Owned Land A Create a List of Town-Owned Property Suitable for Childcare Facilities 2020 Strategic Plan Outstanding Community Services Objective B Begin Land-Banking for Childcare Facilities 2020 Strategic Plan Outstanding Community Services Policy Statement 4 -Ensure Accountability A Designate the Assistant Town Administrator as Point Position 2019 Operational Town Administrator's Office - B Incorporate Childcare into the Strategic Plan 2020 Strategic Plan Outstanding Community Services Policy Statement Appendix A – Implementation Guide27 Appendix B – Community Meeting Post-It® Comments 28 Housing Post-It Note Comments Workforce Housing and Childcare Task Force 5/22/2019 Community Meeting Establish Workforce Housing Guidelines • Allow for innovative solutions → tiny homes • Develop data driven metrics and goals for assessing this issue • Identify both mid income – teachers, nurses, etc & low income (tourist services – housekeeping, waitstaff, etc) & meet needs • Think about transportation issue for folks who don’t have cars - bus? • Don’t forget to include RMNP in list of year round and seasonal employers • How Will Community Buy in Be Achieved? • Priority segments income/housing pref – prioritize year round multifamily opportunities • Include middle income needs as WORKFORCE • I’d like to see Town develop a vision for the future re: housing for all incomes and retired (to age in place) • Develop a task force in developing guidelines WF encompassing many scenarios • Will/should the guidelines establish a minimum length of lease? Provide Financial Support • Utilize property taxes • Develop consistent funding • Use all money from Visit Estes Park for housing and child care • Need to develop SUSTAINABLE FINANCIAL SUPPORT MODEL • Invest 50% of the funds designated for “Visit Estes Park” into solutions for workforce housing • Incentives for people who own rental houses to rent them to Estes Park teachers, firefighters, police, medical staff instead of vacation rentals • Financial support for housing needs to include long term & options that are sustainable • Tax vacation rentals • Are you thinking down pay assistance for owners? • Tap fees & Development cost adjustments for WF units • Describe how this directly impacts the workforce sect looking for housing • Work with employers to help meet their employees [sic] needs. • Offer a reduction in property tax to lodging establishments that offer a portion or % of their units for summer workforce housing at a monthly reduced rate instead of regular nightly rental price. • Utility, tax subsidies for property owners developers creating workforce housing • Tax $ provide ongoing stability to program • Utility subsidies yes • Urban Renewal/Opportunity Zone 29 Continue Adapting Development Code • Initiate innovative approaches that maximize partnerships – Biz – Nonprofit - $ - (multi- use) • Deed restrictions in perpetuity • Limit short-term rentals and tax them. • Housing needs to be located w/in walking distance of critical services • Allow ADUs / Allow tiny houses (≤400 SF) *see IRC 2018 Appendix Q • Critical to ensure that developments using new codes for workforce housing continue to be used for workers that fit criteria – ongoing monitoring/enforcement. • Very important for workforce housing to fit into the existing community • Comp plan rewrite/vacation rentals/Amend development code to make vacation rentals harder to license and enforce existing code. • Stop allowing short term rental permits to be sold w property • Lower cap on number of permits for ST rentals by attrition • Quite a few seniors don’t view W.F. housing as critical and oppose developments and code changes – find ways to engage them and gain their support • Downtown focus is appropriate – as a downtown resident I see advantages of walking/biking to work. Denser housing is appropriate to downtown. • Progress…how can we evolve with growth, not how can we make growth adapt to us • Incentivize “CD” zone development • Allow/encourage Adaptability – The Process to develop is arduous • Be creative in progressive process • How do we preserve Community character when the code does not address enough about appearance of buildings. • In new development code encourage housing w/ density bonus • Allow accessory dwellings • Raise height limit downtown to 50’ at least for housing • Allowing freakin’ ADU development Utilize Town-Owned Land • “less dense” How does this represent the inevitable growth of our town? • Establish tiny house community for tiny houses on wheels (THOWs) * IRC 2021 should include THOW stds. • Build and sell deed restricted WF housing. Makes money for the town and pays itself off. • What exactly is the realistic “character” of our town? Does this fit in the “progress” of our town being promoted & inevitable • Yes. • Absolutely not – Entities requiring workers should provide WH • Maybe if done properly Miscellaneous • Limit vacation short term rentals (even more!) and enforce. • Involve CBOfficer in workforce housing to keep up-to date on trend in WF housing = public info often given 30 • How do you keep work force housing for work force – not passed on to those no longer working? Who is the policeman? • Consider “Sleeping Pod” communal facilities w modern design & amenities • Promote/allow RV parks to accept long-term tiny houses • Use newspapers to showcase real-life problems w those workers who commute, live in car, tent, etc. • Restrict vacation rentals – lower cap – in residential zones to make more homes available for rent & purchase • After a purchase How [sic] monitors if you stay in the workforce • Purchase deed restrictions to maintain & preserve housing stock. Example: vailindeed.com • Town Admin. Office responsible – Critical to have town staff designated to support future efforts! Keep it moving! • If Town does not take lead in workforce housing, who then is expected to take lead • Why not increase height of buildings to include 5 – and 6-story apts? • Partner with the local lodges during the ‘off-season’ to provide housing to nurses, police officers to give them time to find housing locally. An incentivized program for permanent residents. • What were the quantifiable data for needs. • What are the real Actionable Efforts – who will lead these recommendations 31 Childcare Post-It Note Comments Workforce Housing and Childcare Task Force 5/22/2019 Community Meeting Coordinate Community Efforts • Employee funded cooperative childcare – *paid by employers • Networks for childcare providers to support one another • Very important to inform the community and keep them actively engaged • Role for community volunteers to assist • Are local churches involved in childcare? Would the city financially support them if they were? • Need to organize well to coordinate • Include Early Childhood Educators in discussions at one point • Cultivate community culture that values families & children – and workforce. Be a community where that is evident!! • Work with large businesses that already own decent amount of land/property – such as YMCA & Stanley • EVICS develop database of individuals that are available as a sitter • EVICS develop a database for openings at day care centers • EVICS develop database for drop-in day care options/ and availability • Needs to be collaborative effort. All players on same page. (Collective vision!) • Use the words “Early Childhood Education” instead of “child care” – • Organized Public Awareness effort to focus the need for childcare • The big organizations need to be at the table – Hospital/School/etc as well as people who are engaged in Early Childhood Education • Development of multi-use – housing-retail-childcare… • This is a community issue as families with children are critical to a vibrant community • Work with local churches to provide child care Provide Capital Funding • Find Angel Investors for potential providers • Childcare $ - Transfer $ to childcare away from VEP • Grants? Special loans? How can we support architectural development • Invest 50% of the funds designated for “Visit Estes Park” into solutions for childcare o [Additional Post-It to the left] Great idea → • If marajana [sic] shop opens – use that sales tax for childcare center funding and scholarship funding [followed by three checkmarks) • Start up costs are critical! (Market failure w/o public support) • Some start-up costs as community grants • Opportunity zone → seek social impact funds to match w/ Town money • Subsidize education and capital for child care providers • Use town funds to stimulate solutions 32 Budget Ongoing Financial Support • No to continuation of 1A sales tax for other reasons • Only for subsidizing building and start-up/increase capacity – not childcare scholarships • If marajana [sic] shops passes use that sales tax to support childcare centers and childcare scholarships • Childcare Tx [sic] District • % of profits from commercial establishments that are of large size e.g. Safeway, etc. • Breckenridge model is tax money dedicated to provide scholarships – 30% of operating costs • Critical for sustainability & economic growth • Financially support the Estes ECE and support the effort to create a childcare District. • Need a sustainable financial model for childcare – role of major employers – Hospital, School District, RMNP, Town • Who will coordinate the effort to get the taxing district going? • Cooperative! – offset costs by increasing “family” involvement • “Childcare District” would this include area outside the Town but part of the EValley? Utilize Town-Owned Land • Why not enough area at Stanley Park for facility and parking? • #1. Stanley Park #2. Purchase Mtn. Top property & dedicate to childcare #3. Incentivize private business or employer to provide facility • How about childcare along w/ new housing developments? Building it into an apt. bldg.. for example • Town purchase Mtn Top from John and additional land for expansion o [attached note from someone else] then Mtn Top lease the property from the Town • Utilize the elem. School (or any school) with extra space…after school care too. Use church space – but not w/ town $ • No thanks Private enterprise only • Why not Stanley Park? Close to schools. • If not town owned land – can town help find other available land? • Lease town own land for housing and childcare facilities • Possibly easier to develop and lower serious costs for developer Miscellaneous • If affording hiring workers for infant/toddler programs is an issue – encourage various college-university early childcare education dept. to have summer or year round intern programs to have students come work as an unpaid or minimal pay internship to gain experience in working w/ infants/toddlers. As an education major myself in college, I did unpaid student teaching a whole school year – I was under the expertise of a teacher but had to prepare same lesson plans & carry out teaching some lessons. As long as interns are background checked it could be a good opportunity for experience & reduce costs for a facility to provide childcare. • Do we want one larger facility or several smaller ones – but that ↓’s possibility of infant/toddler financial feasibility 33 • We need a solution NOW I recommend that the Town purchase the land that Mountain Top land [sic] and leasing it at fair market to Christy Delorme • Concern about one group going rogue – not part of community effort. • Work with State regulations to help with progress to compliance • Stop listening to the Squeaky Wheels – take care of our families who are too busy working to be here • Key is to provide either higher paying jobs or lower costs (housing, food, etc) for successful child care in EP and/or a defined financial/land contribution from town and/or county • Incentivize more family childcare providers – helping with licensing cost, improvement grants, etc. • Keep childcare and eldercare together – similar needs good for our community • Can we incentivize industry growth? • Please explain Childcare Districts – could the idea be to set up a District for the Estes Valley? Would it be a separate taxing organization? • Buy property invest in current Childcare building in town. Capital funding to expand infant/toddler center • Drop-in/Extended hours/Weekend Days/Daycare • Create network of provider supports to ↑ slots w/ innovative/exempt statue [sic] while reinforcing quality • Need to include with other town priorities – ex: Stormwater Utility • Create team of builders (Habitat for Humanity-style) to volunteer w building fixes to support childcare facility standards • Town buy (invest) in existing land & structure being used for childcare • Maybe allow “unlicensed” facilities which still provide quality care? • Could the town buy the property and building of Mountain Top Preschool? There is extra land there for expansion – 34 Any Other Thoughts Post-It Note Comments Workforce Housing and Childcare Task Force 5/22/2019 Community Meeting • Stop allowing commercial development in R&A zones • Could the town trustees establish a minimum living wage for workers? This would drive the market toward community balance. • Will people living outside of the town but in the E. Valley be able to vote on the proposals? • Will/can taxes (revenue) be used to support these efforts e.g. county taxes as well as town taxes (revenue from taxes)? 35 Ad-Hoc Workforce Housing and Childcare Task Force Recommendations Town Board Study Session June 11, 2019 36 Agenda •Background •Workforce Housing Recommendations •Childcare Recommendations •Not Recommended •Next Steps 37 Background –Task Force Purpose •Created November 13, 2018 by Town Board •Members •Trustee Carlie Bangs •Trustee Ron Norris •Assistant Town Administrator Travis Machalek •Develop recommendations for Town Board on strategies and tactics to address Workforce Housing and Childcare issues 38 Background –A Note •What follows are recommendations from the Task Force to the Town Board •This is not a decision-making meeting •Decisions on Town Board adoption of any of these recommendations will take place as part of the Strategic Planning and Budget processes 39 Background –Foundational Documents •Foundational documents as a base •Town Strategic Plan (2019) •Avalanche Economic Development Strategy (2015) •Family Advisory Board Recommendations (2018) •Housing Needs Assessment (2016) •National Citizen Survey Community Livability Report (2018) •Stanley Park Master Plan (2019) 40 Background –Evaluation Criteria •Three main criteria to evaluate recommendations •Administratively feasible? •Politically acceptable? •Measurable and consistent with the Strategic Plan Outcome Areas? 41 Background -Public Engagement •16 conversations with institutional stakeholders •6 meetings with individuals responding to call for input •3 focus groups with ~20 participants •Project-specific email (chtf@estes.org) ~15 emails •Community Meeting with ~50 participants 42 Key Learnings from Public Engagement •Wide spectrum of views •Balanced and deliberate approach advocated by most •Many have characterized these issues as a crisis, but sentiment is not universal •Need for ongoing, enhanced engagement 43 Workforce Housing 44 Key Learnings - 1 •Workforce housing is a complex and multifaceted issue •Lack of workforce housing is a serious issue for many employers •At least two distinct workforce housing needs •Year -round workforce (e.g. nurses, police officers, utility workers) •Seasonal workforce (expanded seasonal staffing needs) •Needs and preferences are different, but each impacts the other 45 Key Learnings - 2 •“Workforce” is composed of many different segments •Income (40% to 150%+ Area Median Income) •Housing preferences •Rent/Own •Long-Term/Short-Te r m •Single Family/Apartments/Duplex/etc. •Housing impacts are not uniform among stakeholders •Large organizations appear to have a more urgent issue (turnover/commuting) 46 Key Learnings - 3 •Preserving community character while working to address workforce housing issues is critical. •Engagement indicates that Planning and Zoning regulations are among the most powerful tools the Town has to address workforce housing. 47 Workforce Housing Recommendations •Summary of Town Role: •Establish Role Clarity •Provide Financial Support •Adapt the EVDC •Utilize Town-Owned Land •Ensure Accountability 48 WFH –Establish Role Clarity •Draft, adopt, and publish Workforce Housing Guidelines (WHG) •Define “Workforce Housing” (% of AMI and work requirements) •Articulate Town priority segments (income, housing preference, etc.) •Plain-language explanation of regulations and incentives •Participate in Housing Authority Led Strategic Planning effort •Clearly communicate Town’s role using WHG as a base 49 WFH –Provide Financial Support •Use a portion of annual surplus General Fund revenues to support one-time workforce housing and childcare expenditures •E.g. Land-Banking and Assisting Housing Authority •Use WHG to guide use of funds •Increase ongoing budget funding for utility tap subsidies •$50,000 roughly equates to a 50% subsidy for 10 units •Future consideration of dedicated funding source as financial needs become more clear (e.g. 1A sales tax renewal) 50 WFH –Adapt the EVDC •Prioritize EVDC Amendments on the Master List of Proposed Amendments that impact housing •Incentivize Downtown housing •Implement the Downtown Plan •Ensure the Comprehensive Plan update considers workforce housing needs 51 WFH –Utilize Town-Owned Land •Work with 3rd party to develop Fish Hatchery property with less-dense housing •Reassess previously submitted proposals •Re-evaluate Dry Gulch property for less-dense housing •Ensure road access to property •Begin land banking efforts for future community needs including housing developments •Coordinate and cooperate with the Estes Valley Land Trust 52 WFH –Ensure Accountability •Designate Assistant Town Administrator as point position •Incorporate workforce housing into the strategic plan 53 Childcare 54 Key Learnings - 1 •Severe lack of infant and toddler capacity •Community awareness of this issue lower than Workforce Housing •Less referenced as problem by employers than Workforce Housing •Still critical to community sustainability •Family Advisory Board has identified childcare as a critical need 55 Key Learnings - 2 •Efforts to expand capacity underway •New Childcare District legislation •Data is hard to come by, Childcare Needs Assessment is a good start •Difficult to fund infant/toddler care with fees that working families can afford •Increasing need for financial assistance from community due to decreasing State support 56 Draft Childcare Recommendations •Summary of Town role: •Coordinate Community Efforts •Provide Financial Support •Utilize Town-Owned Land •Ensure Accountability 57 Childcare –Coordinate Community Efforts •Convene leaders of local childcare capacity efforts •Participate in County Strategic Plan childcare capacity team 58 Childcare –Provide Financial Support •Draft and adopt funding policy to guide future Town investments in childcare facilities •Use a portion of annual surplus General Fund revenues to support one-time workforce housing and childcare expenditures •Land-Banking •Assistance with capital opportunities as they arise •Direct ongoing funding to growing infant/toddler capacity 59 Childcare –Utilize Town-Owned Land •Use Town property to catalyze childcare projects that are in line with Town’s Funding Policy •Create list of Town-owned property suitable for childcare facilities •Actively market through connections •Begin land-banking efforts for future community needs including childcare facilities •Coordinate and cooperate with the Estes Valley Land Trust 60 Childcare –Ensure Accountability •Designate the Assistant Town Administrator as Point Position •Incorporate childcare into the Strategic Plan 61 Not Recommended 62 Not Recommended –Workforce Housing •Building and/or operating workforce housing •Leading workforce housing efforts •Leading development of a Workforce Housing Strategic Plan •Guaranteeing that new development provides workforce housing •Commercial Linkage Program •Inclusionary Zoning •Implementing no-net-loss provisions •Hiring a Housing Coordinator 63 Draft Not Recommended – Childcare •Providing childcare •Providing five (5) acres in Stanley Park for future childcare facility •Creating a Town-operated scholarship fund 64 Next Steps •Incorporate recommendations into strategic plan proc ess •Quarterly review of Strategic Plan process •Dissolve Ad-Hoc Task Force effective June 11th •Maintain “Parking Lot” list of items for future consideration •Ensure longer-term considerations are included in future Comprehensive Plans 65 Questions? 66 Housing Post-It Note Comments Workforce Housing and Childcare Task Force 5/22/2019 Community Meeting Establish Workforce Housing Guidelines • Allow for innovative solutions → tiny homes • Develop data driven metrics and goals for assessing this issue • Identify both mid income – teachers, nurses, etc & low income (tourist services – housekeeping, waitstaff, etc) & meet needs • Think about transportation issue for folks who don’t have cars - bus? • Don’t forget to include RMNP in list of year round and seasonal employers • How Will Community Buy in Be Achieved? • Priority segments income/housing pref – prioritize year round multifamily opportunities • Include middle income needs as WORKFORCE • I’d like to see Town develop a vision for the future re: housing for all incomes and retired (to age in place) • Develop a task force in developing guidelines WF encompassing many scenarios • Will/should the guidelines establish a minimum length of lease? Provide Financial Support • Utilize property taxes • Develop consistent funding • Use all money from Visit Estes Park for housing and child care • Need to develop SUSTAINABLE FINANCIAL SUPPORT MODEL • Invest 50% of the funds designated for “Visit Estes Park” into solutions for workforce housing • Incentives for people who own rental houses to rent them to Estes Park teachers, firefighters, police, medical staff instead of vacation rentals • Financial support for housing needs to include long term & options that are sustainable • Tax vacation rentals • Are you thinking down pay assistance for owners? • Tap fees & Development cost adjustments for WF units • Describe how this directly impacts the workforce sect looking for housing • Work with employers to help meet their employees [sic] needs. • Offer a reduction in property tax to lodging establishments that offer a portion or % of their units for summer workforce housing at a monthly reduced rate instead of regular nightly rental price. • Utility, tax subsidies for property owners developers creating workforce housing • Tax $ provide ongoing stability to program • Utility subsidies yes • Urban Renewal/Opportunity Zone 67 Continue Adapting Development Code • Initiate innovative approaches that maximize partnerships – Biz – Nonprofit - $ - (multi- use) • Deed restrictions in perpetuity • Limit short-term rentals and tax them. • Housing needs to be located w/in walking distance of critical services • Allow ADUs / Allow tiny houses (≤400 SF) *see IRC 2018 Appendix Q • Critical to ensure that developments using new codes for workforce housing continue to be used for workers that fit criteria – ongoing monitoring/enforcement. • Very important for workforce housing to fit into the existing community • Comp plan rewrite/vacation rentals/Amend development code to make vacation rentals harder to license and enforce existing code. • Stop allowing short term rental permits to be sold w property • Lower cap on number of permits for ST rentals by attrition • Quite a few seniors don’t view W.F. housing as critical and oppose developments and code changes – find ways to engage them and gain their support • Downtown focus is appropriate – as a downtown resident I see advantages of walking/biking to work. Denser housing is appropriate to downtown. • Progress…how can we evolve with growth, not how can we make growth adapt to us • Incentivize “CD” zone development • Allow/encourage Adaptability – The Process to develop is arduous • Be creative in progressive process • How do we preserve Community character when the code does not address enough about appearance of buildings. • In new development code encourage housing w/ density bonus • Allow accessory dwellings • Raise height limit downtown to 50’ at least for housing • Allowing freakin’ ADU development Utilize Town-Owned Land • “less dense” How does this represent the inevitable growth of our town? • Establish tiny house community for tiny houses on wheels (THOWs) * IRC 2021 should include THOW stds. • Build and sell deed restricted WF housing. Makes money for the town and pays itself off. • What exactly is the realistic “character” of our town? Does this fit in the “progress” of our town being promoted & inevitable • Yes. • Absolutely not – Entities requiring workers should provide WH • Maybe if done properly Miscellaneous • Limit vacation short term rentals (even more!) and enforce. • Involve CBOfficer in workforce housing to keep up-to date on trend in WF housing = public info often given 68 • How do you keep work force housing for work force – not passed on to those no longer working? Who is the policeman? • Consider “Sleeping Pod” communal facilities w modern design & amenities • Promote/allow RV parks to accept long-term tiny houses • Use newspapers to showcase real-life problems w those workers who commute, live in car, tent, etc. • Restrict vacation rentals – lower cap – in residential zones to make more homes available for rent & purchase • After a purchase How [sic] monitors if you stay in the workforce • Purchase deed restrictions to maintain & preserve housing stock. Example: vailindeed.com • Town Admin. Office responsible – Critical to have town staff designated to support future efforts! Keep it moving! • If Town does not take lead in workforce housing, who then is expected to take lead • Why not increase height of buildings to include 5 – and 6-story apts? • Partner with the local lodges during the ‘off-season’ to provide housing to nurses, police officers to give them time to find housing locally. An incentivized program for permanent residents. • What were the quantifiable data for needs. • What are the real Actionable Efforts – who will lead these recommendations 69 Childcare Post-It Note Comments Workforce Housing and Childcare Task Force 5/22/2019 Community Meeting Coordinate Community Efforts • Employee funded cooperative childcare – *paid by employers • Networks for childcare providers to support one another • Very important to inform the community and keep them actively engaged • Role for community volunteers to assist • Are local churches involved in childcare? Would the city financially support them if they were? • Need to organize well to coordinate • Include Early Childhood Educators in discussions at one point • Cultivate community culture that values families & children – and workforce. Be a community where that is evident!! • Work with large businesses that already own decent amount of land/property – such as YMCA & Stanley • EVICS develop database of individuals that are available as a sitter • EVICS develop a database for openings at day care centers • EVICS develop database for drop-in day care options/ and availability • Needs to be collaborative effort. All players on same page. (Collective vision!) • Use the words “Early Childhood Education” instead of “child care” – • Organized Public Awareness effort to focus the need for childcare • The big organizations need to be at the table – Hospital/School/etc as well as people who are engaged in Early Childhood Education • Development of multi-use – housing-retail-childcare… • This is a community issue as families with children are critical to a vibrant community • Work with local churches to provide child care Provide Capital Funding • Find Angel Investors for potential providers • Childcare $ - Transfer $ to childcare away from VEP • Grants? Special loans? How can we support architectural development • Invest 50% of the funds designated for “Visit Estes Park” into solutions for childcare o [Additional Post-It to the left] Great idea → • If marajana [sic] shop opens – use that sales tax for childcare center funding and scholarship funding [followed by three checkmarks) • Start up costs are critical! (Market failure w/o public support) • Some start-up costs as community grants • Opportunity zone → seek social impact funds to match w/ Town money • Subsidize education and capital for child care providers • Use town funds to stimulate solutions 70 Budget Ongoing Financial Support • No to continuation of 1A sales tax for other reasons • Only for subsidizing building and start-up/increase capacity – not childcare scholarships • If marajana [sic] shops passes use that sales tax to support childcare centers and childcare scholarships • Childcare Tx [sic] District • % of profits from commercial establishments that are of large size e.g. Safeway, etc. • Breckenridge model is tax money dedicated to provide scholarships – 30% of operating costs • Critical for sustainability & economic growth • Financially support the Estes ECE and support the effort to create a childcare District. • Need a sustainable financial model for childcare – role of major employers – Hospital, School District, RMNP, Town • Who will coordinate the effort to get the taxing district going? • Cooperative! – offset costs by increasing “family” involvement • “Childcare District” would this include area outside the Town but part of the EValley? Utilize Town-Owned Land • Why not enough area at Stanley Park for facility and parking? • #1. Stanley Park #2. Purchase Mtn. Top property & dedicate to childcare #3. Incentivize private business or employer to provide facility • How about childcare along w/ new housing developments? Building it into an apt. bldg.. for example • Town purchase Mtn Top from John and additional land for expansion o [attached note from someone else] then Mtn Top lease the property from the Town • Utilize the elem. School (or any school) with extra space…after school care too. Use church space – but not w/ town $ • No thanks Private enterprise only • Why not Stanley Park? Close to schools. • If not town owned land – can town help find other available land? • Lease town own land for housing and childcare facilities • Possibly easier to develop and lower serious costs for developer Miscellaneous • If affording hiring workers for infant/toddler programs is an issue – encourage various college-university early childcare education dept. to have summer or year round intern programs to have students come work as an unpaid or minimal pay internship to gain experience in working w/ infants/toddlers. As an education major myself in college, I did unpaid student teaching a whole school year – I was under the expertise of a teacher but had to prepare same lesson plans & carry out teaching some lessons. As long as interns are background checked it could be a good opportunity for experience & reduce costs for a facility to provide childcare. • Do we want one larger facility or several smaller ones – but that ↓’s possibility of infant/toddler financial feasibility 71 • We need a solution NOW I recommend that the Town purchase the land that Mountain Top land [sic] and leasing it at fair market to Christy Delorme • Concern about one group going rogue – not part of community effort. • Work with State regulations to help with progress to compliance • Stop listening to the Squeaky Wheels – take care of our families who are too busy working to be here • Key is to provide either higher paying jobs or lower costs (housing, food, etc) for successful child care in EP and/or a defined financial/land contribution from town and/or county • Incentivize more family childcare providers – helping with licensing cost, improvement grants, etc. • Keep childcare and eldercare together – similar needs good for our community • Can we incentivize industry growth? • Please explain Childcare Districts – could the idea be to set up a District for the Estes Valley? Would it be a separate taxing organization? • Buy property invest in current Childcare building in town. Capital funding to expand infant/toddler center • Drop-in/Extended hours/Weekend Days/Daycare • Create network of provider supports to ↑ slots w/ innovative/exempt statue [sic] while reinforcing quality • Need to include with other town priorities – ex: Stormwater Utility • Create team of builders (Habitat for Humanity-style) to volunteer w building fixes to support childcare facility standards • Town buy (invest) in existing land & structure being used for childcare • Maybe allow “unlicensed” facilities which still provide quality care? • Could the town buy the property and building of Mountain Top Preschool? There is extra land there for expansion – 72 Effective Period:Until superseded Review Schedule:Annually IEffectiveDate:December 8,2020 References:EPDC Chapter 11 §11 .4,Finance Policy 671 ______ ADMINISTRATION 227 Workforce Housing Guidelines 1.PURPOSE This policy defines workforce housing for the Town’s purposes,articulates the Town’s workforce housing goals,articulates the Town’s role related to workforce housing,and establishes a funding mechanism to advance the Town’s workforce housing goals. 2.POLICY The shortage of workforce housing in the Estes Valley creates significant challenges for local businesses and other employers,including the Town of Estes Park,when it comes to attracting and retaining employees for both year-round and seasonal occupations. Town leadership has long acknowledged this issue and the need for development of a range of housing options that will be available and attainable for all members of the community.The Estes Park Development Code provides incentives in the form of density bonuses for developers that “provide a variety of attainable and workforce housing options for persons living and/or working in the Estes Valley.”The Town’s 2020 Strategic Plan includes an objective to establish Workforce Housing Guidelines. 3.PROCEDURE a.Definition of Workforce Housing For the Town’s purposes,Workforce Housing is defined as housing within the Estes Park R-3 School District for people who work within the boundaries of the school district that is attainable for someone earning less than 175%Area Median Income. Thus,workforce housing opportunities created or facilitated by the Town shall be located within the school district and pricing should accommodate individuals and families making less than 175%AMI. i.Larimer County Area Median Income,Defined.The Larimer County Area Median Income is the current applicable area median income for Larimer County published by the U.S.Department of Housing and Urban Development. ii.Renter-Occupied Attainable Housing Units:Consistent with Estes Park Development Code Chapter 11,Section 11 .4,“attainable housing units”and “workforce housing units”for renters shall mean the following: a)Housing units that are attainable to households earning 175%of the Larimer County Area Median Income or below,adjusted for household size. Document Title Policy 227—Workforce Housing Guidelines 12/8/2020 Revisions:0 Town of Estes Park,Town Administrator’s Office Page 1 of 4 73 b)To qualify as attainable units,housing costs (i.e.,rent and utility expenses) must not exceed thirty percent (30%)of the maximum income for an imputed household size based on 175%of the Larimer County Area Median Income. The imputed household size is equal to one and one-half (1 .5)times the number of bedrooms in the unit.For example,rent on a two-bedroom unit would be equal to 30%of the monthly income limit of a three-person family; for a three-bedroom unit the rent should not exceed 3O%of the monthly income of a four-and-one-half-person family—the midpoint of the range of a four-and five-person family. c)If the property owner does not pay all utility expenses,then a utility allowance, computed by the Estes Park Housing Authority,must be subtracted from the housing cost to determine the maximum rent. iii.Owner-Occupied Attainable Housing Units:Consistent with Estes Park Development Code Chapter 11,Section 11 .4,“attainable housing units”and “workforce housing units”for unit owners shall mean the following: a)Housing units that are attainable to households earning 175%of the Larimer County Area Median Income or below,adjusted for household size. b)To qualify as attainable units,housing costs must not exceed 40%of the 175%Larimer County Area Median Income,adjusted for household size. b.Workforce Housing Goals The Town’s goals associated with workforce housing,which should inform Town decisions related to development,are as follows: •Increase the availability of workiorce housing within the boundaries of the school district. •Preserve or facilitate rehabilitation of existing workforce housing as opportunities arise. •Promote the construction of housing within the school district that is affordable to households with incomes at or below 175%of the area-wide median. •Promote greater housing choices (including levels of affordability,as well as rental and ownership options)for households with incomes at or below 175%of the area-wide median income within the school district,including those for year- round employees as well as seasonal employees. •Negotiate with developers,as necessary,to ensure that developments with housing units include workforce housing with a range of affordability for individuals or households earning between 30%and 175%of AMI. •Assist local employers in reducing critical labor shortages of skilled and semi skilled workers by providing housing that will be accessible to the worker’s places of business. •Work with Larimer County to further the Town’s workforce housing goals within the school district in areas that fall outside of Town limits. Document Title Policy 227—Workforce Housing Guidelines 12/8/2020 Revisions:0 Town of Estes Park,Town Administrator’s Office Page 2 of 4 74 c.The Town’s Role The Town’s formal role with respect to workforce housing is to: •Support the Estes Park Housing Authority both financially and as an active partner and participant in its housing development and strategic planning efforts. •Advocate for development that includes workforce housing with a range of affordability for households with incomes at or below 175%of the area-wide median income,with a preference for housing that is affordable for those earning between 60-80%AMI. •Partner with private entities/developers to create workforce housing on Town- owned property (although the preferred approach is to work through the EPHA in these efforts). •Provide financial support for the development of workforce housing. •Periodically review the Development Code and make revisions as appropriate and feasible to encourage development of workforce housing. •Work with Larimer County to further the Town’s workforce housing goals within the school district in areas that fall outside of Town limits. d.Workforce Housing Reserve i.Establishment:The Town will create a new reserve within the General Fund dedicated to advancing the workforce housing goals outlined above. ii.Appropriations to the Workforce Housing Reserve:On an annual basis as part of the budget development process,Town staff will identify the dollar amount of sales tax revenue expected to be received in excess of 105%of the budgeted revenues (if applicable).The Board will consider appropriating all or a portion of these excess revenues to the Workforce Housing Reserve within the General Fund.The Town Board may appropriate funds to the Workforce Housing Reserve whenever and in whatever amount it deems appropriate. a)Other Revenues:In addition to the appropriations outlined above,other revenue sources for the Workforce Housing Reserve may include donations, clean and lien repayments,loan repayments,vacant property registration fees or property tax surcharges,proceeds from the sale or lease of public property, and grants related to workforce housing related activities. iii.Workforce Housing Reserve Expenditures: a)The Workforce Housing Reserve will be the primary place where funds used to further Workforce Housing goals are allocated and reserved for expenditure.Expenditures from the Workforce Housing Reserve Fund will include,but are not limited to: •Acquisition of real property to be used for worktorce housing •Construction of new housing Document Title Policy 227—Workforce Housing Guidelines 12/8/2020 Revisions:0 Town of Estes Park,Town Administrator’s Office Page 3 of 4 75 •Redevelopment,rehabilitation,or repair of existing property to be used for workforce housing •Down payment assistance programs for Town staff or others •Subsidies for developments that offer workforce housing,including tap fee subsidies •Pre-deve!opment activities for developments that offer workforce housing b)Base Funding for the Estes Park Housing Authority,if approved by the Board during the annual budget development process,will remain in the Outside Entity Funding budget. The Housing Authority will remain eligible for funds consistent with Finance Policy 671:Town Funding of Outside Entities. Approved: t%2C2) Date Document Title Policy 227 —Workforce Housing Guidelines 12/8/2020 Revisions:0 Town of Estes Park,Town Administrator’s Office Page 4 of 4 76 ! ! ! !! ! ! ! Prepared!by:! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.! Crested!Butte,!CO! &! WSW!Consulting! San!Anselmo,!CA! ! ! Estes!Park!Area! Housing!Needs!Assessment! ! January!22,!2016! ! ! ! 77 500#Big#Thompson#Avenue# P.O.#Box#1200# Estes#Park,#CO#80517# # # # January 2016 Attached is the updated Estes Park Area Housing Needs Assessment, completed January 2016. This study quantifies the community’s need for residential units to accommodate current and projected demand for safe, attainable housing by residents and the workforce. This study continues the attainable housing effort that we started in 1989 and, with dedication, will help us provide the attainable housing needed by our workforce, our businesses and our community over the next several years. Without the financial and logistical support of community members and organizations this Assessment would not have been possible. The Estes Park Housing Authority would like to thank the following entities for their generous support of this project: Bank of Colorado Bank of Estes Park Economic Development Corporation Estes Park Board of REALTORS® Estes Park Medical Center Estes Park School District Forward Estes Park Foundation Rocky Mountain National Park Town of Estes Park This broad-based support is indicative of community-wide recognition of the importance of housing for continued growth and well-being of Estes Park. This study was designed to provide additional information to the community based upon accurate and timely data. Employers and employees who provided information are also commended for their timely response to surveys and questions. Without this input the conclusions of this assessment would not have been possible. The Estes Park Housing Authority presents this report to the Estes Valley Community and its leaders so that there are relevant and accurate data upon which to base sound decisions to help meet the continuing need for housing within the Estes Area. Eric W. Blackhurst, Chairman Estes Park Housing Authority 78 Estes!Park!Area!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!TOC! ! TABLE!OF!CONTENTS! ! INTRODUCTION!.......................................................................................................................!1! PURPOSE!.......................................................................................................................................!1! STUDY!AREA!..................................................................................................................................!1! METHODOLOGY!..............................................................................................................................!2! SECONDARY!DATA!SOURCES!.............................................................................................................!4! WHAT!IS!AFFORDABLE!HOUSING!IN!ESTES!PARK?!.................................................................................!5! ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS!.....................................................................................................................!5! CONCLUSIONS,!RECOMMENDATIONS!AND!IMPLEMENTATION!STRATEGIES!............................!7! DEMOGRAPHICS!.............................................................................................................................!7! ECONOMIC!CONDITIONS!AND!TRENDS!................................................................................................!8! HOUSING!INVENTORY!......................................................................................................................!9! HOMEOWNERSHIP!MARKET!ANALYSIS!..............................................................................................!10! RENTAL!MARKET!ANALYSIS!.............................................................................................................!10! HOUSING!PROBLEMS!.....................................................................................................................!11! HOUSING!NEEDS!AND!GAPS!............................................................................................................!11! RECOMMENDATIONS!.....................................................................................................................!13! IMPLEMENTATION!STRATEGIES!........................................................................................................!14! 1.#Develop#Strategic#Plan#.....................................................................................................#15! 2.#Hire#Housing#Coordinator#.................................................................................................#16! 3.#Guarantee#that#New#Development#Provides#New#Workforce#Housing#............................#17! 4.#Adopt#Accessory#Dwelling#Unit#Regulations#for#Workforce#Rentals#.................................#18! 5.#Create#Workforce#Housing#Fund#with#Dedicated#Revenue#Source#...................................#18! 6.#Amend#Town#Code#to#Allow#and#Encourage#Workforce#Housing#.....................................#19! 7.#Utilize#TownPOwned#Land#for#Workforce#Housing#...........................................................#20! 8.#Encourage#Downtown#Housing#........................................................................................#20! 9.#Support#and#Expand#Employer#Assisted#Housing#(EAH)#Efforts#........................................#20! 10.#Continue#Apartment#Development#and#Redevelopment#................................................#21! 11.#Draft#and#Adopt#Workforce#Housing#Guidelines#............................................................#22! SECTION!1!O!DEMOGRAPHICS!..................................................................................................!23! POPULATION!AND!HOUSEHOLDS!......................................................................................................!23! HOUSEHOLD!CHARACTERISTICS!.......................................................................................................!25! HISPANIC!POPULATION!..................................................................................................................!27! SENIORS!......................................................................................................................................!27! INCOME!......................................................................................................................................!28! SECTION!2!–!ECONOMIC!CONDITIONS!AND!TRENDS!...............................................................!31! NUMBER!OF!JOBS!AND!PROJECTIONS!...............................................................................................!32! SEASONALITY!...............................................................................................................................!33! UNFILLED!JOBS!.............................................................................................................................!35! JOBS!AND!EARNINGS!BY!SECTOR!......................................................................................................!36! JOBS!PER!EMPLOYEE!AND!EMPLOYEES!PER!HOUSEHOLD!.......................................................................!38! 79 Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!TOC! COMMUTING!...............................................................................................................................!38! EMPLOYER!WORKFORCE!HOUSING!PERCEPTIONS!...............................................................................!42! SECTION!3!–!HOUSING!INVENTORY!.........................................................................................!45! HOUSING!UNITS!–!NUMBER!AND!RATE!OF!GROWTH!...........................................................................!45! OCCUPANCY!AND!USE!...................................................................................................................!46! AGE!OF!UNITS!..............................................................................................................................!48! TYPES!OF!UNITS!............................................................................................................................!49! OWNER/RENTER!MIX!....................................................................................................................!50! AFFORDABLE!HOUSING!..................................................................................................................!50! EMPLOYER!ASSISTED!HOUSING!.......................................................................................................!51! PROPOSED!AND!PENDING!DEVELOPMENT!.........................................................................................!53! SECTION!4!–!HOMEOWNERSHIP!MARKET!ANALYSIS!...............................................................!54! OVERVIEW!OF!MARKET!CONDITIONS!AND!TRENDS!.............................................................................!54! MARKET!SEGMENTS!AND!BUYER!PROFILES!........................................................................................!55! SALES!ACTIVITY!.............................................................................................................................!56! HOME!PRICES!..............................................................................................................................!57! AVAILABILITY!–!HOMES!LISTED!FOR!SALE!..........................................................................................!58! AVAILABILITY!–!LOTS!LISTED!FOR!SALE!..............................................................................................!58! AGE!OF!LISTINGS!...........................................................................................................................!59! AFFORDABILITY!OF!HOME!PRICES!....................................................................................................!59! PERFORMANCE!OF!DEED!RESTRICTED!HOMES!....................................................................................!61! Vista#Ridge#...........................................................................................................................#61! The#Neighborhood#................................................................................................................#63! MORTGAGE!AVAILABILITY!..............................................................................................................!64! SECTION!5!–!RENTAL!MARKET!ANALYSIS!.................................................................................!66! MARKET!OVERVIEW!AND!TRENDS!....................................................................................................!66! INVENTORY!..................................................................................................................................!67! RENTS!.........................................................................................................................................!68! AVAILABILITY!................................................................................................................................!70! TURNOVER!AND!WAIT!LISTS!...........................................................................................................!71! UTILITIES!AND!DEPOSITS!................................................................................................................!72! RENTER!PROFILES!.........................................................................................................................!72! AFFORDABLE/INCOMEZRESTRICTED!RENTAL!HOUSING!........................................................................!74! SECTION!6!–!HOUSING!PROBLEMS!..........................................................................................!77! HOUSING!PROBLEM!PERCEPTIONS!...................................................................................................!77! DIFFICULTY!FINDING!HOUSING!........................................................................................................!78! COST!BURDENED!HOUSEHOLDS!.......................................................................................................!80! OVERCROWDING!..........................................................................................................................!81! SUBSTANDARD!HOUSING!...............................................................................................................!81! LOSS!OF!EMPLOYEE!HOUSING!.........................................................................................................!83! FORCED!COMMUTING!...................................................................................................................!84! SECTION!7!–!HOUSING!NEEDS!AND!GAPS!................................................................................!87! CURRENT!CONDITIONS!AND!CATCHZUP!NEEDS!...................................................................................!87! Overcrowding#.......................................................................................................................#87! InPcommuters#.......................................................................................................................#88! Unfilled#jobs#.........................................................................................................................#88! 80 Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!TOC! FUTURE!(KEEPZUP)!NEEDS!.............................................................................................................!88! Retiring#employees#...............................................................................................................#88! Job#Growth#...........................................................................................................................#89! SUMMARY!OF!CATCHZUP!AND!KEEPZUP!NEEDS!.................................................................................!89! NEEDS!BY!OWN/RENT!AND!AMI!.....................................................................................................!90! SEASONAL!WORKER!HOUSING!........................................................................................................!91! SECTION!8!OO!HOUSING!PREFERENCES!.....................................................................................!94! WANT!TO!OWN!VS.!RENT!...............................................................................................................!94! UNIT!TYPE!...................................................................................................................................!95! BEDROOMS!NEEDED!......................................................................................................................!96! LOCATION!ATTRIBUTES!..................................................................................................................!98! OWNER!AMENITIES!.......................................................................................................................!98! RENTAL!AMENITIES!.......................................................................................................................!99! SECTION!9!–!HOUSING!RESOURCES!AND!LIMITATIONS!.........................................................!101! VACANT!AND!TOWNZOWNED!LAND!...............................................................................................!101! FLOODPLAIN!REDISTRICTING!IN!2016!.............................................................................................!102! REGULATORY!ISSUES!....................................................................................................................!104! FUNDING!...................................................................................................................................!106! ORGANIZATIONS!.........................................................................................................................!107! Estes#Park#Housing#Authority#(EPHA)#.................................................................................#107! Loveland#Housing#Authority#...............................................................................................#108! Estes#Park#Economic#Development#Corporation#................................................................#109! APPENDIX!A!–!HOUSEHOLD!INCOME!AND!AFFORDABILITY!CALCULATIONS!.............................!1! 81 Estes!Park!Area!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting! INTRODUCTION! ! Purpose! ! This!Housing!Needs!Assessment!quantifies!current!and!future!workforce!housing!needs! in!the!Estes!Park!area,!identifies!where!the!market!is!not!addressing!those!needs!and! provides!recommendations!on!how!those!needs!could!be!addressed.!Where!applicable,! it!compares!results!to!the!2008!Estes!Valley!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!which!was! conducted!just!prior!to!the!recession,!to!understand!how!conditions!have!changed!postZ recession!and!postZflood.!!It!answers!questions!such!as!how!much,!what!type,!and!at! which!price!points!housing!is!needed!to!meet!the!needs!of!the!local!workforce.! Information!is!presented!on!past!trends,!current!conditions,!and!housing!needs! projected!through!2020.! ! The!information!is!intended!to!help!establish!housing!strategies!and!workforce!housing! policies!that!will!help!provide!opportunities!for!employees!to!live!in!the!Estes!Park!area! and!help!support!the!community!and!economy.!The!information!will!also!help!the!Estes! Park!Housing!Authority,!the!Town,!private!developers,!employers!and!other! organizations!plan!projects!and!best!focus!resources!to!meet!current!and!future!housing! needs.! ! The!report!does!not!cover!senior!and!special!needs!housing,!which!are!populations!that! require!special!housing!services!and!considerations!that!are!different!from!the!local! workforce.!Analyzing!the!needs!of!these!populations!requires!expertise!and!methods! unique!from!workforce!housing!needs!analysis.!In!May!2015,!the!Highland!Group,1!an! organization!that!specializes!in!understanding!senior!housing!needs,!completed!a!study! for!Larimer!County!and!the!Estes!Park!region,!which!should!be!referenced!when!seeking! to!better!understand!and!address!senior!housing!and!care!needs.!! ! Study!Area! ! This!study!covers!the!area!approximately!defined!by!the!Estes!Park!REZ3!School!District,! termed!the!“Estes!Park!area”!throughout!this!report.!!This!includes!the!Town!of!Estes! Park,!unincorporated!Estes!Valley!and!neighboring!area!including!Drake,!Pinewood! Springs!and!Glen!Haven.!Because!the!U.S.!Census!data!on!population!and!demographic! information!is!not!provided!for!the!Estes!Park!REZ3!School!District,!data!is!analyzed!for! Census!Tract!19.03!(Blocks!1!and!3),!28.01,!28.02!and!28.03,!which!roughly!represents! this!area.!!Data!is!compared!to!the!town!of!Estes!Park!and!Larimer!County!where!useful! to!understand!variations!in!key!indicators.!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 1!“Needs!and!Opportunities!in!Housing!and!Care!in!Larimer!County,”!Highland!Group,!May!2015.! 82 Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!2! Estes!Park!Study!Area! The!study!area!is!the!yellowZhighlighted!region,!including!the!town!of!Estes!Park! ! Methodology! ! Primary!research!was!conducted!to!generate!information!beyond!that!available!from! existing!public!sources!and!included:!! ! Estes!Park!Area!Household!and!Employee!Survey.!!An!online!survey!was!made!available! to!Estes!Park!area!households!and!workers!to!collect!information!on!housing! preferences!of!residents!and!employees,!future!plans,!employment,!household! characteristics,!housing!perceptions!and!conditions,!and!other!issues!not!otherwise! available!through!secondary!sources.!!! ! The!survey!was!distributed!as!an!online!link!through!workers’!places!of!employment! with!the!generous!assistance!of!the!Estes!Park!Housing!Authority,!Town!of!Estes!Park! Clerk!(who!supplied!business!license!information),!Partners!for!Commerce,!and,!of! course,!Estes!Park!area!employers!–!both!large!and!small.!!The!survey!link!was!also! made!available!on!the!Estes!Park!Housing!Authority’s!website!and!advertised!through! newspaper!publications!and!other!media!and!sent!directly!to!residents!of!EPHA! affordable!housing!properties,!among!others.!! ! The!intent!was!to!reach!both!inZtown!residents!and!inZcommuters!(people!who!live! outside!of!the!Estes!Park!area,!but!work!in!town).!!In!total:! ! ! 83 Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!3! • 655!responses!were!received!from!area!households!widely!distributed! throughout!the!study!area!and!downZvalley.! ! • Responses!represent!about!800!Estes!Park!area!workers!holding!950!local!jobs!–! or!12%!of!area!jobs.! ! • The!margin!of!error!for!survey!tabulations!is!within!about!2.5%!at!the!95%! confidence!interval,!meaning!that!for!any!tabulation!the!percent!reported!is! within!plus!or!minus!2.5%!from!what!is!actually!the!case.!For!data!representing! less!than!the!full!population!of!responses!(e.g.,!home!owners!only),!the!margin! of!error!will!be!higher.! ! Estes!Park!Area!Household!and!Employee!Survey!Response!Summary! Where!respondents!! live! #!Survey! Responses! Town!of!Estes!Park!425! Estes!Park!Valley!144! Remaining!study!area!(Drake,!Glen!Haven,! Pinewood!Springs,!Allenspark)! 38! Down!valley!inOcommuters!(Loveland,!Fort! Collins,!Boulder!and!Weld!Counties,!etc.)! 48! TOTAL!655! ! Estes!Park!Area!Employer!Survey.!We!distributed!a!short!onZline!survey!to!employers!to! reach!large!and!small!businesses!alike!in!the!Estes!Park!area.!!The!employer!survey! probed!the!number!of!year!round!and!seasonal!workers!(summer!and!winter),!where! workers!live!(commute!patterns),!employee!retention!and!recruitment!issues,!to!what! extent!employee!housing!is!perceived!to!be!an!issue!and!their!associated!level!of! support!for!housing!assistance.!!! ! We!received!generous!assistance!from!the!Housing!Authority,!Partners!for!Commerce,! the!Economic!Development!Corporation,!and!the!Town!of!Estes!Park!Clerk!(who! supplied!business!license!information)!in!distributing!the!link.!!The!survey!link!was!also! made!available!on!the!Estes!Park!Housing!Authority’s!website!and!advertised!through! newspaper!publications!and!other!media.!We!also!followed!up!with!several!employers! by!phone!interviews!to!generate!a!deeper!understanding!of!issues!presented!through! survey!responses.! ! Survey!responses!represent:! ! • 128!businesses!or!about!13%!of!all!businesses!in!the!Estes!Park!area.!! • A!very!large!45%!of!all!jobs!in!the!Estes!Park!area.!!! ! !! 84 Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!4! Estes!Park!Area!Employer!Survey!Response!Summary! !Responses!Total!in!Estes! Park!area! %!represented! by!survey! Employers!128!997!13%! Jobs!represented!3,400!7,571!45%! Source:!!Employer!survey!responses;!Estes!Park!area!employers!and! job!numbers!from!ESRI!Business!Data.! ! Employer!Interviews.!!Several!of!the!largest!employers!in!the!Estes!Park!area!were! interviewed,!including!Rocky!Mountain!National!Park,!Town!of!Estes!Park,!Stanley!Hotel,! Estes!Park!Medical!Center,!and!the!Estes!Park!School!District.!Interviews!followed!up!on! survey!responses!and!sought!specifics!on!employer!perceptions!of!housing,!employee! needs,!seasonal!worker!issues,!employer!housing!assistance!programs!and!other! concerns.! ! REALTOR®!and!Lender!Focus!Group.!A!focus!group!with!four!REALTORS®!and!two!local! mortgage!lenders!was!held!in!Estes!Park.!Information!was!obtained!on!the!ownership! market!including!current!prices,!recent!trends,!occupancy!patterns,!availability!and!what! households!are!seeking!when!looking!to!purchase!or!rent!a!unit.!This!discussion!also! helped!define!housing!preferences!in!the!town,!including!unit!type!and!locations.! Lenders!provided!information!on!the!availability!of!financing!and!the!challenges!faced! when!residents!try!to!buy!a!home.! ! Property!Manager!Focus!Group.!!A!focus!group!was!also!held!in!which!six!rental! property!managers!who!lease!affordable!and!marketZrate!rentals,!including!apartments,! condominiums!and!singleZfamily!homes!participated.!Information!on!the!rental!market! including!rents,!vacancy!rates,!recent!trends,!renter!profiles!and!units!most!in!demand! was!obtained.! ! Stakeholder!Interviews.!Additional!interviews!were!conducted!with!the!Estes!Park! Housing!Authority,!Economic!Development!Corporation,!Town!Manager!and!Community! Development!Department,!to!gather!their!input!and!perceptions!on!housing!problems,! challenges!and!opportunities!in!Estes!Park.!! ! Secondary!Data!Sources! ! A!variety!of!sources!of!published!information!were!used!in!the!preparation!of!this! report,!including!but!not!limited!to:! ! • 2000!and!2010!US!Census!data!and!population!and!household!projections!from! the!Colorado!Department!of!Local!Affairs!(DOLA);! ! 85 Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!5! • Employment!information!from!the!Quarterly!Census!of!Employment!and!Wages,! the!US!Bureau!of!Economic!Analysis,!Department!of!Local!Affairs!(DOLA),!and! ESRI!Business!Data;!!! ! • 2015!Area!Median!Income!from!the!Department!of!Housing!and!Urban! Development;! ! • Current!MLS!listings;! ! • Larimer!County!Assessor!property!records;!and! ! • Existing!reports,!and!of!particular!note!the!2008!Estes!Valley!Housing!Needs! Assessment!by!RRC!Associates!and!Rees!Consulting,!Inc.,!and!the!2015!Estes! Valley!Economic!Development!Strategy!by!Avalanche!Economic!Strategies.! ! What!is!Affordable!Housing!in!Estes!Park?! ! This!report!centers!on!an!understanding!of!“what!is!affordable?”!Housing!is!attainable! (or!affordable)!when!the!monthly!payment!(rent!or!mortgage)!is!equal!to!no!more!than! 30%!of!a!household’s!gross!income!(i.e.,!income!before!taxes).!Although!there!is!some! variation,!this!standard!is!commonly!applied!by!federal!and!state!housing!programs,! local!housing!initiatives,!mortgage!lenders!and!leasing!agents.!! ! Please!reference!the!Appendix!for!more!details!on!the!area’s!household!incomes!and! affordability!price!points!on!which!this!report!is!based,!including!income!sources!used! and!assumptions!made!when!calculating!housing!affordability.! !!! Acknowledgements! ! We!would!like!to!thank!all!of!those!who!have!helped!us!and!have!given!us!their!time!and! assistance.!This!includes!the!Estes!Park!Housing!Authority,!Town!of!Estes!Park! management!and!staff,!the!Estes!Park!Economic!Development!Corporation,!Partners!for! Commerce,!Loveland!Housing!Authority,!Avalanche!Consulting,!and!area!employers!–! large!and!small!–!for!their!assistance!both!taking!and!distributing!the!surveys!necessary! for!this!study,!as!well!as:!!! ! Interviewed!Employers:! • Rocky!Mountain!National!Park! • Estes!Park!School!District! • Town!of!Estes!Park! • Stanley!Hotel! • Estes!Park!Medical!Center! ! 86 Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!6! Focus!Group!Participants:! • Judy!Anderson!Anderson!Realty!and!Management! • Abbey!Pontius!Anderson!Realty!and!Management! • Seth!Hanson!Ponderosa!Realty!and!Management! • Tanya!Trail!Ridge!Apartments! • Gene!Whannel!Range!Property!Management! • Rita!Kurelja!Estes!Park!Housing!Authority!! • Shannon!Faith!Estes!Park!Housing!Authority! • Eric!Blackhurst!Anderson!Realty!and!Management! • Mike!Richardson!First!Colorado!Realty! • Christian!Collinet!First!Colorado!Realty! • Mary!Murphy!Coldwell!Banker/Estes!Village!Property! • Rich!Flannery! • Mike!Louk! Envoy!Mortgage! Bank!of!Estes!Park! !! ! ! !! 87 Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!7! CONCLUSIONS,!RECOMMENDATIONS!AND!IMPLEMENTATION! STRATEGIES! ! Workforce!housing!is!now!of!greater!concern!in!the!Estes!Park!area!than!it!has!been!at! any!time!in!the!past,!even!though!homes!that!are!affordable!for!members!of!the! workforce!holding!lowZwage!tourism!and!service!jobs!have!long!been!in!short!supply.! The!recession!softened!both!the!ownership!and!rental!markets,!but!it!is!over,!and! recovery!has!been!strong,!particularly!in!the!rental!market.! ! The!shortage!of!housing!is!a!more!pressing!problem!currently!than!affordability;! however,!with!housing!in!such!short!supply,!prices!are!rising!and!will!continue!to!do!so.! Many!homes!are!now!needed!and!additional!units!will!be!needed!to!keep!pace!with!the! strong!growth!in!public!and!private!facilities!now!planned.!!Development!of!housing!for! the!workforce!within!the!Estes!Park!area!is!essential!for!providing!the!labor!force! needed!to!fill!already!vacant!positions,!staff!planned!development,!and!support!the! resident!and!economic!diversity!and!sustainability!desired.! ! Commuting!is!not!the!solution,!but!will!remain!an!option!for!some!employees.! Commuting!has!many!costs,!however,!including!those!borne!by!employers!who!must! deal!with!high!turnover!and!absenteeism!among!inZcommuting!employees.! ! This!report!quantifies!many!indicators!that!show!how!the!factors!causing!housing! problems!have!and!are!continuing!to!trend!in!the!wrong!direction.!A!combination!of! efforts!will!be!needed!to!counter!these!trends!and!provide!opportunities!to!meet! workforce!housing!needs.! ! Demographics! ! Estes!Park!is!unique!among!Colorado!mountain!resort!communities!in!that!it!is!also!a! retirement!community.!The!large!senior!population!creates!a!unique!challenge!for! workforce!housing!–!seniors!generate!need!for!low/moderateZwage!service!workers,! compete!with!employees!for!housing,!and!may!not!be!sensitive!to!or!fully!understand! workforce!housing!problems.!For!younger!residents!to!be!able!to!live!and!raise!families! in!the!Estes!Park!area,!significant!changes!to!housing!policies,!regulations!and!strategies! are!needed.!In!summary:! !! • The!Town!of!Estes!Park!is!the!oldest!community!in!Colorado,!with!an!average!age! of!51!years!old!in!2010;!! ! • The!community!is!losing!families!and!young!and!middleZaged!households!–!these! are!primary!workforce!households;!! ! 88 Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!8! • Growth!in!the!population!of!persons!over!the!age!of!65!is!outpacing!other! population!groups!and!leading!to!a!community!even!more!dominated!by!retirees! than!it!has!been!in!the!past;!and! ! • The!incomes!of!workforce!households!in!the!Estes!Park!area!are!lower!than!the! median!incomes!for!Larimer!County,!which!is!important!when!considering! housing!affordability!and!utilization!of!funding!sources!based!on!the!Area! Median!Income!(AMI)!for!the!county.! ! Economic!Conditions!and!Trends! ! The!economy!is!growing,!but!economic!seasonality!is!still!a!challenge!when!attempting! to!provide!housing!for!the!workforce.!The!Estes!Park!area!is!now!experiencing!a!labor! shortage!with!many!unfilled!jobs!–!both!year!round!and!seasonal!positions.!Employers! have!been!active!in!providing!housing!assistance!to!their!employees,!particularly!in! housing!seasonal!workers.!!Despite!this,!the!scarcity!of!housing!available!for!the! workforce!in!the!area!is!adversely!affecting!at!least!85%!of!all!employers.!It!primarily! impacts!employees!holding!entryZlevel!through!midZmanagement!positions.!The!Estes! Park!area:! ! • Has!experienced!stronger!job!growth!than!Larimer!County!overall!in!past!5!years;!! ! • Had!the!most!commercial!development!activity!this!past!year!than!it!has!seen! since!before!the!recession.!!More!workers!will!be!needed!to!fill!jobs!created!as! local!businesses!expand!and!new!businesses!are!added,!increasing!the!demand! for!housing!to!support!businesses!and!employees;!! ! • Has!high!seasonality!in!employment.!!About!3,000!jobs!must!be!newly!filled!each! summer!to!meet!seasonal!employment!needs;!! ! • Has!an!economy!dominated!by!lowZpaying!tourism!service!positions,!although! there!is!also!growth!in!higher!paying!health!care!jobs;! ! • Is!experiencing!a!major!increase!in!inZcommuting!by!employees;!it!is!now!almost! double!that!seen!prior!to!the!recession.!An!estimated!1,000!workers!commute! up!from!homes!in!the!Loveland,!Fort!Collins,!Boulder!County!and!other!downZ valley!areas.!!The!direct!financial!cost!to!commute!for!these!workers!averages! about!$690!per!month;!and! ! • Has!widespread!problems!among!employers!directly!related!to!housing;! employers!report!more!problems!filling!jobs!and!retaining!employees!than!prior! to!the!recession.! ! 89 Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!9! Housing!Inventory! ! Homes!in!the!Estes!Park!area!are!increasingly!owned!by!second!homeowners!who!often! compete!for!housing!at!the!same!or!similar!price!points!as!locals.!!The!inventory!is!also! relatively!old,!creating!challenges!for!local!workers!to!be!able!to!both!afford!to!buy! homes!and!make!needed!repairs.!Development!of!units!has!also!not!kept!pace!with! economic!growth!and!housing!demand,!resulting!in!shortages!in!both!the!rental!and! ownership!markets.!While!the!existing!stock!of!affordable!units!and!employer!assisted! housing!helps,!more!housing!is!needed!in!the!community!to!address!these!issues.!In! summary:! ! • Local!residents!lost!ground!to!second!homeowners!in!the!Estes!Park!area! between!2000!and!2010,!with!the!percentage!of!residential!units!occupied!by! locals!declining!between!4!and!6!points.!This!works!against!the!ability!to!grow!a! yearZround!economy.! ! • Second!homeowners!and!locals!largely!own!similar!priced!units,!excepting! condominiums,!which!are!less!preferred!by!local!owners.!!In!higherZcost! mountain!resort!communities!second!homeowners!typically!own!more!higherZ priced!units.! ! • Homes!are!relatively!old,!on!average,!in!the!Estes!Park!area.!!Most!development! occurred!before!1960!and!between!1990!and!2007.!!Residential!development! has!started!to!pick!up!again!since!the!recession,!but!has!not!yet!reached!preZ recession!activity.! !! • Construction!has!not!kept!pace!with!demand,!particularly!for!rental!units.!The! newest!apartment!project!was!completed!12!years!ago.!Despite!the!extremely! tight!rental!market,!a!rental!project!now!under!construction!was!approved!last! year!for!25%!fewer!units!than!could!have!been!permitted!(see!Section!5!Z!Rental! Analysis).! ! • Just!3%!of!housing!units!in!the!area!are!restricted!with!price/rent!caps!and! income!targets!to!be!affordable!long!term!for!the!workforce.! ! • About!29%!of!area!employers!provide!some!housing!assistance!to!their! employees!either!in!the!form!of!providing!rooms!or!units!to!rent!or!other! programs.!They!help!house!about!50%!of!their!seasonal!workers!and!9%!of!yearZ round!workers.!!The!majority!expressed!potential!interest!in!providing!housing! assistance!in!the!future.!!Further!education!or!a!more!defined!assistance! program!may!generate!support!from!a!significant!number!of!local!employers.! ! 90 Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!10! Homeownership!Market!Analysis!! ! The!home!ownership!market!in!the!Estes!Park!area!has!recovered!from!the!recession! slump!and!is!again!entering!a!robust!period.!The!primary!trends!observed!include:! ! • Prices!are!now!close!to!preZrecession!peak!levels!and!are!no!longer!affordable;! an!income!of!over!200%!AMI!is!required!to!afford!a!median!priced!home!listed! for!sale.! ! • The!inventory!of!homes!listed!for!sale!is!very!low,!particularly!at!or!below! $350,000,!although!is!still!over!supplied!at!prices!of!$500,000!and!above.! ! • 30%!of!homes!listed!for!sale!are!at!least!35!years!old.! ! • Second!home!buyers!are!responsible!for!a!significant!share!of!home!sales.!They! are!more!cost!conscious!than!second!home!buyers!in!ski!resort!towns,!which! results!in!direct!competition!with!the!workforce!for!housing.!Many!plan!to! eventually!retire!in!the!Estes!Park!area.! ! • First!time!homebuyers!are!returning!to!the!market,!although!the!availability!of! homes!they!can!afford!is!very!limited.! ! Rental!Market!Analysis! ! There!is!much!concern!about!the!shortage!of!rental!housing!in!Estes!Park!and!rightfully! so.!Primary!observations!include:! ! • Multiple!events!have!simultaneously!created!a!surge!in!rental!demand!while! reducing!the!supply!of!rental!housing,!creating!a!very!tight!market.! ! • Availability!is!extremely!low;!almost!no!longZterm!rentals!were!available!during! late!fall!and!early!winter!when!employment!is!low.! !! • Rents!are!rising!after!being!flat!during!the!recession,!and!steeper!increases!are! likely!in!the!future!due!to!such!limited!availability.! ! • Turnover!is!decreasing;!renters!have!so!few!choices!that!they!remain!in!units! even!if!they!no!longer!meet!their!household’s!needs.!Availability!has!become!the! only!criteria!when!looking!for!a!place!to!rent.!! ! • Renter!demographics!are!varied.!!Renters!represent!all!income!levels,!age!groups! and!occupations,!with!many!families!living!in!rental!housing!and!relatively!few! singles!and!roommates.!! 91 Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!11! Housing!Problems! ! There!are!many!type!of!housing!problems!in!the!Estes!Park!area,!most!of!which!are!now! worse!than!when!last!measured!in!2007,!the!peak!economic!period!prior!to!the! recession.!!! ! • 90%!feel!that!the!inability!of!employees!who!work!in!the!Estes!Park!area!to!find! housing!they!can!afford!is!a!serious#or#critical!problem.! ! • Nearly!half!of!workforce!households!(over!2,000)!found!it!very!difficult!the!last! time!they!moved!to!find!affordable!housing!that!met!their!needs.!About!375! renters!are!still!searching!for!such!housing.! ! • Approximately!1,150!workforce!households!live!in!housing!that!is!not!affordable! based!on!their!incomes.! ! • Just!over!530!workforce!households!live!in!overcrowded!homes.! ! • Approximately!930!workforce!households!(21%)!reside!in!housing!that!is!in!fair! or!poor!condition.!!This!is!much!worse!than!in!2007!when!only!4%!of!residents! surveyed!indicated!their!residences!were!in!fair!or!poor!condition.! ! • About!700!renters!were!forced!to!move!or!evicted!in!the!past!5!years!due!to! changing!circumstances!with!their!rented!home.!!Flood!damage,!rentals!being! converted!to!shortZterm!rentals,!and!owners!moving!into!their!previously!rented! homes!are!the!most!commonly!cited!reasons.! ! • About!630!employees!are!forced!to!commute!and!would!move!into!the!Estes! Park!area!to!be!closer!to!work!if!they!could!locate!suitable!and!affordable! housing.!!Many!of!these!households!fall!within!the!younger!professionals!and! family!demographic!that!the!area!has!been!losing!in!recent!years.! ! Housing!Needs!and!Gaps! ! Between!1,480!and!1,690!housing!units!are!needed!to!address!current!workforce! housing!shortages!and!keep!up!with!future!demand.!This!averages!about!300!to!340! units!per!year,!which!is!well!above!the!number!of!residential!building!permits!issued! during!any!one!of!the!last!five!years.!!This!is!also!almost!twice!the!estimate!presented!in! the!2008!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!primarily!because!unfilled!jobs,!inZcommuters! wanting!to!move!to!the!area,!overcrowding,!and!the!number!of!retiring!employees!have! increased.!! ! ! 92 Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!12! Given!the!breadth!of!housing!problems!identified!above,!adverse!community!impacts!in! terms!of!loss!of!younger!workers!and!families,!and!employer!and!employee!frustrations! expressed!in!relation!to!housing!problems,!it!is!not!surprising!that!this!large!gap!exists.! ! Summary!of!Housing!Needs! CatchOUp!670! Overcrowding!160! InZcommuters!290! Unfilled!jobs!220! KeepOUp!810!to!1,020! Retiring!employees!520! New!jobs!290!to!500! TOTAL!through!2020!1,480!to!1,690! ! Both!ownership!and!rental!housing!are!needed.!The!precise!ratio!constructed!is!a! reflection!of!housing!policy!as!well!as!needs;!but!the!table!below!recommends!a!larger! focus!on!rental!units!in!the!near!term!given!prevailing!market!problems,!needs!and! trends.! ! Summary!of!Housing!Needs!by!Own/Rent!Through!2020! !!!Low!High! Units!needed!through!2020!1,480!1,690! Ownership!590!650! Rental!890!1,040! ! • About!39%!of!units!provided!should!be!for!homeownership:!! ! o Homeownership!supports!yearZround!residency!and!allows!residents!to! invest!in!and!help!build!a!more!stable!community.!! o Affordable!homeownership!prices!should!range!between!$115,000!and! $350,000!for!working!households!(50%!to!150%!AMI).! o Preferred!product!types!are!singleZfamily!homes,!townhomes,!and! duplexes.! ! • Rentals!are!in!tight!supply!and!in!high!demand.!! !! o Rentals!support!businesses!in!need!of!workers!and!help!new!residents! get!a!foothold!in!a!community.! o While!no!rentals!are!available!at!any!price!point,!most!new!units!should! be!priced!below!about!$1,250.! o Renters!want!pets.!Renters!also!want!their!units!to!be!kept!well! maintained!and!in!good!repair.! ! 93 Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!13! Recommendations! ! The!following!recommendations!provide!guidance!on!what!should!be!done.!How!the! recommendations!are!to!be!accomplished!is!covered!later!in!this!section!under! “Implementation!Strategies.”! ! • Allocate!the!resources!needed!to!make!workforce!housing!a!priority!with!a! commitment!to!figure!out!“how”!to!build!homes,!not!“if”!workforce!housing! should!be!built.! ! • Immediately!initiate!work!on!the!development!of!additional!rental!units!that!are! scattered!throughout!neighborhoods!in!the!community!(accessory!units),!on!site! as!part!of!commercial/institutional!developments,!and!in!apartment!complexes.! Create!diversity!in!the!rental!inventory!in!unit!type,!location!and!income! targeting.! ! • Pursue!the!development!of!additional!ownership!housing!immediately,!though! only!consider!condominiums!in!unique!situations!like!the!downtown!area!and! provided!that!mortgage!financing!is!approved!for!the!units.!Townhomes,! duplexes!and!singleZfamily!homes!in!neighborhoods!with!the!amenities!desirable! by!families!should!be!a!high!priority.! ! • Create!opportunities!to!effectively!use!limited!land!and!financial!resources!for! workforce!housing.!Do!not!let!opposition!by!the!vocal!minority!and!unfounded! fears!unnecessarily!reduce!the!opportunities!that!exist.!! ! • Develop!deed!restrictions!that!can!be!applied!uniformly!to!ownership!housing! for!the!workforce!and!that!include!employment!requirements.!ProjectZbyZproject! rules!would!be!time!consuming!and!expensive!to!oversee.!The!restrictions! should!make!affordability!permanent.! ! • Engage!the!community,!build!momentum!and!develop!capacity!to!implement! strategies!over!the!long!term.!Short!of!another!deep,!multiZyear!recession,! workforce!housing!availability!is!not!going!to!significantly!improve.!All!efforts! cannot!be!the!responsibility!of!the!Estes!Park!Housing!Authority!(EPHA).!The! Town!of!Estes!Park,!Larimer!County,!large!and!small!employers,!private!builders,! economic!development!groups!and!concerned!citizens!all!need!to!be!part!of!a! multiZfaceted!work!plan.!!! ! • Learn!from!other!communities:! o Organize!site!visits!by!elected!officials!and!community!stakeholders!to! wellZdeveloped! higher! density! housing! projects! to! educate! them! that! higher!densities!can!be!attractive!and!effective!in!mountain!communities.! 94 Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!14! !!! o Attainable!housing!fees,!incentives!to!build!affordable!housing,! employment!restrictions!on!workforce!housing,!attainable!housing! guidelines!and!housing!development!regulations!have!been!implemented! by!peer!mountain!communities.!!There!is!no!need!to!reinvent!the!wheel.! ! Implementation!Strategies! ! The!Estes!Park!area!needs!a!comprehensive!array!of!strategies!to!effectively!address! existing!needs!and!create!housing!for!the!workforce!as!the!community!grows!and! diversifies.!There!is!no!“silver!bullet.”!Key!points!to!note!about!implementation! strategies:!! ! • Specific!strategies!typically!address!only!part!of!the!need.!For!example,!Federal! and!State!subsidies!can!only!be!used!to!house!lowZincome!households.! ! • Local!funding!sources!typically!address!the!housing!needs!of!moderate/middle! income!families!who!cannot!afford!homes!provided!by!the!private!sector.! ! • Some!strategies!may!only!produce!a!few!units!but,!in!combination!with!other! efforts,!are!key!for!a!diversified!inventory!of!workforce!housing!that!meets!the! wide!spectrum!of!needs.! ! • Strategies!include!both!“carrots!and!sticks.”!There!are!no!examples!in!highZcost! mountain!towns!where!incentives!and!public!funding!alone!have!been!sufficient.! Sharing!the!responsibility!for!producing!workforce!housing!with!new!commercial! and!residential!development!that!creates!jobs!is!typically!a!key!strategy.! ! • Commuting!is!not!the!solution.!Housing!costs!in!Loveland,!Fort!Collins!and!other! areas!of!the!northern!Front!Range!have!been!rapidly!increasing,!and!availability! has!become!limited.!InZcommuters!from!these!areas!have!the!same!or!higher! monthly!housing!payments,!on!average,!than!those!living!in!the!Estes!Park!area.! Strong!job!growth!has!contributed!to!one!of!the!“hottest”!real!estate!markets!in! the!country.!If!Estes!Park!employees!are!able!to!find!housing!there,!they!often! find!a!new!job!near!their!home!shortly!thereafter.!!Furthermore,!the!cost!of! commuting!adds!significantly!to!monthly!expenses!–!it!can!be!more!affordable!to! pay!50%!more!for!housing!near!work!than!commute!40!miles!each!way.! ! Recent!research!on!five!mountain!towns!(Aspen,!Breckenridge,!Jackson,!Telluride!and! Vail)!found!that!each!town!uses!between!12!and!20!strategies!to!produce!workforce! housing.!While!the!Estes!Park!area!is!unique!from!these!towns!in!some!respects,!it!faces! many!of!the!same!challenges!–!seasonal!fluctuations!in!the!economy,!lowZwage!tourismZ related!jobs,!high!housing!costs!driven!upward!by!second!home!buyers,!limited!land! 95 Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!15! availability,!high!development!costs!and!the!requirement!that!housing!development!be! attractive!and!compatible!with!the!community.! ! The!11!specific!strategies!recommended!for!the!Estes!Park!area!are!as!follows:! ! 1.#Develop#Strategic#Plan# ! The!community!should!develop!a!strategic!housing!plan!to!create!policies,!set!realistic! objectives!and!agree!on!a!course!of!action!that!has!sufficient!community!support!to! effect!the!changes!needed!for!housing!to!be!developed.!This!report!can!be!used!to! support!and!inform!this!process!by!providing!key!information!on!the!needs!and!demand! for!housing!and!why!the!housing!problem!needs!to!be!addressed.!!Key!elements!that! the!Strategic!Plan!should!include!are:!! ! • A!vision,!goals!and!objectives!for!workforce!housing.! ! • Assignment!and!acceptance!of!roles!and!responsibilities!that!shares! responsibilities!among!all!involved!organizations.! ! • Actionable!tasks!with!realistic!priorities.! ! • A!public!outreach/education!component!necessary!to!obtain!and!sustain!political! commitment,!address!neighborhood!concerns,!and!achieve!widespread! acceptance!of!the!realities!associated!with!housing!the!community’s!workforce.!! ! • A!process!for!periodically!evaluating,!modifying!and!updating!the!plan.! ! To!be!successful,!all!organizations!and!the!Town!need!to!work!together!to!implement!an! important!recommendation!from!the!economic!strategic!plan!–!which!equally!relates!to! addressing!workforce!housing:! ! “To! successfully! accomplish! the! Estes! Valley’s! economic! development! vision!and!goals!will!require!an!unprecedented!level!of!cooperation!and! communication.!Setting!aside!differences!and!working!together!toward! greater!goals!is!essential.”2! ! As!the!EPHA,!EDC,!Town!and!other!organizations!move!forward,!information!from!this! Housing!Needs!Assessment,!the!economic!strategy!work!of!Avalanche!Consulting,!Inc.,! and!the!“Summary!of!Estes!Park!Site!Visit:!!Affordable!and!Workforce!Housing! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 2!“Estes!Valley!Economic!Development!Strategy,”!Nov.!2015,!Avalanche!Consulting,!p.!16.! 96 Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!16! Observations!(January!19,!2015)”3!should!all!be!used!to!help!define!respective!roles!and! achieve!collaboration!on!the!common!goal!of!affordable!workforce!housing!in!the!Estes! Park!area.! 2.#Hire#Housing#Coordinator# ! To!implement!the!strategies!agreed!upon!through!the!strategic!planning!process,! additional!capacity!and!expertise!will!be!needed.!Tasks!that!must!be!performed!in!the! future!if!the!recommended!strategies!are!to!be!successfully!implemented!include:! ! • Providing!technical!assistance!to!employers!to!help!them!provide!additional! housing!for!their!employees.! ! • Managing!the!Housing!Fund.! ! • Establishing!guidelines!that!pertain!to!a!diverse!inventory!of!workforce!housing! produced!through!a!variety!of!strategies.! ! • Continuous!communication!with!community!groups!and!public!officials!about! who!resides!in!workforce!housing!and!the!many!economic!and!community! benefits!of!workforce!housing!to!dispel!community!misperceptions.! ! • Coordinating!among!the!agencies!responsible!for!implementing!strategies!(this! assumes!the!Housing!Authority!is!not!saddled!with!full!responsibility!for! implementing!the!Strategic!Plan).!! ! • Working!with!private!developers!to!incorporate!workforce!housing!in!their! projects.! ! • Initiating!ownership!projects!that!target!moderate/middle!income!households.! ! • Acquiring!sites!for!future!housing!development.! ! • Coordinating!management!of!developerZconstructed!affordable!units.!This!can! either!be!done!inZhouse!or!contracted!with!another!entity,!such!as!EPHA,!for! example.! ! !# !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 3!Tim!Gagen!(Town!of!Breckenridge),!Laurie!Best!(Town!of!Breckenridge),!Wendy!Sullivan!(WSW! Consulting),!“Summary!of!Estes!Park!Site!Visit:!!Affordable!and!Workforce!Housing!Observations,”!January! 19,!2015.!!Result!of!a!site!visit!by!a!team!of!housing!practitioners!to!Estes!Park!that!was!organized!by!the! Colorado!Association!of!Ski!Towns!in!January!2015.!!! 97 Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!17! 3.#Guarantee#that#New#Development#Provides#New#Workforce#Housing# ! Insure!that!new!development!partially!addresses!the!demand!for!workforce!housing! that!the!development!generates.!Building!commercial!space,!institutional!buildings!and! residential!units!generates!shortZterm!construction!jobs!and,!most!importantly!from!a! workforce!housing!perspective,!permanent!positions.!Employees!needed!to!fill!these! jobs!need!housing,!and!many!Colorado!mountain!towns!(as!well!as!cities!across!the! country)!share!the!responsibility!for!providing!new!workforce!housing!with!developers,! typically!through!a!combination!of!requirements!and!incentives.!Given!the!wave!of!new! development!now!being!considered!for!Estes!Park,!near!term!priorities!should!be:! ! • Implementing!a!commercial!linkage!program!through!which!housing!would!be! developed!onZ!or!offZsite,!land!would!be!provided,!or!inZlieu!fees!would!be! collected.!This!requirement!could!also!be!used!in!combination!with!incentives! and!act!as!a!catalyst!for!public/private!partnerships.!Commercial!linkage! programs!in!other!mountain!towns!could!be!used!as!examples.! ! • Implementing!a!residential!linkage!program/impact!fee,!or!an!inclusionary! zoning!program!to!require!housing!developers!to!include!homes!that!are! affordable!and!specifically!restricted!for!workforce!households.!Evaluation!of!the! potential!effectiveness!of!each!approach!should!be!part!of!the!strategic!planning! process.!Research!on!these!types!of!programs!in!comparable!communities! should!be!done!to!understand!tradeoffs.!A!study!that!documents!job!generation! rates!is!usually!done!when!designing!linkage!programs.! ! • Adopting!annexation!policies!that!impose!workforce!housing!requirements!as!a! condition!of!annexation!though!agreements!that!specify!number!of!units,!price,! type,!owner/renter!mix,!employment!conditions,!etc.! ! Requirements!can!be!combined!with!incentives!to!lessen!their!impact!on!developer! profits.!Density!bonuses!to!accommodate!workforce!units!without!reducing!the!number! of!market!rate!units!and!development!fee!waivers!for!the!workforce!housing!are! common!incentives.!Incentives!for!workforce!housing!should!be!included!as!part!of!the! scope!for!the!evaluation!of!the!Town’s!code!by!Logan!Simpson.! ! !# 98 Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!18! 4.#Adopt#Accessory#Dwelling#Unit#Regulations#for#Workforce#Rentals## ! Accessory!dwelling!units!(ADUs)!are!often!allowed!and!incentivized!in!mountain!towns! where!land!is!limited!and!preserving!community!character!is!important.!!These!units:! ! • Typically!provide!longZterm!rental!housing!for!moderate/middle!income!families.! ! • Rent!for!rates!higher!than!charged!by!apartment!projects,!since!private!rents! cannot!be!controlled!in!Colorado,!and!the!attractiveness/location!of!the!units! enables!them!to!command!higher!rents.! ! • Contribute!to!the!affordability!of!the!primary!residence!by!providing!a!source!of! income.!!In!other!words,!one!accessary!dwelling!unit!enhances!the! affordability/availability!of!two!units.! ! • Fit!well!within!existing!neighborhoods!in!terms!of!architecture!and!scale,!often! only!need!one!parking!space!given!their!small!size!and!location,!and!can!be! designed!to!be!compatible!with!various!neighborhood!configurations!through! attached!and!detached!designs.! ! • Add!to!attainable!housing!at!no!cost!to!the!Town;!however,!Town!incentives! increase!effectiveness.! ! 5.#Create#Workforce#Housing#Fund#with#Dedicated#Revenue#Source# ! As!called!for!in!the!November!2015!Estes#Valley#Economic#Development#Strategy,!local! funding!is!necessary!to!address!the!broad!spectrum!of!workforce!housing!needs!in!the! Estes!Park!area.!With!lowZincome!limits!imposed!on!Federal!and!State!grant/loan! programs,!local!funds!are!needed!to!bridge!the!gap!between!those!limits!(60%!Z!80%! AMI)!and!where!the!free!market!serves!(near!150%!AMI!for!ownership).!Sources!of! dedicated!revenue!in!Colorado!mountain!towns!include:!! • Property!taxes! • Sales!taxes! • Real!estate!transfer!taxes.!New!taxes!cannot!be!levied,!but!real!estate!transfer! assessments!(RETA)!can!be!negotiated!at!annexation!or!subdivision.! • Development!excise!taxes! • Impact/linkage!fees! ! All!taxes!in!Colorado!must!now!be!approved!by!voters.!Almost!all!of!the!taxes!dedicated! to!housing!were!approved!prior!to!this!requirement.!Summit!County!is!the!exception,! where!72%!of!voters!reZauthorized!a!housing!sales!tax!and!development!impact!fee!in! November!that!was!originally!approved!in!2006.! ! 99 Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!19! Fees!can!only!be!assessed!when!there!is!a!direct!link!between!the!fee!and!the!use!to! which!it!is!applied.!!A!white!paper!summarizing!workforce!housing!taxes!and!fees!and! explaining!the!issues!associated!with!each!type!can!be!downloaded!at! http://reesconsultinginc.com/examplesdownloads/.! ! Several!Colorado!communities!are!now!considering!charging!fees!on!shortZterm! vacation!home!rentals!to!help!address!workforce!housing!problems.!Estes!Park!should! join!forces!with!other!communities!and!potentially!seek!State!legislation!authorizing!the! assessment!of!these!fees.!! 6.#Amend#Town#Code#to#Allow#and#Encourage#Workforce#Housing# ! The!municipal!code!of!Estes!Park!deters!the!development!of!workforce!housing!through! provisions!that!make!them!cost!prohibitive!and!lead!to!underZutilization!of!scarce!land.! Logan!Simpson,!a!planning!firm!based!on!Fort!Collins,!has!been!hired!to!evaluate!the! code!and!recommend!revisions.!The!revised!code!should:! ! • Increase!density!on!multiZfamily!sites!from!the!current!8!units!per!acre!to!12! units!or!more!per!acre!by!right,!with!higher!densities!permitted!in!PUDs.! ! • Implement!more!flexible!PUD!standards!to!make!the!most!of!hard!to!develop! lots!and!improve!the!ability!to!integrate!workforce!housing.!! ! • Revise!the!Estes!Valley!Development!Code!Attainable!Housing!Density!Bonus!to! allow!more!than!a!50%!increase!in!permitted!density!to!incentivize!an!increase!in! private!developer!contributions!to!workforce!housing.!!The!density!bonus!should! be!permitted!by!right!when!the!developer!meets!specified!affordability! requirements!to!provide!certainty!to!the!developer!and!the!community.! ! • Allow!accessory!dwelling!units!in!all!residential!zones!provided!that!they!are! rented!long!term!to!employees.! ! • As!part!of!the!downtown!neighborhood!zoning!review,!raise!height!limits! downtown.!This!can!help!increase!densities,!focus!more!housing!downtown!to! reduce!sprawl!and,!in!light!of!the!recent!flood!and!pending!FEMA!floodplain! remapping,!can!help!businesses!replace!potentially!unusable!basements!and! address!insurance!concerns.! ! • Implement!noZnetZloss!(or!limited!loss)!provisions!that!require!residential!units! occupied!by!local!residents!to!be!replaced!if!lost!to!redevelopment.!Similarly! priced!units!should!be!replaced!on!site!or!another!site,!or!a!feeZinZlieu!of! replacement!could!be!allowed!under!some!circumstances.!.! 100 Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!20! 7.#Utilize#TownNOwned#Land#for#Workforce#Housing# ! Preliminary!discussions!regarding!the!Fish!Hatchery!property!are!occurring.!Develop!a! plan!for!this!75Zacre!property!in!conjunction!with!the!Housing!Authority!that! accommodates!needed!workforce!housing!development!in!balance!with!protecting! natural!areas!and!trail!access.!The!property!provides!a!unique!opportunity!to!provide! moderateZ!and!middleZincome!ownership!and!rental!housing!and!is!large!enough!to! develop!a!mix!of!units!and!densities!to!meet!a!variety!of!needs.!! 8.#Encourage#Downtown#Housing# ! Employee!housing!should!be!developed!in!Estes!Park’s!downtown!area!to:!!! ! • Respond!to!preferences!of!younger!employees!(e.g.,!Millennials)!to!live!in! walkable!urban!centers!with!convenient!access!to!shopping,!entertainment,! activities!and!recreation.! ! • Provide!high!density,!lower!cost!housing!options!in!an!area!where!it!is! appropriate!and!reduce!sprawl.! ! • Add!vibrancy!to!downtown!and!create!yearZround!business!for!restaurants!and! retailers.! ! • Be!convenient!to!public!transit.! ! • Reduce!employee!impacts!on!scarce!parking!downtown.!!Workers!living!within! walking!distance!of!their!jobs!can!leave!their!cars!at!home.! 9.#Support#and#Expand#Employer#Assisted#Housing#(EAH)#Efforts# ! As!is!done!already!by!29%!of!employers!in!Estes!Park,!employers!could!share! responsibility!for!workforce!housing!since!they!directly!generate!housing!demand,! benefit!from!a!reliable!workforce,!have!resources!to!leverage!and!have!expertise!in!their! employees’!needs.!Multiple!approaches!feasible!for!both!small!and!larger!employers! should!be!provided!including:!! ! • An!outreach!program,!particularly!for!employees!of!municipal,!county,!special! district,!emergency!and!medical!service!providers,!the!school!district!and! suppliers!of!other!essential!services.! ! • An!education!program!or!outreach!to!employers!to!explain!how!a!master!lease! program!could!operate.!Some!employers!welcome!the!opportunity!to!master! lease!units,!whereas!others!do!not!have!a!good!understanding!for!how!the! 101 Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!21! program!works.!Education!could!invite!more!participation.!A!master!lease! package!could:! ! o Identify!free!market!units!suitable!for!employees!and!their!pets;!multiple! units!in!a!single!projects!work!well!since!employees!can!rideshare! to/from!work!and!to!conduct!errands;! o Leverage!longZterm!apartment!financing!with!master!lease!agreements;! o Provide!up!front!development/construction!funding;! o Allocate!responsibilities!to!property!managers!(not!employers);! o Build!partnerships,!communication!and!unit!tradeZoffs!among!those!who! need!summer!housing!for!employees!and!others!that!need!winter! housing;! o Provide!sample!lease!and!management!agreements.!! ! • Technical!assistance!to!employers!that!have!land,!underZutilized!space!or!other! resources!for!the!development!for!employee!housing.! ! • Incentives!to!employers!who!provide!housing!for!employees,!particularly!on!site.! Allow!employers!to!construct!onZsite!units!not!only!for!their!employees,!but!for! others!in!the!community.! 10.#Continue#Apartment#Development#and#Redevelopment# ! Market!conditions!(low!vacancies!and!rising!rents)!indicate!additional!rental!units!are! needed.!Construction!of!Falcon!Ridge!will!only!partially!address!existing!needs.!! Continued!growth!in!lowZwage!jobs!will!add!to!the!demand,!yet!it!takes!a!minimum!of! two!to!three!years!to!design/finance/build!an!apartment!property.!As!such,!planning!for! additional!rental!development!should!start!soon.!! ! • Identify!sites!where!densities!of!12!to!15!units!per!acre!can!be!achieved.! ! • Provide!a!range!of!units!priced!under!60%!AMI!up!to!the!needed!80%!AMI,!which! will!require!funding!other!than!just!Low!Income!Housing!Tax!Credits.!! ! • Monitor!rental!vacancies!and!rent!rates!to!help!inform!development!and! financing!decisions.!Learn!from!Falcon!Ridge!when!it!leases.! ! • Encourage!the!rehabilitation!or!redevelopment!of!the!32!units!at!Park!Ridge! Apartments!which!were!built!in!1985.!Additional!units!at!this!site!might!be! feasible.! !! 102 Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!22! 11.#Draft#and#Adopt#Workforce#Housing#Guidelines# ! Guidelines!should!define:! ! • Housing!goals!and!objectives.! ! • Explain!the!Town’s!regulations!in!plain!language.! ! • Specify!unit!types,!sizes,!ownership!price!points!and!incomes!levels.! ! • Explain!procedures!and!qualifications!for!persons!interesting!in!owning!or! renting!workforce!housing.! ! ! !! 103 Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!23! SECTION!1!O!DEMOGRAPHICS! ! This!section!of!the!report!provides!population!and!household!estimates,!examines! growth!and!describes!the!demographic!characteristics!of!households,!including!income.!! Key!findings!include:! ! • The!Town!of!Estes!Park!is!the!oldest!community!in!Colorado!(average!age!of! residents!was!51!years!old!in!2010);!! ! • The!community!is!losing!families!and!young!and!middleZaged!households!–!these! are!primarily!workforce!households;!! ! • Growth!in!the!population!of!persons!over!the!age!of!65!is!outpacing!other! population!groups!and!leading!to!a!community!even!more!dominated!by!retirees! than!it!has!been!in!the!past;!and! ! • The!incomes!of!households!in!the!Estes!Park!area!that!include!at!least!one! member!of!the!workforce!(referred!herein!as!workforce!households)!are!lower! than!the!median!incomes!for!Larimer!County,!which!is!important!when! considering!housing!affordability!and!pricing.! ! Population!and!Households! ! Estes!Park!currently!has!a!population!of!approximately!6,300,!which!equates!to!only! about!2%!of!the!population!in!Larimer!County.!The!larger!Estes!Park!area!has!a! population!of!about!12,400.! ! Population!growth!in!the!town!has!been!slower!than!in!the!county!overall!since!2000.!! As!shown!below:! ! • Between!2000!and!2005,!the!population!in!Estes!Park!remained!fairly!flat.!!! ! • A!few!people!were!added!between!2005!and!2007,!with!growth!flattening!again! through!about!2010.!!! ! • The!population!in!the!town!of!Estes!Park!grew!at!less!than!oneZhalf!the!rate!in! the!county!between!2000!and!2010!(8%!versus!19%,!respectively).!!While!growth! picked!up!between!2010!and!2015,!growth!in!the!town!still!lagged!the!county.! ! !! 104 Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!24! Change!in!Population:!!2000!to!2015! !Source:!!Colorado!Dept.!of!Local!Affairs,!US!Census,!Consultant!team! ! Growth!in!the!larger!Estes!Park!area!has!been!slower!than!in!the!town.!!Between!2000! and!2010,!the!town!added!about!445!people,!whereas!the!remainder!of!the!Estes!Park! area!lost!about!125!people.!!! ! Population:!!2000!to!2015! ! 2000!2010!2015! %!change! (2000O2010)! %!change! (2010O2015)! Larimer!County!!251,494!!!299,630!!329,559!19%!10%! Town!of!Estes!Park!!5,413!!!5,858!!6,306!8%!8%! Estes!Park!Area!!11,348!!!11,667!!12,398!3%!6%! Source:!!2000!and!2010!Census;!DOLA!projections!(Larimer!County!2015,!Estes!Park!through!2014);! Consultant!team! ! Residents!occupy!about!3,000!housing!units!in!the!town!of!Estes!Park!and!over!5,700!in! the!Estes!Park!area.4!!Of!the!estimated!5,735!resident!households,!4,438!include!at!least! one!member!who!works!(workforce!households).!!! !! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 4!The!terms!“households”!and!“occupied!housing!units”!are!synonymous.! 0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000 6,000 7,000 8,000 9,000 10,000 0 50,000 100,000 150,000 200,000 250,000 300,000 350,000 To w n o f E s t e s P a r k P o p u l a t i o n La r i m e r C o u n t y P o p u l a t i o n Larimer County Town of Estes Park 105 Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!25! Households:!!2000!to!2015! !!2000!2010!2015!%!change! (2000O2010)! %!change! (2010O2015)! Town!of!Estes!Park!2,541!2,796!3,009!10%!8%! Estes!Park!Area!!5,104!!!5,395!!5,735!6%!6%! Source:!!2000!and!2010!US!Census,!DOLA!projections!(Larimer!County!2015,!Estes!Park!through!2014),! Consultant!team! ! Household!Characteristics! ! In!the!Estes!Park!area,!trends!in!household!characteristics!very!much!mirror!population! trends.!The!distribution!of!households!by!type!reflects!the!older!population! demographic,!where:! ! • Couples!without!children!comprise!the!largest!percentage!of!households!in!the! Estes!Park!area!(43%);! ! • Relatively!few!households!have!children!(21%!total);!and! ! • People!living!alone!comprise!over!30%!of!households.! ! Household!Distribution!by!Type:!!2010! !Source:!!2010!US!Census! ! !! 21% 29% 12% 26% 12% 14% 43% 7% 31% 5% 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50% Couple with children Couple, no children Single parent households Living alone Other non-family households Pe r c e n t o f P o p u l a t i o n Household Type Larimer County Estes Park Area 106 Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!26! Between!2000!and!2010:!! ! • Family!households!with!children!declined!in!the!Estes!Park!area.!The!Estes!Park! area!lost!over!900!residents!between!the!ages!of!18!and!44,!plus!almost!200! children!between!the!ages!of!5!and!17,!indicating!that!families!are!leaving!the! area.!!! ! • Households!living!alone!and!couples!without!children!both!increased.! ! Data!from!the!2014!5Zyear!ACS!indicates!that!couples!with!children!have!continued!to! decline;!whereas!“other!nonZfamily!households”!(i.e.,!roommate!households)!may!have! increased!since!2010,!which!is!likely!the!result!of!decreased!rental!availability.! ! Percentage!Change!in!Household!Composition:! Estes!Park!Area,!2000!to!2010! !%!change! (2000O2010)! #!change! (2000O2010)! Couple!with!children!Z7%!Z62! Couple,!no!children!8%!178! Single!parent!households!Z7%!Z28! Living!alone!17%!246! Other!nonOfamily!households!Z13%!Z43! TOTAL!6%!291! Source:!!2000!and!2010!US!Census! ! Households!average!just!over!2.1!people!per!household!in!the!Estes!Park!area,!down! from!about!2.2!people!on!average!in!2000.!!There!is!little!variation!by!tenure,!where! both!owner!and!renter!households!average!about!2.1!people!in!size.! ! Household!Size:!!2010! ! 1-person 31% 2-person 47% 3-person 10% 4-person 8% 5+-person 4% 107 Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!27! Source:!!2010!Census! Hispanic!Population! ! There!is!a!small!but!fast!growing!Hispanic/Latino!population.!!About!270!households!in! the!Estes!Park!area!are!headed!by!Hispanic/Latino!persons,!more!than!doubling!since! 2000.!Data!from!the!2014!5Zyear!ACS!indicates!there!has!been!little!change!in!the! number!of!these!households!since!2010.!! ! Hispanic/LatinoOHeaded!Households:!!2000!to!2010! !!Town!of!Estes!Park!Estes!Park!Area! !!#!%!#!%! 2000!84!3%!121!2%! 2010!219!8%!270!5%! %!change!! (2000Z2010)!161%!Z!123%!Z! Source:!2000!and!2010!US!Census! ! Seniors! ! The!town!of!Estes!Park!is!the!oldest!community!in!Colorado.!!Residents!in!2010!average! about!51!years!of!age.!!Seniors!head!about!oneZthird!of!the!households!in!the!Estes!Park! area.!Residents!in!the!larger!Estes!Park!area!are!similarly!older.!!The!unique!age! distribution!is!shown!below:! ! • Almost!oneZfourth!of!the!population!in!the!Estes!Park!area!is!age!65!or!older,! compared!to!12%!in!the!county!overall;! ! Population!Distribution!by!Age:!!2010! !Source:!!2000!and!2010!US!Census! 6% 16% 14% 14% 12% 27% 12% 4% 12% 6% 9% 9% 37% 24% 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% Under 5 5 to 17 18 to 24 25 to 34 35 to 44 45 to 64 65 and over Pe r c e n t o f P o p u l a t i o n Age of Population Larimer County Estes Park area 108 Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!28! ! • Between!2000!and!2010,!growth!was!highest!among!seniors!–!an!increase!of! 35%!(700!residents).!! ! • Data!from!the!2014!5Zyear!ACS!indicates!that!the!65!and!older!population!has! continued!to!increase!at!a!faster!pace!than!all!other!age!groups.! ! Percentage!Change!in!Residents!by!Age:!!! Estes!Park!Area,!2000!to!2010! !%!change! (2000O2010)! #!change! (2000O2010)! Under!5!6%!26! 5!to!17!Z12%!Z193! 18!to!24!Z5%!Z31! 25!to!34!Z5%!Z53! 35!to!44!Z44%!Z823! 45!to!64!18%!664! 65!and!over!35%!729! TOTAL!3%!319! Source:!!2000!and!2010!US!Census! ! Many!of!these!senior!households!were!second!homeowners!in!the!area!and!have!since! moved!into!their!homes!to!retire!in!the!Estes!Park!area.!About!35%!of!seniorZheaded! households!moved!into!their!homes!within!the!past!five!years.5! ! SeniorOHeaded!Households:!!2000!to!2010! !!Town!of!Estes!Park!Estes!Park!Area! !!#!%!#!%! 2000!697!27%!1,306!26%! 2010!957!34%!1,815!34%! %!change!! (2000Z2010)!37%!Z!39%!Z! Source:!!2000!and!2010!US!Census! ! Income! ! The!2015!area!median!income!(AMI)!in!Larimer!County!is!$79,300.!The!AMI!has! increased!only!1.1%!per!year!on!average!since!2010,!evidence!that!incomes!are!not! keeping!pace!with!housing!costs.! ! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 5!Source:!2015!Household!and!Employee!survey! 109 Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!29! Area!Median!Income:!!! Larimer!County,!2005!to!2015! !Source:!!HUD! ! Households!with!at!least!one!member!who!is!employed!(workforce!households)!earn!a! lower!median!income!of!about!$64,500!compared!to!the!HUD!median!of!$79,300!for! Larimer!County.!!This!finding!is!of!particular!importance!when!considering!housing! affordability.!It!is!due!to!the!concentration!of!lowZwage!jobs!in!the!Estes!Park!area! compared!with!the!diversity!of!jobs!and!higher!wages!in!the!Fort!Collins/Loveland!area.! ! To!determine!the!sales!price!or!rent!for!housing!to!be! attainable!by!the!workforce,!costs!are!compared!to!the! incomes!of!households!with!employees.!!Of!total! households!in!the!Estes!Park!area,!about!77%!or!4,438! households!include!at!least!one!member!who!is! employed.!This!figure!is!important!to!this!study;!it!is!the! number!to!which!survey!results!are!applied!when!quantifying!housing!problems.!!The! income!distribution!of!these!workforce!households!is!shown!below:! ! • The!majority!of!renters!earn!under!80%!AMI!(57%),!compared!to!only!21%!of! owners;! ! • A!similar!percentage!of!owners!and!renters!earn!between!80%!and!120%!AMI;! and! ! $69,200 $74,900 $79,300 $0 $10,000 $20,000 $30,000 $40,000 $50,000 $60,000 $70,000 $80,000 $90,000 2005 2010 2015 Ar e a M e d i a n I n c o m e Yearly % Change: 1.1% Yearly % Change: 1.6% 4,438!households!in!the! Estes!Park!area!have!at!least! one!employed!person!in! their!home! 110 Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!30! • Owners!are!much!more!likely!to!earn!incomes!over!120%!than!renters.! ! These!variations!in!income!between!owners!and!renters!are!typical.! ! Area!Median!Income:!!Workforce!Households,!Owners!and!Renters! Estes!Park!Area,!2015! !!Renters!Owners!TOTAL! <50%!28%!10%!19%! 50%!to!80%!29%!11%!20%! 80.1!to!100%!15%!14%!14%! 100.1!to!120%!11%!12%!12%! 120.1!to!150%!10%!22%!16%! Over!150%!7%!31%!19%! TOTAL!2,214!2,224!4,4386! Source:!2015!Household!and!Employee!Survey;!2014!5Zyear!ACS;!Consultant!team! ! !! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 6!Based!on!ACS!2014!5Zyear!source!of!income!data,!about!77%!of!Estes!Park!area!households!received! employment!income!in!2014.!Of!the!estimated!5,735!households!in!the!Estes!Park!area,!this!means!that! about!4,438!households!include!an!employee.! 111 Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!31! SECTION!2!–!ECONOMIC!CONDITIONS!AND!TRENDS! ! This!section!presents!information!on!the!number!of!jobs,!average!number!of!jobs!held! per!worker!and!per!household,!job!trends!and!projections,!seasonality!in!employment! and!wages.!!It!also!analyzes!commuting!patterns!and!the!influence!of!the!current! housing!market,!both!for!yearZround!and!seasonal!workers,!on!the!business!community.!! ! Key!findings!from!in!this!section!include:! ! • The!Estes!Park!area!has!experienced!stronger!job!growth!than!the!county!overall! in!past!5!years;!! ! • The!Estes!Park!area!had!the!most!commercial!development!activity!this!past!year! than!it!has!seen!since!before!the!recession,!indicating!continued!strong!growth.!! More!workers!will!be!needed!to!fill!jobs!created!as!local!businesses!expand!and! more!businesses!are!added,!creating!more!demand!for!housing!to!support! businesses!and!employees;!! ! • There!is!high!seasonality!of!employment!in!the!area.!!About!3,000!jobs!must!be! newly!filled!each!summer!to!meet!seasonal!employment!needs;!! ! • Jobs!are!dominated!by!lowZpaying!tourism!service!positions,!but!higher!paying! health!care!jobs!are!growing;! ! • InZcommuting!has!been!rising!and!is!now!almost!double!that!seen!prior!to!the! recession.!An!estimated!1,000!workers!commute!up!from!homes!in!the! Loveland,!Fort!Collins,!Boulder!County!and!other!down!valley!areas.!!The!cost!to! commute!for!these!workers!averages!about!$690!per!month;!and! ! • Employers!now!have!more!problems!filling!jobs!and!retaining!employees!than! experienced!prior!to!the!recession.!!The!scarcity!of!housing!available!for!the! workforce!in!the!area!is!adversely!affecting!at!least!85%!of!all!employers!and! impacts!employees!holding!entryZlevel!through!midZmanagement!positions.! ! • The!“Estes!Valley!Economic!Development!Strategy”!report!was!completed!by! Avalanche!Economic!Strategies!in!Nov.!2015.!Its!conclusions!are!very!much!in! line!with!this!study!–!to!help!support!a!yearZround!economy,!help!businesses! stay!afloat!and!improve!offZseason!services!to!residents,!the!lack!of!workforce! housing!availability!must!be!addressed.!Addressing!workforce!housing!is!one!of! the!top!three!priority!recommendations.! ! !! 112 Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!32! Number!of!Jobs!and!Projections! ! In!2015,!an!average!of!7,570!jobs!were!located!in!the!Estes!Park!area.!Recent!local!job! growth!has!placed!increased!pressure!on!workforce!housing!needs.!!Anticipated! continued!job!growth!and!new!commercial!construction!will!only!increase!this!pressure! in!the!future.!In!summary:! ! • Jobs!in!the!County!fully!recovered!from!losses!during!the!recession!by!2012.! ! • Jobs!grew!at!a!faster!rate!in!the!Estes!Park!area!between!2010!and!2015!than!in! Larimer!County.!!Commercial!construction!began!picking!up!in!2011!after!the! recession,!with!the!most!activity!seen!this!past!year!than!has!occurred!in!at!least! the!last!five!years.!Based!on!surveys!conducted!in!the!spring!of!2015,!about!30%! of!employers!in!the!Estes!Park!area!increased!their!employment!in!the!region! during!the!past!five!years.7! ! • If!growth!occurs!at!the!same!rate!projected!for!the!County!through!2020,! another!700!jobs!will!be!added!in!the!Estes!Park!area.!If!growth!continues!at!a! faster!rate,!then!about!1,300!jobs!will!be!added.!About!41%!of!existing!area! employers!expect!to!increase!their!employment!over!the!next!five!years.8! ! Jobs!Estimates!and!Projections:!!2007!to!2020! !!!!!!!!!!!!Avg!Yearly!%!growth! !!2000!2007!2010!2015!2020!2010O 2015!2015O2020! Larimer! County!154,580!168,255!165,263!188,707!207,037!2.7%!1.9%! Estes!Park! Area!6,499!5,552!6,042!7,571!8,306!–!8,868!4.6%!1.9%!Z!3.2%! Source:!Colorado!Dept.!of!Local!Affairs,!QCEW!zip!code!files,!ESRI!Business!data,!Consultant!team! *Job!growth!estimates!for!Estes!Park!area!in!2020!is!based!on!the!State!Demographer’s!projections!for! Larimer!County.! ! Based!on!planned!and!pending!commercial! development!projects!in!the!Estes!Valley!and! continued!economic!development,!an!increased!need! for!workers!is!expected!to!continue!in!the!near!term.! ! !! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 7!Source:!!Feb/Mar!2015!Estes!Valley!Community!Survey,!“Estes!Valley!Economic!Development!Strategy,”! Nov.!2015,!Avalanche!Consulting.! 8!Id.! Growth!in!jobs!has! outpaced!growth!in!housing! units,!a!leading!cause!of!the! current!housing!shortage.! 113 Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!33! Planned!and!Pending!Commercial!Projects:!!Dec.!2015! Project!Description! EPMC!Wellness!Center!Phase!I!wellness!center!and!hotel!under!construction;!hotel! approved!for!Phase!II.! Stanley!Events/Wedding!Pavilion!Under!construction! Performing!Arts!Center,! Horror!Museum! 43,000ZsquareZfoot!Stanley!Film!Center!and!horror!museum;! state!funding!credit!approved! Murphy’s!River!Lodge!expansion!Under!review;!some!employee!housing!proposed! Estes!Park!Resort!expansion!Under!review! Rocky!Mountain!Performing!Arts! Center!and!Hotel!!Under!review;!theatre,!hotel!and!commercial!space! Safeway!addition!and!remodel!PreZApplication!sketch!plan!received! Community!Recreation!Center! 1%!Mill!levy!passed!by!voters!Nov.!2015;!to!include!space!for! childcare!and!youth!sports,!yearZround!recreation,!senior! services,!fitness!and!wellness!services,!library,!and!other! amenities! Source:!!Community!Development!and!Town!Manager!interviews;!Current!Applications,!available!at:! https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/townofestespark/currentapplications;! ! Seasonality! ! The!high!summer!seasonality!of!the!economy!and! workforce!in!the!Estes!Park!area!was!highlighted!by!a! recent!study!completed!by!Avalanche!Consulting.!This! study!found!through!surveys,!interviews,!focus!groups,! and!conversations!with!members!of!the!community!a! strong!desire!for!a!“yearZround!economy”!to!help! businesses!stay!afloat!and!improve!offZseason!services!to!residents.!The!study!found! that!to!be!economically!viable!and!support!this!direction,!the!lack!of!workforce!housing! availability!must!be!addressed.! ! In!the!interim,!businesses!currently!recruit!and!will!continue!to!need!to!recruit!a! significant!number!of!employees!each!summer.!!As!shown!in!the!below!chart,!there!is!an! extreme!difference!between!the!number!of!jobs!available!in!the!summer!and!the! winter:! ! • Total!jobs!in!the!summer!are!almost!double!those!in!the!winter.! ! • About!68%!of!employers!report!that!they!hire!seasonal!workers.!!! ! • Over!5,000!seasonal!jobs!need!to!be!filled!each!summer,!making!up!over!half!of! total!jobs!in!the!Estes!Park!area!during!that!season.!Only!about!40%!of!seasonal! 3,000!summer!jobs!must!be! filled!each!year!with! workers!from!outside!the! Estes!Park!area.! 114 Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!34! jobs!are!held!by!yearZround!residents!of!the!Estes!Park!area.!This!means!that! 3,000!summer!jobs!must!be!filled!each!year!with!workers!from!outside!the!area! –!workers!that!need!to!find!housing! ! • In!the!winter,!16%!of!jobs!are!seasonal,!or!about!880!jobs.!! ! • Businesses!in!lodging,!retail,!bar/restaurant!and!recreation,!along!with!other! tourism!services,!are!the!predominate!industries!that!hire!summer!seasonal! workers.! ! Seasonality!of!Jobs:!!Estes!Park!Area,!2015 !Source:!!2015!Employer!Survey,!ESRI!Business!data,!Consultant!team! ! Summer!tourism!is!not!expected!to!decrease!in!the!near!term.!!Rocky!Mountain! National!Park,!the!largest!tourism!draw!to!Estes!Park,!had!record!visitation!last!year!with! near!3.5!million!visitors.!This!year,!the!Park!had!over!3.9!million!visitors!through!October! –!well!surpassing!last!year’s!record.!This!is!a!trend!seen!in!many!resort!communities!and! it!is!expected!to!continue.! ! !! 4,630 (48% of jobs) 4,630 (84% of jobs) 5,010 (52% of jobs) 880 (16% of jobs) 0 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 10,000 12,000 Summer Winter Nu m b e r o f J o b s Seasonal jobs Year round jobs 115 Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!35! Yearly!Visitation!to!Rocky!Mountain!National!Park:!!2000!to!2014! !Source:!!Rocky!Mountain!National!Park,!National!Park!Service! ! Unfilled!Jobs! ! With!the!shortage!of!housing!in!the!area,!employers!have!reported!increased!difficulty! recruiting!and!retaining!workers!to!fill!positions.!With!unfilled!positions,!this!decreases! the!ability!for!a!business!to!provide!quality!services!and!reduces!their!ability!to!generate! needed!revenue!to!stay!open.! ! • In!November,!nearly!700!jobs!were!unfilled!in!the!Estes!Park!area!–!about!13%!of! all!jobs.!!! ! • About!1,000!jobs!were!unfilled!last!summer!(11%!of!all!jobs).!!! ! Unfilled!Jobs:!!Estes!Park!area,!Summer!and!Fall/Winter!2015! !!Summer!2015!Fall/Winter!2015! !!#!Unfilled!%!Unfilled!#!Unfilled!%!Unfilled! Year!round!jobs!540!12%!480!10%! Seasonal!jobs!480!10%!210!23%! TOTAL!1,020!11%!690!13%! Source:!2015!Employer!survey! ! 0 500,000 1,000,000 1,500,000 2,000,000 2,500,000 3,000,000 3,500,000 4,000,000 116 Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!36! The!ability!for!employers!to!fill!these!jobs!has!been!getting!more!difficult!in!recent! years.!!Over!oneZhalf!of!employers!stated!recruiting!and!retaining!employees!has!gotten! harder!over!the!past!three!years.! ! “To!what!extent!has!your!ability!to!find!and!retain!qualified!employees!! changed!over!the!past!three!years?”! !Source:!2015!Employer!survey! ! By!far!the!number!one!difficulty!noted!by!employers!in!being!able!to!recruit!and!retain! employees!is!the!lack!of!housing!that!is!available!and!affordable!for!the!workforce.! Other!limiting!factors!included:! • Lack!of!childcare;! • Low!wages!and!lack!of!yearZround! positions;! • Transportation,!particularly! between!Town!and!down!valley! where!commuting!workers!live;! • The!seasonality!of!town!activity;! and! • Lack!of!a!community!center.! ! Jobs!and!Earnings!by!Sector! ! Jobs!in!Estes!Park!are!dominated!by!three!primary!sectors:! ! • Accommodation!and!food!services!(29%)! • Health!care!and!social!assistance!and!(21%)! • Retail!trade!(13%)! Declined/gotten harder 53% Stayed about the same 34% Improved/gotten easier 3% Don’t know/not applicable 10% “Lack#of#housing,#not#to#mention# affordable#housing,#is#the#single#largest# problem#facing#the#employers#in#the#Estes# Valley#today.#It#is#the#first#question#I#ask#to# a#potential#employee#‘Do#you#have#housing# in#Estes’.#I’ve#trained#too#many#people#who# think#they’ll#be#able#to#live#in#Estes#once# they#get#a#job,#then#they#leave#when#they# can’t#find#housing.”# Estes!Park!area!employer! ! 117 Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!37! ! These!industries!are!related!to!the!dominate!tourism!economy!and!providing!services!to! its!growing!senior!population.!! ! Wages!paid!by!these!various!sectors!show!significant!differences:! ! • Accommodation!and!food!services!and!retail!services!pay!among!the!lowest! wages!in!the!Estes!Park!area,!yet!comprise!42%!of!jobs.!!Median!earnings!from! these!industries!were!about!$19,000!in!2014.! ! • Health!care!and!social!assistance!jobs!pay!significantly!more,!with!median! earnings!near!$53,000!in!2015.!! ! • Of!the!remaining!industries,!the!majority!pay!between!about!$30,000!to!$45,000! (comprising!25%!of!total!jobs).!!! ! Jobs!and!Earnings!by!Industry!Sector:!!! Estes!Park!Area,!2015! ! !Source:!!ESRI!Business!data,!2014!5Zyear!ACS,!Consultant!team! Sorted!in!descending!order!of!jobs!by!type!of!industry.! ! 29% 21% 13% 6% 5% 4% 4% 3% 3% 3% 10% $0 $10,000 $20,000 $30,000 $40,000 $50,000 $60,000 $70,000 $80,000 $90,000 $100,000 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% Me d i a n E a r n i n g s ( 2 0 1 4 ) % o f T o t a l J o b s ( 2 0 1 5 ) % jobs (Estes Park area) Median earnings 118 Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!38! Jobs!per!Employee!and!Employees!per!Household! ! The!number!of!jobs!per!employee!and!the!number!of!workers!per!household!are!used! to!translate!job!growth!into!housing!units!needed!by!workers!to!fill!new!jobs.! !! !! Total!Estes!Park!area!jobs!7,571! Jobs#per#employee#1.2# Total!employees!filling!jobs!6,340! Employees#per#household#1.84# Total!employee!households!3,400! Source:!ESRI!Business!data,!2015!Household!and!Employee!Survey! ! Commuting!! ! As!shown!above,!the!Estes!Park!area!employs! about!6,340!people!on!average!yearZround!to! fill!its!7,571!jobs.!Not!all!jobs!can!be!filled!by! local!residents,!although!many!employers! would!prefer!this!was!the!case!to!avoid!the! problem!of!workers!being!unable!to!find! housing!once!hired.! ! • Employers!estimate!that!about!75%!of!their!workforce!resides!within!the!Estes! Valley.!!! ! • Just!over!1,000!workers!(21%!of!workers)!commute!up!from!down!valley,! including!primarily!Loveland,!Fort!Collins,!Lyons!and!other!Boulder!County!areas! and!Weld!County.!This!is!almost!double!from!an!estimated!11%!of!workers!in!the! 2008!Estes!Valley!Housing!Needs!Assessment.! ! • Employers!estimate!that!inZcommuting!from!down!valley!increases!slightly!in!the! summer!months!to!about!26%!of!workers,!mostly!due!to!increased!seasonal! employment.!!! ! !! “If#we#hire#from#the#valley,#they# don't#last#because#of#the#winter# commute.##We#would#rather#hire# a#resident#of#Estes.”# Estes!Park!area!employer! ! 119 Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!39! Where!Estes!Park!Area!Workers!Live:!!2015! !#!Workers!%!Workers! Estes!Valley!4,760!75%! Neighboring!area*!480!4%! Outside!area!(Loveland,!Fort!Collins,! Lyons,!Weld!County,!etc.)!1,020!21%! TOTAL!6,340!100%! Source:!!2015!Employer!Survey! *Incudes!Glen!Haven,!Drake,!Pinewood!Springs!and!Allenspark! ! Of!those!who!inZcommute!from!areas!down!valley,!employees!travel!an!average!of!30Z miles!ONE!WAY!to!reach!their!jobs,!or!60Zmiles!roundZtrip.!!Based!on!the!standard! mileage!rate!set!by!the!Internal!Revenue!Service!for!2015!of!57.5!cents!per!mile,9!this! equates!to!an!average!commute!cost!of!$690!per!month!per!inZcommuting!employee.!! Employers!trying!to!fill!lower!and!even!middleZwage!positions!have!a!particularly!hard! time!attracting!and!keeping!workers!from!outside!the!Estes!Park!area!for!this!reason!–! the!pay!does!not!compensate!for!the!commute.! ! Average!Cost!of!Commute!for!Down!Valley!Workers:!!2015! Average!daily!commute!miles!traveled!ONE!WAY!30! Average!cost!per!mile!57.5!cents! DAILY!ROUNDZTRIP!cost!of!commute!! (60!miles!*!57.5!cents!per!mile)!$35! MONTHLY!roundZtrip!cost!of!commute!! (5Zdays!per!week!for!4Zweeks)!$690! Source:!!2015!Household!and!Employee!Survey,!Internal!Revenue!Service!mileage!rate,! Consultant!team! ! There!is!a!perception!by!many!that!workers! who!commute!from!Loveland,!Fort!Collins!or! other!larger!communities!prefer!to!do!so! because!they!choose!to!live!in!these! amenityZrich!areas.!!The!data!from! interviews!and!the!household!and!employer! survey!conducted!as!part!of!this!study! indicate!otherwise.!!While!some!do!prefer!to!reside!in!their!downZvalley!community,! these!households!are#in#the#minority.!!! ! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 9!The!IRS!standard!mileage!rate!for!business!is!based!on!an!annual!study!of!the!fixed!and!variable!costs!of! operating!an!automobile,!including!depreciation,!insurance,!repairs,!tires,!maintenance,!gas!and!oil.! “All#of#my#current#employees#want#to# live#here,#thus#their#earnings#would# be#spent#here#vs#in#the#valley.##It# affects#us#on#many#levels.”# Estes!Park!area!employer! ! 120 Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!40! • About!62%!of!inZcommuting!workers!(630!total)!would!prefer!to!live!in!the!Estes! Valley!if!they!could!find!housing!that!they!could!afford.! ! • Of!the!38%!that!would!not!move,!most!indicated!they!prefer!living!in!their! current!community!(79%).!!Another!7%!presently!reside!closer!to!the!place!of! work!of!others!in!their!household.!!The!remainder!would!not!move!for!reasons! including!weather,!quality!of!schools,!and!overall!high!cost!of!living.! ! The!below!table!shows!some!characteristics!of!inZcommuters:! ! • InZcommuters!are!predominately!employed!in!government!and!health! care/social!service!professions.!!A!higher!percentage!of!inZcommuters!are!in! health!care,!professional!services!and!other!services!than!local!Estes!Park!area! workers.!Retail!and!restaurant!wages!are!generally!too!low!to!cover!the!cost!of! commuting.! ! • About!oneZfourth!of!inZcommuters!earn!less!than!50%!AMI.!!The!median!income! of!commuting!employees!is!$60,000/year;!slightly!lower!than!that!for!local! workers!($65,000/year).!! ! • InZcommuters!are!relatively!new!employees!to!the!Estes!Park!area,!with!64%! having!worked!in!the!area!for!less!than!3!years.!Many!inZcommuters!leave!their! jobs!within!a!few!years!if!they!are!unable!to!find!housing!closer!to!their!jobs.! ! • About!57%!of!inZcommuters!rent!their!homes!compared!to!50%!of!local!workers,! meaning!that!inZcommuters!are!not!necessarily!commuting!because!they!own! homes!down!valley.!!Many!of!them!want!to!live!in!the!Estes!Park!area!(62%),!but! are!just!unable!to!find!housing.! ! !! 121 Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!41! Characteristics!of!InOCommuters:!!2015! ! Type!of!Employment! !Source:!2015!Household!and!Employee!Survey! ! Income!and!Household!Characteristics! !!%!inO commuters!%!local!!!%!inO commuters!%!local! HOUSEHOLD!TYPE!!!AMI!!!!! Adult!living!alone!8%!18%!<50!25%!18%! Couple!with!child(ren)!29%!32%!50Z80!22%!20%! Couple,!no!child(ren)!36%!29%!80Z120!22%!28%! Immediate!and!extended!family!!11%!8%!Over!120!31%!35%! Single!parent!with!child(ren)!11%!5%!Median!income!$60,000!$65,000! Other!6%!8%! !!!YEARS!EMPLOYED!in!the!Estes!Park!area!TENURE!!!!! Less!than!1!year!24%!8%!Own!43%!50%! 1!up!to!3!years!40%!20%!Rent!57%!50%! 3!up!to!5!years!17%!14%! !!!5!up!to!10!years!10%!18%! !!!10!years!or!more!10%!39%! !!!Source:!!2015!Household!and!Employee!Survey! 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% Other Information (newspapers, radio, etc) Arts, entertainment, recreation Accommodations/lodging Utilities/transportation/warehousing Construction Non-profit Finance, Banking/Insurance/Real estate Bar/restaurant Retail trade (grocery, apparel, etc.) Educational services Other services (personal, daycare, etc) Professional, scientific, technical services Health care/social assistance Government/civic service Percent of Workers % local % in-commuters 122 Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!42! Employer!Workforce!Housing! Perceptions! ! Housing!issues!are!now!worse!than!they! were!during!peak!employment!prior!to!the! recession.!The!housing!problem!has!not! “gone!away.”!Compared!to!employer! perceptions!and!problems!encountered!at! the!time!of!the!2008!Estes!Valley!Housing!Needs!Assessment!(during!peak!preZrecession! employment),!employers!are!experiencing!an!increased!rate!of!unfilled!jobs!(as! discussed!above),!more!workers!declining!to!take!positions!and!more!workers!leaving! their!positions.!! ! • Employers!are!much!more!likely!to!feel!that!housing!is!the!most!critical!(30%)!or! one!of!the!more!serious!problems!(55%)!in!the!Estes!Park!area!than!they!did! during!peak!employment!in!2007,!just!prior!to!the!recession.!A!very!significant! 85%!of!employers!are!seriously!concerned!about!and!impacted!by!this!problem.! ! Do!you!feel!that!the!availability!of!affordable!workforce!housing!in!the!! Estes!Park!area!is:! !Source:!!2015!Employer!survey;!2007!Employer!survey! ! • About!1,030!workers!were!not!hired!or!left!their!positions!last!year!due!primarily! to!a!lack!of!housing.!!! ! • Over!1,100!workers!(16%)!state!that!they!are!“seriously!considering”!leaving! their!Estes!Park!area!employment!in!part!because!of!the!inability!to!find!suitable! and!affordable!housing!in!the!area.!!! ! 5% 8% 26% 40% 21% 2% 3% 10% 55% 30% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% Not a problem One of the region’s lesser problems A moderate problem One of the more serious problems The most critical problem in the region 2015 2007 “We#must#address#this#issue# now...I#am#worried#constantly# about#being#able#to#staff#my# office.##I’m#already#worried#about# next#season,#it#doesn’t#go#away.”# Estes!Park!area!employer! ! 123 Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!43! o Those!considering!leaving!their!jobs!are!predominately!employed!in! service!industries!of!bar/restaurant,!accommodations/lodging!and!retail,! as!well!as!government,!health!care!and!education.! o These!employees!have!mostly!been!employed!in!the!area!for!1!to!3!years! (31%).!After!trying!to!locate!suitable!housing!for!a!period!of!time,!they! are!now!getting!frustrated.! o They!predominately!earn!under!120%!AMI!–!the!housing!issue!affects! middle!income!as!well!as!low!income!workers.! o Renters!are!much!more!likely!than!owners!to!consider!leaving!their!jobs.!! This!illustrates!the!positive!effect!that!homeownership!can!have!on! helping!to!stabilize!the!local!workforce!and!reduce!turnover.! ! Extent!to!which!you!agree!that!you!are!“considering!leaving!your!Estes!Park!area! employment!in!part!because!of!the!inability!to!find!suitable!housing!that!you!can! afford!in!the!Estes!Park!area.”! !Source:!!2015!Employer!Survey! ! In!addition!to!many!of!the!issues!discussed!above,!employers!noted!the!following:! ! • LowerZwage!jobs!are!generally!the!hardest!to!fill,!but!employers!often!have! trouble!hiring!and!retaining!midZlevel!and!professional!positions.!! ! • Turnover!is!a!widespread!problem!and!particularly!problematic!among!inZ commuters!who!can!find!work!close!to!their!homes.!Growth!in!jobs!in!the!Fort! Collins/Loveland/Boulder!County!area!has!made!it!harder!to!keep!employees! who!commute!from!homes!in!those!areas.! ! • Turnover!can!impact!all!employment!levels.!The!upper!managers!who!were! interviewed!for!this!study!representing!the!five!largest!employers!in!the!area!had! all!lived!in!the!Estes!Park!area!for!less!than!two!years.!! 56% 16% 15% 6% 7% 18% 12% 22% 19% 29% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 1 - strongly disagree 2 3 4 5 - strongly agree Rent Own 124 Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!44! ! • Employers!report!all!types!of!housing!is!needed!–!seasonal,!year!round!rentals! that!serve!moderate!income!employees,!and!entry!level!ownership!seem!to!be! the!most!in!demand,!but!the!shortage!is!extensive.!!Homes!priced!up!to! $350,000!are!needed.! ! “Which#of#your#employees#have#the#most#difficulty## finding#or#affording#housing#in#the#area?”# %!of!Employers!stating!their!workers!have!a!! “Major!problem”!finding!housing! Seasonal!workers!84%! General!labor!(landscaping,!etc.)!80%! General!service!(maids,!cooks,!etc.)!80%! Operations!maintenance!71%! Entry!level!professionals!71%! Retail/service!clerks!69%! Construction/skilled!trades!61%! Office!support!staff!51%! MidZmanagement!49%! Upper!management!45%! Source:!!2015!Employer!survey! ! ! !! 125 Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!45! SECTION!3!–!HOUSING!INVENTORY! ! This!section!provides!an!overview!of!the!housing!inventory,!occupancy!and!ownership!of! homes!in!the!Estes!Park!area.!!It!includes!information!on!market!rate!units,!affordable! and!income!restricted!housing!and!employerZassisted!housing!for!workers.!It!also! discusses!housing!developments!either!under!construction!or!proposed!in!the!Estes!Park! area.!!! ! Some!key!observations!from!this!section!include:!!! ! • Local!residents!lost!ground!to!second!homeowners!in!the!Estes!Park!area! between!2000!and!2010,!with!the!percentage!of!residential!units!occupied!by! locals!declining!between!4!and!6!points.!This!works!against!the!ability!to!grow!a! yearZround!economy.! ! • Second!homeowners!and!locals!largely!own!similarlyZpriced!units.! Condominiums,!which!are!less!preferred!by!local!owners,!are!an!exception.!!In! higher!cost!mountain!resort!communities,!second!homeowners!typically!own! higherZpriced!units.! ! • Units!are!relatively!old,!on!average,!in!the!Estes!Park!area.!!Most!residential! development!occurred!before!1960!and!between!1990!and!2007.!!Home! construction!has!started!to!pick!up!again!since!the!recession,!but!has!not!yet! reached!preZrecession!activity.!! ! • New!construction!has!not!kept!pace!with!demand,!particularly!for!rental!units.! The!newest!apartment!project!was!completed!12!years!ago.!! ! • Just!3%!of!housing!units!in!the!area!are!restricted!with!price/rent!caps!and! income!targets!to!be!affordable!long!term!for!the!workforce.! ! • About!29%!of!area!employers!provide!some!housing!assistance!to!their! employees!either!in!the!form!of!providing!rooms!or!units!to!rent!or!other! programs,!helping!to!house!about!50%!of!their!seasonal!workers!and!9%!of!yearZ round!workers.!!The!majority!expressed!potential!interest!in!providing!housing! assistance!in!the!future.!!Further!education!or!a!more!defined!assistance! program!may!generate!support!from!a!significant!number!of!local!employers.! ! Housing!Units!–!Number!and!Rate!of!Growth! ! The!Estes!Park!area!has!just!over!9,200!residential!units,!which!equates!to!about!6%!of! the!units!in!Larimer!County!as!a!whole.!The!rate!of!growth!in!the!Estes!Park!area! 126 Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!46! between!2000!and!2010!has!been!modest!(16%)!compared!to!the!town!of!Estes!Park! (24%)!and!Larimer!County!overall!(26%).! ! Housing!Unit!and!Occupancy!Estimates! !Town!of!Estes!Park!Estes!Park!Area! !Housing! Units! Occupied! Units! Housing! Units! Occupied! Units! 2000!3,323!2,541!7,696!5,104! 2010!4,107!2,796!8,902!5,395! 2015!(est)!4,272!3,009!9,260!5,735! %!change!(2000!to!2010)!24%!10%!16%!6%! %!change!(2010!to!2015)!4%!8%!4%!6%! Source:!!2000!and!2010!US!Census,!DOLA!household!estimates!(Larimer!County),!Estes!Park!Building! permit!data,!County!Assessor!data,!Consultant!team! ! Occupancy!and!Use! ! Just!over!60%!of!homes!are!occupied!by!residents!in!the!Estes!Park!area;!the!other!40%! are!primarily!second/vacation!homes.!!Local!home!occupancy!decreased!in!the!Town!of! Estes!Park!by!at!least!6Zpercentage!points,!and!by!about!4Zpercentage!points!in!the! Estes!Park!area,!since!2000.!The!decreasing!occupancy!trend!is!not!in!the!desired! direction!for!a!community!that!desires!to!create!a!more!yearZround!economy.! ! Housing!Units!Occupied!by!Locals:!!2000!–!2015! !Source:!!2000!and!2010!US!Census! ! While!locals!reside!in!over!60%!of!the!housing!units,!only!53%!are!owned!by!Estes!Park! area!residents!based!on!the!mailing!addresses!in!Assessor!records.!Renters!who!live!in! units!owned!by!absentee!landlords!account!for!the!difference.! 76% 66% 68% 61% 70% 62% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% Town of Estes Park Estes Park area % o f H o u s i n g U n i t s t h a t a r e O c c u p i e d 2000 2010 2015 127 Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!47! ! Compared!to!the!2008!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!a!lower!percentage!of!homes!are! owned!by!local!area!residents,!with!a!corresponding!increase!in!other!Colorado!and!outZ ofZstate!ownership.! ! Estimated!Owners!by!Place!of!Residence:!!Estes!Park!area,!2015!! !Source:!!Larimer!County!Assessor,!Consultant!team! ! The!ownership!pattern!varies!by!type!of!unit.!More!than!half!of!singleZfamily!homes!are! owned!by!locals.!!Locals!own!just!under!oneZhalf!of!townhomes.!OutZofZarea!owners! own!the!majority!of!condominiums!and!other!attached!product.! ! Ownership!of!Homes!by!Type!of!Unit:!!Estes!Park!Area,!2015! !Source:!!2010!US!Census,!Larimer!County!Assessor,!Consultant!team! 19% 23% 58% 22% 25% 53% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% Other Colorado Other state Estes Park area Residential Units 2015 2007 57% 45% 38% 53% 43% 55% 62% 47% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% Single Family Townhomes Condominiums/ Multi-family TOTAL # % o f H o u s i n g U n i t s Residence Type Out-of-area owner Local owner 128 Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!48! ! Second!homeowners!are!more!likely!to!own!homes!valued!between!$100,000!and! $200,000,!most!of!which!are!condominiums,!which!are!less!preferred!by!locals.! Otherwise,!second!homeowners!and!locals!largely!own!similar!priced!units.!Often!in! resort!communities!we!see!more!second!homeownership!at!higher!price!points!(e.g.! luxury!homes)!than!locals.!!This!does!not!appear!to!be!the!case!in!the!Estes!Park!area.! REALTORS®!indicate!this!trend!as!well,!as!noted!in!Section!4!–!Homeownership!Market! Analysis.! ! Ownership!of!Homes!by!Value!of!Unit:!!Estes!Park!Area,!2015! !Source:!Larimer!County!Assessor,!Consultant!team! ! Age!of!Units! ! Homes!are!relatively!old!in!the!Estes!Park!area.!! ! • The!average!year!built!was!in!1975!(40!years!ago).!!! ! • Almost!oneZfourth!of!units!were!built!prior!to!1960.!!Most!of!these!units!(54%)! are!rated!as!fair!or!low!quality!in!County!assessor!records,!meaning!repairs! and/or!upgrades!are!needed.! ! • Residential!construction!was!strong!in!the!1990’s,!during!which!20%!of!units! were!constructed,!and!remained!strong!through!about!2007.! ! • Residential!construction!fell!off!during!the!recession.!!It!began!picking!up!again!in! the!past!couple!of!years,!but!remains!below!preZrecession!activity.!! 6% 22% 28% 18% 10% 5% 6% 5% 4% 13% 26% 24% 12% 7% 5% 11% 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% Pe r c e n t o f U n i t s Home Value Out-of-area owner Local owners Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!49! ! • Relatively!more!home!construction!occurred!in!the!Town!of!Estes!Park!in!the! 1990’s!through!2007!than!in!the!Estes!Park!area!in!total.! ! Age!of!Units:!!Estes!Park!area,!2015! Year!Built!Town!of!Estes! Park! Estes!Park! area! Before!1960!16%!24%! 1960!to!1969!6%!10%! 1970!to!1979!13%!15%! 1980!to!1989!15%!14%! 1990!to!1999!26%!20%! 2000!to!2009!21%!15%! 2010!to!2015!3%!3%! TOTAL!4,272!9,260! Average!Year!Built*!1981!1975! Source:!Larimer!County!Assessor,!Consultant!team! *Based!on!“adjusted!year!built”!which!reflects!either!the!original!year!of!construction!or!the!year!in!which! significant!remodels!are!completed.! ! Types!of!Units! ! The!majority!of!residential!units!in!the!Estes!Park!area!are!singleZfamily!homes,!most!of! which!were!built!prior!to!1980!(57%).!!Most!of!the!condominiums!(65%)!and!townhomes! (89%)!have!been!built!between!1980!and!2010.!! ! In!the!Town!of!Estes!Park!singleZfamily!homes!and!attached!product!are!about!equal!in! number.! ! Housing!Units!by!Type:!!Estes!Park!area,!2015! !!Town!of! Estes!Park! Estes!Park! area! Single!Family!53.7%!75.5%! Townhomes*!25.0%!12.6%! Condominiums!&!MultiOfamily!21.2%!11.6%! Mobile!Homes!0.2%!0.3%! TOTAL!#!4,272!9,260! Source:!!Larimer!County!Assessor,!Consultant!team! *Town!classification!and!assessor!classification!of!units!as!townhomes!may!differ.! ! !! Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!50! Owner/Renter!Mix! ! Among!Estes!Park!area!households,!73%!own!their!homes!and!27%!rent.!The! homeownership!rate!increased!by!2!percentage!points!between!2000!and!2010.!! Homeownership!in!Larimer!County,!on!the!other!hand,!decreased!slightly.!! ! Homeownership!Rate:!!2000!and!2010! !2000!2010! Larimer!County!68%!65%! Town!of!Estes!Park!60%!63%! Estes!Park!area!71%!73%! Source:!!2000!and!2010!US!Census! ! Affordable!Housing! ! A!mix!of!203!incomeZrestricted!rentals!and!74!deedZrestricted!ownership!units!with! income!and!price!limits!provide!affordable!housing!primarily!for!the!workforce,!though! also!serve!retirees!and!persons!with!special!needs.!!! ! • These!277!homes!represent!4.8%!of!the!occupied!housing!units!and!3%!of!total! housing!units!in!the!Estes!Park!area.! ! • The!rental!units!are!all!restricted!through!Federal!subsidy!provisions!for!low! income!households!(≤60%!AMI).!! ! • The!ownership!units!serve!a!range!from!very!lowZincome!(Habitat!for!Humanity)! through!middleZincome!families!(120%!AMI!achieved!through!a!density!bonus).!! ! Additional!information!on!these!homes!is!provided!in!the!Homeownership!Market! Analysis!and!Rental!Market!Analysis!sections!of!this!report.! ! !! Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!51! Affordable!Housing!by!Own/Rent! ! #!of! Units!Year!Built!Income!Restriction! RENTALS!!!30%! AMI! 40%! AMI! 50%! AMI! 60%! AMI! 80%! AMI! 100%! AMI! 120%! AMI! Cleave!St.!Apts*!10!2005*!1!!3!6!!!! !!!!!!!!!! Falcon!Ridge!48!U/C!4!10!14!20!!!! Lone!Tree!Village!57!1997!!13!32!12!!!! Park!Ridge!Apts!32!1985!!!32!!!!! S.!St.!Vrain!Apts!12!!!!!12!!!! Talons!Point!44!2003!!18!14!12!!!! SubOtotal!203!!5!41!95!62!!!! !!!!!!!!!! OWNERSHIP!!!!!!!!!! The!Neighborhood!30!2007!–! Present! !!!!!15!15! Vista!Ridge!30!2006!!!!!30!!! Habitat!Homes**!15!varies!!!14!!!!! SubOtotal!74!!!!14!!30!15!15! Total!277!!5!41!109!62!30!15!15! *Was!built!in!1932!but!completely!remodeled!in!2005.!! **One!unit!is!now!under!construction.! ! The!Pines!was!not!included!in!the!above!inventory!–!24!units!are!rental!restricted!for! seniors!and!22!are!ownership!without!income!or!occupancy!restrictions.!Refer!to!Needs# and#Opportunities#for#Housing#and#Care#by!The!Highland!Group!for!additional! information!on!all!senior!housing!options!in!Estes!Park.! ! Employer!Assisted!Housing! ! Employers!in!the!Estes!Valley!contribute! significantly!to!the!provision!of!workforce! housing.!While!this!is!the!case!in!many! Colorado!resort!communities,!compared!to! them,!a!larger!percentage!of!employers!in! the!Estes!Park!area!subsidize!or!provide!onZ site!housing!for!their!employees.! ! • About!29%!of!employers!reported! providing!some!sort!of!housing! assistance!to!their!employees.!!! ! “The#quality#of#employee#help# would#be#better#if#there#was# housing#available.#The#only#reason#I# have#a#full#staff#is#because#I# purchased#two#houses#in#the#last#2# years#for#employees#to#live#in.#I# would#be#5#people#short#yearPround# if#I#didn't#have#these#houses,#and#16# people#short#in#the#summer# months.”# Estes!Park!area!employer! Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!52! • Most!employers!that!provide!assistance!own!or!master!lease!units!that!are! rented!to!employees!(98%).!!Some!provide!down!payment!assistance!and!salary! stipends/cost!of!living!bonuses.!Other!forms!of!assistance!provided!include! providing!tents!for!workers!in!the!summer,!RV!pads!and!hookups,!and!assistance! finding!housing!through!local!contacts.! ! • The!Town!of!Estes!Park!has!an!innovative!down!payment!program!for!their! employees!who!qualify,!which!has!been!in!place!since!2002.!!Twelve!employees! are!currently!in!the!program.!!Over!the!last!couple!of!years,!six!participating! employees!have!purchased!homes.! ! Type!of!Housing!Assistance!Provided!by!Employers:!!2015! %!of!employers!providing!assistance! Own!units/rooms!occupied!by!employees!77%! Master!lease!units!that!are!rented!to!employees!21%! Down!payments!or!help!with!mortgage!6%! Salary!stipend/cost!of!living!bonus!3%! Other!21%! TOTAL!128%! Source:!!2015!Employer!survey! *Totals!over!100%!Z!some!employers!provide!more!than!one!form!of!assistance.! ! • Employers!responding!to!the!survey!provide!assistance!to!about!9%!of!their! yearZround!workers!and!50%!of!seasonal!workers.!!This!includes!about!600! workers!housed!by!the!YMCA!and!245!employees!housed!by!RMNP.! ! Summary!of!Employee!Housing!Assistance:!!2015! %!of!employers!providing!assistance!29%!! Employees!Assisted:!#!%! Year!round!183!9%! Seasonal!1,129!50%! Source:!!2015!Employer!survey! *Numbers!represent!total!survey!responses,!not!total!employment!in!the!Estes!Park!area.! ! • When!asked!if!employers!would!be!willing!to!provide!assistance!in!the!future!for! either!their!own!or!other!employees!in!the!community,!about!32%!expressed! interest.!!A!large!47%!indicated!they!were!uncertain/needed!more!information,! indicating!that!further!education!or!a!more!defined!assistance!program!may! generate!more!support!from!local!employers.! ## Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!53! “In#the#future#would#you#be#willing#to#assist## with#the#provision#of#workforce#housing?”# Estes!Park!Area!Employers,!2015 !Source:!!2015!Employer!survey! ! Proposed!and!Pending!Development! ! Several!residential!development!projects!are!proposed!or!under!construction!in!the! Estes!Park!area.!!Most!are!market!rate!developments,!with!a!few!proposing!employee! housing!units.!These!include:! ! !#!of!units!Type!of!homes!Price!Point! Murphy’s!Resort! (proposed)! 7!Employee!units!Affordable!rentals! Estes!Park!Resort! (under!construction)! Unknown!Resort!expansion!Any!employee!units! will!be!for!onZsite! employees! Mountain!Meadow! Subdivision! (proposed! redevelopment)! 15!Single!family!$400,000+! MacGregor!Ave.! Condominiums! (pending!construction)! 4!Condominiums!Market!rate! Riverview!Pines! (proposed! redevelopment)! 9!Townhomes!Market!rate! Black!Canyon!Inn! (proposed!conversion)! Unknown!Townhome! conversion!of!existing! condominiums! Market!rate,!plus!3! employee!units! National!Park!Village! (proposed)! 10!Employee!units!Unknown:!!rentals!for! employees! Source:!Community!Development!Dept.!interviews,! https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/townofestespark/currentapplications! Yes, for my employees only 28% Yes, for any employee in the community 7% No 18% Uncertain/need more information 47% Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!54! SECTION!4!–!HOMEOWNERSHIP!MARKET!ANALYSIS! ! This!section!of!the!report!describes!how!the!home!ownership!market!in!the!Estes!Park! area!has!recovered!from!the!recession!slump!and!is!entering!a!robust!period.!It!covers! trends,!market!segments,!sales!activity,!availability,!home!prices!and!affordability,!age!of! homes!listed!for!sale,!the!performance!of!deed!restricted!housing,!and!mortgage! availability.!Key!findings!include:! ! • Prices!are!now!close!to!preZrecession!peak!levels!and!are!no!longer!affordable;! an!income!of!over!200%!AMI!is!required!to!afford!a!median!priced!home!listed! for!sale.! ! • The!inventory!of!homes!listed!for!sale!is!very!low,!particularly!at!or!below! $350,000,!although!is!still!over!supplied!at!prices!of!$500,000!and!above.! ! • 30%!of!homes!listed!for!sale!are!at!least!35!years!old.! ! • Second!home!buyers!are!responsible!for!a!significant!share!of!home!sales.!They! are!more!cost!conscious!than!second!home!buyers!in!ski!resort!towns!and!many! plan!to!eventually!retire!in!the!Estes!Park!area.! ! • First!time!homebuyers!are!returning!to!the!market,!although!the!availability!of! homes!they!can!afford!is!very!limited.! ! Overview!of!Market!Conditions!and!Trends! ! The!ownership!housing!market!has!recovered!from!the!recession.!Prices!for!singleZ family!homes!now!equal!or!exceed!previous!peak!levels!in!2007.!In!2008,!homes!sales! dropped!off!sharply.!Prices!declined!then!flattened.!The!turnaround!was!not!clearly! evident!until!2014!with!strong!gains!in!homes!sales!and!modest!increases!in!home!prices! in!2015.! ! The!number!of!units!sold!has!increased!10%!to!12%!compared!with!last!year.!!Buyers! have!more!confidence!in!the!economy!overall!and!in!the!real!estate!market,!fueled!at! least!in!part!by!the!“hot”!housing!markets!in!Denver!and!the!northern!Front!Range.! ! While!homes!priced!at!and!under!$350,000!are!in!very!short!supply,!the!market!remains! soft!for!homes!priced!at!or!above!$500,000.!Of!the!singleZfamily!homes!listed!for!sale!as! of!the!end!of!October!2015,!slightly!more!than!half!were!listed!for!prices!exceeding! $500,000.!The!median!price!of!homes!listed!for!sale!in!November!was!$624,250,!nearly! double!the!median!price!of!homes!sold!from!January!through!September.!! Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!55! ! Market!Segments!and!Buyer!Profiles! ! The!primary!buyer!segments!in!the!current!market!are!second!home!owners,!local! residents!and!local!employers.!Investment!buyers!who!purchase!properties!for!the! purpose!of!renting!them!out!or!otherwise!making!a!profit,!do!not!have!a!significant! presence.! ! Second!home!buyers!comprise!a!unique!market!segment!and!are!responsible!for!a! significant!share!of!home!sales!in!the!Estes!Park!area.!Second!home!buyers:! ! • Account!for!roughly!35%!to!65%!of!sales!handled!by!REALTORS®!in!the!area.!In! 2015,!50%!of!sales!through!November!went!to!second!home!owners;! ! • Are!older!(late!40’s!to!late!50’s),!in!their!prime!income!earning!years,!and! planning!to!retire!in!the!area;! ! • May!have!family!who!live!on!the!Front!Range!and!are!choosing!Estes!Park!for! their!second!and!eventual!retirement!home!to!be!nearby;! ! • Are!typically!more!cost!conscious!than!buyers!of!second!homes!in!Colorado’s!ski! towns!where!home!prices!are!higher;! ! • Often!live!on!the!Front!Range,!although!the!percentage!is!decreasing!with!an! increase!in!interest!from!outZofZstate!buyers.! ! Although!it!is!too!soon!for!data!to!document,!REALTORS®!feel!that!the!number!of!local! residents!who!are!buying!is!increasing!not!only!in!absolute!numbers!but!also!relative!to! second!home/retiree!buyers!compared!to!recent!years.!Most!of!the!locals!who!are!now! buying!or!looking!to!buy!are:! ! • Moving!from!a!home!they!already!own!in!the!area.! ! • Moving!up!into!larger!homes,!although!some!(mostly!empty!nesters!positioning! for!retirement)!are!downsizing.! ! • Buying!homes!for!the!first!time.!After!very!few!sales!to!this!segment!of!the! market!since!the!recession,!about!25%!of!local!residents!who!are!now! purchasing!homes!are!doing!so!for!the!first!time.! ! These!two!dominant!market!segments!vary!somewhat,!with!locals!most!often!preferring! singleZfamily!homes!with!three!bedrooms!and!a!garage!for!up!to!$350,000!in!less! expensive!subdivisions!that!are!often!out!of!town!but!convenient.!! Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!56! ! !Unit!Type!Price!Location! Local!Workforce! Household! Single!family! 3!BR/2!BA!w/!garage! <$350,000!Less!expensive!subdivisions,! in!valley!but!out!of!town! 2nd!Home!Buyer! Future!Retiree! Condo!±$350,000!Views,!on!the!water,! “Feeling”!dominates!over! convenience! Source:!!REALTOR®!focus!group! ! Employers!are!also!searching!for!properties!to!buy!as!housing!for!their!employees.!Some! of!their!efforts!are!frustrated!by!Town!regulations!limiting!the!addition!of!residential! units!to!commercial!buildings.! ! Sales!Activity! ! In!2015,!the!number!of!residential!units!sold!exceeded!the!total!number!sold!in!all!of! 2007,!the!preZrecession!peak!year.!After!reaching!a!low!of!249!sales!in!2009,!over!500!! units!sold!in!2015.!Sales!of!condominium!units!have!been!slower!to!recover!from!the! recession!than!sales!of!singleZfamily!homes.! ! Number!of!Sales,!2006!–!2015! !! Source:!Estes!Park!Real!Estate!Newsletter,!Eric!Blackhurst,!Anderson!Realty!and!Management! ! !! 230 233 188 178 193 210 224 230 249 351 130 136 99 71 70 73 105 106 116 157 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Nu m b e r o f S a l e s Year of Sale Single family sales Condo sales Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!57! Home!Prices! ! SingleZfamily!home!prices!peaked!at!a!median!of!$339,000!in!2008,!dropped!nearly!12%! the!following!year,!then!flattened,!before!recovering!to!$335,000!in!2014.!The!median! price!of!singleZfamily!homes!listed!for!sale!in!November!2015!was!$624,250.!The!median! list!price!was!so!far!higher!than!the!2015!median!sales!price!of!!$352,735!not!because! prices!escalated!to!that!extent!but!rather!a!function!of!the!inventory!–!lower!priced! homes!sold!while!homes!priced!over!$500,000!have!remained!on!the!market.! ! Condominium!prices!have!been!more!volatile!than!singleZfamily!home!prices.! Condominium!prices!peaked!in!2007,!rising!15%!from!the!prior!year.!Median!prices!then! dropped!22%!before!bottoming!out!in!2010.!The!median!price!of!condos!has!since! increased!20%!to!$265,375!and!is!now!about!$20,000!lower!than!the!preZrecession! peak.! ! Despite!their!lower!overall!sale!prices!and!greater!price!drop!during!the!recession,! condominiums!command!higher!median!prices!per!square!foot!($197/sq.!ft.)!than! singleZfamily!homes!($184/sq.!ft.).!! ! Price!increases!have!not!been!across!the!board.!Homes!priced!below!$350,000!have! been!in!high!demand.!Homes!priced!under!$500,000!may!command!full!list!price!and! bidding!wars!are!becoming!more!common.!Prices!have!not!escalated!to!a!similar!extent! in!the!upper!price!range.!! ! Median!Sale!Prices,!2006!–!2015! !Source:!Estes!Park!Real!Estate!Newsletter,!Eric!Blackhurst,!Anderson!Realty!and!Management! ! $319,900 $317,500 $339,000 $300,000 $315,000 $303,000 $315,000 $329,500 $335,000 $352,735 $247,500 $284,000 $264,500 $240,000 $221,000 $250,000 $252,900 $227,000 $243,250 $259,900 $0 $50,000 $100,000 $150,000 $200,000 $250,000 $300,000 $350,000 $400,000 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Me d i a n S a l e P r i c e Year of Sale Median single family sale price Median condo sale price Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!58! Availability!–!Homes!Listed!for!Sale! ! Housing!availability!has!significantly!decreased!in!the!past!year.!In!late!November,!only! 88!singleZfamily!homes!and!50!condominium/townhomes!were!listed!for!sale,!excluding! fractional!ownership.!Compared!with!the!446!homes!sold!through!September!2015,!the! November!inventory!of!138!units!is!less!than!a!3Zmonth!supply!of!housing.! ! The!homes!still!listed!for!sale!at!prices!under!$500,000!are!often!“quirky”!or!priced! about!10%!higher!than!their!market!value.!The!homes!tend!to!be!older!and!have! physical!issues.!Sellers!who!have!recently!listed!their!homes!for!sale!often!expect!prices! that!are!higher!than!prevailing!due!to!the!low!number!listed!for!sale.!!These!price!points! may!be!marketable!next!year,!however,!if!current!trends!continue.! !! Residential!Units!Listed!For!Sale,!November!2015! ! !!Town!of! Estes!Park! Other!Estes! Park!Area! TOTAL! area! #!of!Listings!!!! Condos!50!0!50! Single!Family!61!27!88! Total!111!27!138! Median!Price!!!! Condos!$295,700!Z!$295,700! Single!Family!$765,000!$300,000!$624,250! Overall!$499,000!$300,000!$457,500! Median!Price/SF!!!! Condos!$246!Z!$246! Single!Family!$211!$182!$199! Overall!$227!$182!$213! Median!Year!Built!!!! Condos!2000!Z!2000! Single!Family!1994!1977!1991! Source:!!MLS;!area!covered!includes!zip!codes!80515, 80517, 80532 and 80540. ! ! Availability!–!Lots!Listed!for!Sale! ! The!number!of!land!sales!is!up!significantly,!though!lot!prices!remain!far!below!2007! levels.!Builders!are!purchasing!most!of!the!lots!for!construction!of!spec!homes!at!prices! greatly!discounted!from!preZrecession!levels.!These!sales!are!an!indicator!that! residential!construction!will!be!picking!up,!and!that!construction!jobs!are!likely!to! compound!the!existing!labor!shortage.! Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!59! Age!of!Listings! ! Approximately!30%!of!homes!listed!for!sale!were!built!before!1980.!The!average!year! built!for!all!residential!units!listed!for!sale!this!November!is!1987.!!Unless!significant! updating!has!been!done!on!these!homes,!investment!in!heating!systems,!appliances,! roofs!and!other!improvements!will!be!needed,!which!decreases!the!affordability!of! these!units.! ! New!single!family!homes!(built!in!2010!or!later)!command!higher!prices!on!a!per!square! foot!basis!than!other!listings,!but!there!is!no!other!clear!correlation!between!age!and! price.! ! Year!Home!Built:!!For!Sale!Listings,!Nov.!2015! !Single!! Family! Multi! Family! Total!#!Total!%!Average! PPSF!(SF)! Average! PPSF!(MF)! Before!1980!33!8!41!30%!$220!$242! 1980O1989!9!8!17!12%!$230!$185! 1990O1999!27!9!36!26%!$259!$266! 2000O2009!18!22!40!29%!$208!$254! 2010!or!later!1!3!4!3%!$346!$244! TOTAL!88!50!138!100%!$227!$213! Source:!MLS! ! Affordability!of!Home!Prices! ! Even!though!prices!have!not!returned!to!previous!peak!levels,!they!are!still!too!high!for! most!workforce!households.!A!household!earning!an!income!of!$169,000!(or!about! 217%!AMI!for!Larimer!County)!is!needed!to!afford!the!medianZpriced!single!family!home! listed!for!sale!in!the!Estes!Park!area.!!Because!the!median!income!of!workforce! households!is!lower!than!the!Larimer!County!AMI,!an!Estes!Park!workforce!household! must!earn!262%!of!the!local!AMI!to!afford!the!median!priced!home.! ! Even!with!prices!that!are!still!much!lower!than!the!preZrecession!peak,!condominiums! do!not!pass!the!standard!affordability!test.!Incomes!over!100%!AMI!($80,000)!are! required!to!afford!the!median!price!multiZfamily!unit!listed!for!sale.!! ! !! Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!60! Median!Price!of!Residential!Homes!for!Sale!in!Estes!Park!Area!(Nov.!2015)! Household!Income!Compared!to!Income!Needed!to!Afford!Median!Home! ! !Source:!HUD,!Consultant!team,!MLS!courtesy!of!Eric!Blackhurst! ! Of!the!138!residential!units!listed!for!sale!as!of!November,!only!25!were!affordably! priced!for!households!with!incomes!at!or!below!100%!AMI.!Of!these,!18!were! condominiums!which!are!typically!not!well!suited!for!families!and!larger!households.! Buyers!have!few!choices!unless!their!incomes!exceed!150%!AMI.!! ! Low!income!households!(earning!under!80%!AMI)!have!few!options!for!homeownership.! Of!the!15!units!that!are!potentially!affordable,!nine!are!condominiums!that!may!have! cost!prohibitive!homeowners!association!dues,!and!the!units!are!old!(average!year!built! –!1965),!likely!needing!costly!improvements.! ! !! $624,250 $295,700 $169,000 $80,000 $77,800 $77,800 $64,500 $64,500 $0 $50,000 $100,000 $150,000 $200,000 $250,000 $300,000 $0 $100,000 $200,000 $300,000 $400,000 $500,000 $600,000 Single Family Multi Family Ho u s e h o l d I n c o m e s Me d i a n H o m e S a l e P r i c e Median sale price Income needed to afford median home Median household income (County) Median Estes Park Employed household income Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!61! Affordability!by!Unit!Type:!!For!Sale!Listings,!Nov.!2015! !Single!! Family! Multi! Family!Total!Units!Percent!of! Total! Average! Year!Built! <50%!0!0!0!0%!NA! 50%!to!80%!6!9!15!11%!1965! 80.1!to!100%!1!9!10!7%!1997! 100.1!to!120%!7!6!13!9%!1986! 120.1!to!150%!4!9!13!9%!1987! Over!150%!70!17!87!63%!1989! TOTAL!88!50!138!100%!1987! Source:!MLS!courtesy!of!Eric!Blackhurst! ! Performance!of!Deed!Restricted!Homes! Vista#Ridge# ! Project!Description!ZZ!Vista!Ridge!was!developed!by!Estes!Investors,!LLC,!a!partnership! between!the!Estes!Park!Housing!Authority!and!a!group!of!local!investors.!Of!the!59! condominiums,!30!were!initially!priced!to!be!affordable!for!households!with!incomes!no! greater!than!80%!AMI.!This!property!demonstrates!the!marketability!of!deed! restrictions!and!of!mixing!affordable,!deed!restricted!homes!with!market!rate!units.! Deed!restrictions!on!one!unit!were!lost!during!foreclosure.!The!remaining!29!deed! restricted!units:! ! • Are!price,!income!(80%!AMI!or!less),!resale!and!appreciation!restricted,!but!not! employment!restricted.!Some!of!the!units!were!sold!to!retirees.! ! • Have!either!two!or!three!bedrooms,!all!with!an!attached!garage! ! • Come!with!a!$50,000!soft!second!mortgage!that!is!nonZserviceable!and!would! only!be!due!if!a!violation!of!the!deed!restriction!were!to!occur,!in!which!case!the! amount!payable!would!include!10%!interest!from!the!date!of!closing.!!! ! • Are!limited!to!half!of!market!appreciation!as!determined!by!an!appraisal.!Resale! prices!can!include!real!estate!agent!commissions!and!preZapproved!capital! improvements.! ! • Were!financed!in!part!with!fee!waivers!from!the!Town!of!Estes!Park!and!grants! from!the!Colorado!Division!of!Housing.!! ! Rate!of!Sales!–!These!deed!restricted!condominiums!initially!sold!at!the!rate!of!6.25! units!per!year!but,!with!the!recession,!the!last!five!homes!to!be!completed!were! temporarily!rented.!ReZsales!are!now!occurring!at!the!rate!of!roughly!five!units!per!year.! Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!62! ! Prices!and!Affordability!Z!The!deedZrestricted!units!were!initially!priced!as!low!as! $200,000;!however,!construction!costs!rose!sharply,!forcing!prices!upward.!Prior!to!the! recession,!prices!had!increased!to!between!$220,000!and!$241,000!depending!upon!the! number!of!bedrooms,!floor!plan!and!inclusion!of!fireplaces.!ReZsale!prices!have!ranged! from!about!5.5%!to!nearly!12%!higher!than!initial!prices,!during!a!time!when!there!was! little!appreciation!in!market!prices.!Two!sales!in!2015,!both!for!threeZbedroom!homes,! were!for!$239,900!and!$271,250.! ! Initial!and!ReOsale!Prices!at!Vista!Ridge! Purchase!Price!Resale! Price! Increase! $226,500!$242,515!7.07%! $225,000!$251,525!11.79%! $237,932!$250,929!5.46%! $237,942!$258,000!8.43%! $205,000!$222,000!8.29%! $228,000!$245,332!7.60%! $236,000!$258,415!9.50%! $228,053!$246,959!8.29%! Source:!Estes!Park!Housing!Authority! ! The!freeZmarket!units!were!initially!listed!for!sale!at!prices!ranging!from!$264,500!(3! units)!to!$325,000.!!They!sold!at!roughly!the!same!rate!as!the!deed!restricted!units!for! about!$45,000!more!per!unit.! ! Availability!ZZ!No!homes!are!currently!available!for!purchase.!EPHA!determines!the! maximum!allowable!resale!price!but!does!not!maintain!a!wait!list.!Units!are!listed!with! REALTORS®!when!they!become!available;!their!commissions!add!to!the!escalation!in! prices.! ! Lessons!Learned!–!EPHA!learned!two!!lessons!from!Vista!Ridge:! ! • Development!of!deed!restricted!ownership!housing!in!the!future!should!focus!on! compact!singleZfamily!homes,!duplexes!and!townhomes!that!are!designed!for! families!rather!than!condominiums.! ! • Efforts!are!needed!to!educate!the!public!about!who!Vista!Ridge!serves!and!who! future!deed!restricted!developments!could!house.!Although!Vista!Ridge!has! performed!well,!there!is!a!perception!that!deed!restrictions!mean!low!income! housing,!which!is!perceived!negatively!by!some.!! ! !# Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!63! The#Neighborhood# ! Project!Description!ZZ!The!Neighborhood!subdivision,!developed!by!Pawnee!Meadows,! LLC,!consists!of!32!singleZfamily!residential!lots,!and!two!commercial!lots.!!Utilizing!a! 50%!density!bonus!allowing!12Zunits!per!acre!instead!of!only!8Zunits,!it!provides!new! singleZfamily!homes!at!the!lowest!prices!in!the!area!without!direct!financial!subsidies.!! ! • All!units!are!singleZfamily!homes!manufactured!off!site!then!placed!on! foundations!with!a!crawl!space!or!unfinished!basements.! ! • Units!each!have!three!bedrooms!in!1,305!square!feet,!but!several!of!the!buyers! have!removed!one!wall,!eliminating!a!bedroom!and!enlarging!the!living!room.! ! • 17!homes!are!deed!restricted!for!30!years!for!households!earning!125!%!AMI!or! less,!with!prices!determined!by!limiting!the!amount!of!income!that!buyers!can! spend!on!their!housing!payment!to!no!more!than!40%.!There!are!no!limits!on! capital!improvements!that!can!raise!prices!above!levels!affordable!at!125%!AMI,! thus!making!it!difficult!for!owners!to!sell!their!homes!at!recoup!their!investment.!! ! • EPHA!incomeZqualifies!potential!buyers.!! ! • The!Town!is!allowed!to!charge!0.5%!of!the!sale!price!for!each!transaction!to! cover!administration!of!the!deed!restrictions.! ! Rate!of!Sales!–!From!2009!through!2015,!23!homes!sold.!Homes!in!the!two!categories! initially!sold!at!about!the!same!pace.!The!similar!performance!of!units!in!the!two!income! categories!is!an!indication!of!the!acceptability!of!deed!restrictions!with!price!caps!and! evidence!of!the!demand!for!entryZlevel!homeownership!product!at!a!variety!of!price! points.! ! Prices!and!Affordability!ZZ!In!2007,!homes!were!listed!for!sale!at!prices!ranging!from! around!$220,000!to!$240,000.!In!2015,!the!three!homes!that!were!sold!ranged!in!price! from!$236,480!to!$299,000.!Prices!have!averaged!$266,725!over!the!past!seven!years.! ! Availability!ZZ!No!homes!are!currently!listed!for!sale.!One!1,792!square!foot!unit!was! under!contract!in!November!for!$295,000.!! ! Lessons!Learned! ! • Single!family!homes!make!it!possible!for!buyers!to!choose!among!a!variety!of! competitivelyZpriced!mortgages.! ! • Deed!restrictions!with!income!limits!do!not!greatly!impact!initial!sales!or!resales! Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!64! Mortgage!Availability! ! Mortgage!lending!has!really!picked!up!in!the!past!15!months!and!lenders!saw!an! increase!in!construction!loan!activity!this!in!summer!of!2015.!! ! For!singleZfamily!homes!and!townhomes,!conventional!and!governmentZbacked! mortgages!are!readily!available!in!the!Estes!Park!area!at!competitive!rates.! Condominium!financing,!however,!remains!problematic.!Since!the!mortgage!melt!down! of!2008,!the!industry!has!gone!through!many!changes!that!have!limited!condominium! financing!primarily!to!portfolio!loans!(i.e.,!loans!not!sold!on!the!secondary!market).! These!changes!include:! ! • Enforcement!of!underwriting!criteria!on!the!number!of!shortZterm!rentals!that! can!be!located!within!the!project.! ! • Prohibition!of!any!onZsite!rental!offices!–!looks!too!much!like!a!condoZhotel!to! lenders.! ! • Tight!limits!on!the!amount!of!commercial!space!that!can!be!within!the!project.! ! • No!more!“spot”!loans!by!FHA,!USDA!and!VA!in!projects!that!are!not!FHAZ approved.!! ! In!the!Estes!Park!area:! ! • Local!residents!are!most!likely!to!obtain!conventional!(Fannie!Mae/Freddie!Mac)! mortgages!with!5%!to!10%!down.! ! • USDA!loans!with!zero!down!were!popular,!but!lending!guidelines!became!more! restrictive!in!June!and!again!in!October.!!These!changes!along!with!higher!home! prices!all!contribute!to!making!it!more!difficult!to!qualify!for!a!USDA!loan.! ! • The!FHA!loan!limit!is!$300,000!which!limits!its!utilization!because!home!prices! are!too!high!in!Estes!Park.!Three!condominium!projects!are!FHA!approved:!Pine! Meadow,!Thatchtop!Mountain!and!Vista!Ridge,!although!expirations!are! forthcoming!and!renewals!are!needed.! ! Deed!restrictions!on!condominiums!can!be!a!problem!for!conventional!lenders.!The! restrictions!further!compound!the!difficulty!of!lending!on!condos!although!conventional! mortgages!have!been!obtained!on!the!deed!restricted!units!at!Vista!Ridge.!The!deed! restricted!units!at!Vista!Ridge!have!soft!second!loans!with!EPHA!that!requires!FHA!or!VA! loans!be!obtained.! ! Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!65! At!least!one!local!bank!provides!portfolio!loans!with!interest!rates!fixed!for!a!maximum! of!five!years!and!a!20%!down!payment!requirement.!The!lender!has!no!problems!with! condominiums!or!deed!restrictions.! ! Qualifying!firstZtime!buyers!can!be!difficult!due!to!credit!problems!and! seasonal/fluctuating!employment!patterns.!Appraisals,!however,!are!not!typically!a! problem!these!days!if!appraisers!familiar!with!the!Estes!Park!area!are!used.!Sales!of! comparable!units!are!typically!adequate!for!documenting!values.! ! HOA’s!may!have!budgetZrelated!concerns!that!must!be!addressed!in!order!for!mortgage! lenders!to!provide!loans!on!member!condominiums.!HOA!fees!generally!run!$125!to! $185!per!month!but!can!be!much!higher.!REALTORS®!perceive!that!some!properties! charge!higher!HOA!fees!to!“weed!out”!buyers.! ! ! ! !! Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!66! SECTION!5!–!RENTAL!MARKET!ANALYSIS! ! This!section!of!the!report!presents!the!inventory!of!rental!units,!their!condition/age,! rents,!and!vacancies.!!It!identifies!trends!in!the!occupancy!and!price!of!rental!units!and! evaluates!both!market!rate!and!affordable!rentals.!! ! Key!takeaways:! ! • Multiple!events!have!simultaneously!created!a!surge!in!rental!demand!while! reducing!the!supply!of!rental!housing,!creating!a!very!tight!market.! ! • Availability!is!extremely!low;!almost!no!longZterm!rentals!were!available!during! late!fall!and!early!winter!when!employment!is!low.!! ! • Rents!are!rising!after!being!flat!during!the!recession,!and!steeper!increases!are! likely!in!the!future!due!to!such!limited!availability.! ! • Turnover!is!decreasing;!renters!have!so!few!choices!that!they!remain!in!units! even!if!they!no!longer!meet!their!households!needs.!Renters!must!take!what! they!can!get.! ! • Renter!demographics!are!varied;!renters!represent!all!income!levels,!age!groups! and!occupations,!with!many!families!living!in!rental!housing!and!relatively!few! singles!and!roommates.!! ! Market!Overview!and!Trends! ! The!rental!market!in!the!Estes!Park!area!has!been!impacted!by!a!“perfect!storm”!of! factors!that!have!created!the!tightest!market!conditions!in!memory!and!resulted!in! rising!rent.!! ! • Increased!Visitors!–!As!is!typical!in!other!Colorado!mountain!resort!towns,!Estes! Park!is!experiencing!recordingZsetting!visitation.!The!number!of!visitors!during! peak!summer!months!is!up!and!the!season!is!growing!longer.!In!2015,!October! was!much!busier!than!in!years!past.!Visit!Estes!Park!is!credited!with!doing!a!great! job!marketing!Estes!Park.!New!festivals!are!diversifying!the!activities!appreciated! by!locals!and!visitors!alike.!!Increased!visitation!increases!housing!demand!in! several!ways:! ! o Through!the!jobs!generated,!primarily!in!food!service,!accommodations,! retail!and!recreation;! ! Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!67! o From!exposure!that!leads!visitors!to!become!residents;!the!more!people! who!visit!Estes!Park,!the!more!who!want!to!move!there;!and! ! o Indirectly!through!demand!for!shortZterm!rental!units!and!second!homes! by!visitors,!affecting!the!availability!of!longZterm!rental!units!for! residents.! ! • High!Park!Fire!–!20!homes!were!lost!to!the!fire,!15!of!which!were!occupied!by! local!residents!who!needed!to!find!alternative!housing.! ! • September!2013!Flood!–!While!80!homes!in!the!area!were!lost!to!the!flood,! many!of!these!were!vacation!cabins.!Residents!of!the!area!who!were!displaced! due!to!access!being!cut!off!needed!rental!housing!short!term!until!roads!and! bridges!were!reconstructed.!The!flood!has!not!had!a!significant!longZterm!impact! on!the!rental!market!but!could!still!impact!it!through!changes!in!flood!plain! boundaries.! ! • Loss!of!Units!–!At#the#same#time#rental#demand#was#increasing#from#the#factors# mentioned#above,#the#size#of#the#rental#inventory#declined.!LongZterm!rentals! occupied!by!the!workforce!have!been!sold!to!new!owners!as!the!market! recovered!or!converted!into!shortZterm!vacation!home!rentals,!both!of!which! displaced!renters!and!permanently!reduced!the!supply!of!rental!housing.! ! Inventory! ! Half!of!the!workforce!households!in!the!Estes!Park!area!rent,!which!equates!to!2,214! renterZoccupied!housing!units!that!include!at!least!one!employee.!This!rental!inventory! exhibits!the!following!physical!and!market!characteristics:! ! • Rentals!are!primarily!individuallyZowned!condominiums!and!singleZfamily!homes;! approximately!half!are!professionally!managed!while!the!others!are! leased/maintained!by!their!owners.! ! • Apartment!complexes!in!the!area!are!small,!publicly!subsidized,!income! restricted!and!combined!have!only!155!units!(not!including!apartments! restricted!for!seniors).!! ! • There!are!no!free!market!apartment!complexes!in!Estes!Park,!likely!the!result!of! few!sites,!high!land!costs,!low!density!limits,!high!construction!costs!and!lowZ wage!jobs!that!constrain!how!much!can!be!charged!for!rent.!!The!largest!market! apartment!building!identified!has!12!units.!! ! Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!68! • The!size!of!the!longZterm!rental!portfolios!managed!by!professionals!appears!to! be!holding!relatively!steady.!!Their!greatest!loss!has!been!the!result!of!the! recovery!in!the!ownership!market!making!it!now!possible!to!sell!homes!that! were!rented!during!the!recession.! ! • Conversion!from!longZterm!into!shortZterm!vacation!rentals!has!not!significantly! impacted!professionally!managed!units.!Property!managers!demonstrate!to! owners!that!renting!long!term!generates!higher!revenues!through!lower! operating!costs!(cleaning,!management!fees,!etc.)!and!higher!occupancy!(year! round!vs!three!to!four!months).!The!decision!factor!is!usually!the!extent!to!which! the!owner!wants!the!home!to!be!available!for!personal!use.!! ! • Sharing!units!between!shortZterm!vacation!renters!and!longZterm!renters!is! rarely!done!and!does!not!appear!to!be!a!practical!means!for!increasing!the! number!of!rentals!available!for!the!workforce.!If!the!units!are!used!as!shortZterm! vacation!rentals!for!the!peak!season,!their!furnishings!and!quality!make!them! inappropriate!for!workforce!rentals!the!rest!of!the!year.! ! • Some!second!homes!are!rented!for!8!to!9!months!of!the!year,!with!their!renters! moving!out!during!the!summer!so!that!owners!can!use!their!homes.!Also,!some! seasonal!housing!units!that!are!used!for!summer!employees!are!rented!to!other! employees!the!rest!of!the!year.!! ! • Seasonality!in!employment!does!not!significantly!impact!the!professionally! managed!long!term!rental!inventory.!They!do!not!cater!to!seasonal!workers!and! typically!offer!only!oneZyear!leases.!Construction!workers!often!commute!up! from!Loveland!and!Fort!Collins!or!are!temporarily!housed!in!Estes!(in!motels! mostly)!while!working!on!larger!construction!projects.!Professional!property! managers!and!the!EPHA!almost!exclusively!lease!units!for!the!full!year.!! ! • The!old!age!of!many!rental!units!is!increasingly!a!concern.!One!apartment! complex!is!30!years!old!and!in!need!of!rehabilitation!or!redevelopment.!!The! condos!and!singleZfamily!homes!that!are!used!as!longZterm!rentals!are,!for!the! most!part,!older!and!many!are!in!need!of!repairs/improvements!(see!Section!6!–! Housing!Problems).!! ! Rents! ! Rents!are!rising!after!holding!steady!during!the!Recession!years.!While!the!Recession! softened!the!market!with!higher!vacancies!and!more!time!required!to!fill!units,!rents! decreased!very!little,!if!at!all.! ! Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!69! Rents!now!average!approximately!$950!for!twoZbedroom!units.!This!includes!market! and!subsidized!units!combined.!!This!rent!is!considered!to!be!affordable!for!households! with!incomes!of!at!least!$38,000!per!year,!which!is!equivalent!to!63%!AMI.!! ! The!highest!rents!charged!for!lowZincome!housing!tax!credit!(LIHTC)!and!other!incomeZ restricted!apartments!are!roughly!equivalent!to!the!low!end!of!the!free!market!rent! range!and!significantly!below!market!averages.!! ! Rents!by!Unit!Size,!November!2015! !!ProfessionallyO Managed! Market!Rents! Survey! Rents! EPHA! Rents! 1!Bedroom!$600!Z!$900;! $750!avg.! $750!$395!Z!$695! 2!Bedroom!$759!Z!$1,200;! $990!avg.! $950!$750!Z!$850! 3!Bedroom!$950!Z!$1,600;! avg.!$1,500! $1,250!$600!Z!$1,040! Source:!!Property!Manager!focus!group,!interviews! ! Rents!are!distributed!across!a!wide!range,!with!most!units!renting!for!between!$500!and! $1,750!per!month.!!Property!managers!indicated!that!rates!are!not!highly!correlated! with!location,!which!means!that!the!rents!vary!primarily!based!on!the!quality,!condition! and!size!of!the!units.!!! ! Distribution!of!Rentals!by!Monthly!Rent!Paid:!!Estes!Park!Area,!2015! !Source:!!2015!Household!and!Employee!Survey! 0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% 12% 14% 16% Pe r c e n t o f R e n t a l U n i t s Monthly Rent Paid Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!70! ! The!distribution!of!existing!rental!units!by!AMI!affordability!is!generally!in!line!with! workforce!household!incomes.!!Despite!this,!many!households!are!costZburdened!due!in! part!to!higherZincome!households!occupying!more!affordable!units,!forcing!lowerZ income!households!to!pay!more!than!they!can!afford.!This!occurs!more!frequently!when! there!is!an!insufficient!supply!of!rental!units,!as!is!the!case!in!the!Estes!Park!area!(see! Section!6!–!Housing!Problems).! ! Distribution!of!Existing!Rentals!by!AMI!Affordability:!!! Estes!Park!area,!2015! !! Maximum! Affordable!Rent! Renter!Income! Distribution! Existing! Rentals! <50%!AMI!$780!28%!28%! 50O80%!AMI!$1,245!29%!40%! 80O100%!AMI!$1,560!15%!19%! 100O120%!AMI!$1,870!11%!8%! Over!120%!AMI!Over!$1,870!17%!6%! TOTAL!Z!100%!100%! Source:!!2015!Household!and!Employee!Survey,!Consultant!team! ! Property!managers!are!“getting!more!aggressive”!with!the!rates!they!charge,!now! raising!rents!when!units!turnover!or!leases!renew.!The!increase!is!moderate,!in!the! range!of!$25!to!$50!per!month!on!units!with!average!rents!of!$750!to!$1,500.!The!rates! by!which!rents!are!raised!will!likely!grow!as!long!as!market!conditions!remain!tight.! ! Availability! ! Property!managers!indicated!that!the!only!criteria! renters!now!have!when!looking!for!a!place!to!live!is! availability.!So!few!units!are!available!as!to!not!give! renters!choice!in!terms!of!location,!unit!type,!size!and! amenities.! ! Out!of!387!market!and!incomeZrestricted!longZterm!rental!units!researched,!only!one! was!vacant.!This!equates!to!an!extremely!low!vacancy!rate!of!0.3%.!Only!five!units!were! advertised!on!Craigslist!out!of!2,219!total!rental!units,!which!is!a!vacancy!rate!of!0.2%! ! !! “Availability#is#the#only# criteria.”# Estes!Park!area!property!manager! Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!71! Units!Listed!for!Rent!on!Craigslist,!December!2015! Type!Rent!Bedrooms! Condo!$1,250!2br/1.5!ba! House!$1,075!3br/2ba! Townhouse!$1,800!3br/2.5!ba! Condo!$1,000!1br/1ba! House!$1,850!3br/2ba! ! Turnover!and!Wait!Lists! ! Turnover!is!typically!15%!to!20%!per!year,!but!has!been!declining!as!availability!of!units! has!decreased.!!There!was!no!turnover!at!two!of!the!Housing!Authority’s!properties!in! 2014.! ! Turnover!does!not!occur!on!a!regular!“seasonal”!schedule.!The!inventory!of!longZterm! rentals!is!not!highly!influenced!by!the!seasonal!ebb!and!flow!of!the!workforce.!!Turnover! is!highest!among!smaller!units!occupied!by!singles.!! ! When!the!44!units!at!Talons!Point!were!completed!in!2003,!it!had!a!noticeable!impact! on!the!rental!market.!Given!how!tight!conditions!are!now,!the!same!impact!is!not! anticipated!when!the!48!units!at!Falcon!Ridge!are!completed.!Some!temporary! softening!could!occur,!but!will!be!short!term,!if!felt!at!all.!!! ! Wait!lists!are!long.!One!company!that!manages!54!longZterm!rentals!recently!purged! their!wait!list!and,!between!September!1st!and!October!30th,!qualified!45!applicants.!! The!number!of!applicants!on!EPHA’s!wait!lists!exceeds!the!total!number!of!units! currently!in!the!inventory!and!under!construction!by!over!100!households.! ! EPHA!Wait!Lists!by!Project! Rental!Project! Total!#! of!Units! Applicants!on! Wait!List! Cleve!St.!10!22! Falcon!Ridge!(under!construction)!48!!85Z90! Lone!Tree!57!78! Talons!Point!44!68! Total!159!≥250! Note:!The!Pines!was!not!included!since!it!is!age!restricted!for!seniors,!but!it!has! a!wait!list!with!34!applicants.! ! !! Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!72! Utilities!and!Deposits! ! About!17%!of!renters!report!that!their!utilities!are!included!with!their!rent.!!For!the!rest,! utilities!average!about!$155!per!month,!typically!ranging!anywhere!between!$50!up!to! $250!per!month.!! ! Property!managers!require!renters!to!place!utilities!in!their!names!and!provide!deposits! if!required.!Cross!Roads!Ministry,!the!Salvation!Army!and!local!churches,!provide! assistance!for!low!income!families!who!need!help!with!security!and!utility!deposits.! ! Distribution!of!Monthly!Utilities!Paid:!!Estes!Park!Area,!2015! !Source:!!2015!Household!and!Employee!Survey! ! Renter!Profiles! ! Length!of!Employment!and!Residency!Z!Most!yearZround!renter!households!have!been! employed!in!the!area!a!long!time.!Only!about!12%!are!new!workers!who!have!been! employed!for!less!than!one!year.!!About!oneZthird,!however,!have!lived!in!their!current! residence!for!less!than!one!year,!indicating!the!relatively!transitory!nature,!whether!by! choice!or!by!force,!of!renting!in!the!Estes!Park!area.!! ! !! 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% Pe r c e n t o f R e n t a l U n i t s Monthly Cost of Utilities Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!73! Years!Worked!in!Area!Compared!to!Years!Lived!in!Current!Home:!!! Renters!2015! !Source:!!2015!Household!and!Employee!Survey! ! Household!Type!–!Two!thirds!of!renter!households!are!families.!Many!families!with! children!rent;!approximately!40%!of!EPHA!renters!and!45%!of!those!who!rent! professionallyZmanaged!units!include!children.!! ! Roommate!households!are!not!common,!a!factor!that!distinguishes!Estes!Park!from! Colorado’s!ski!towns.!EPHA!rarely!serves!roommates!since!twoZincome!households! without!dependents!typically!have!incomes!exceeding!maximum!limits.! ! Jobs!Held!–!Renters!hold!all!types!of!jobs.!ProfessionallyZmanaged!units!are!more!likely! to!house!midZ!and!upperZlevel!employees,!while!EPHA’s!rentals!serve!more!service,! retail!and!restaurant!employees.!Both!house!many!health!care!providers.! ! !! 33% 36% 12% 7% 12% 12% 29% 20% 14% 25% 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% Less than 1 year 1 up to 3 years 3 up to 5 years 5 up to 10 years 10 years or more Pe r c e n t o f P o p u l a t i o n Household Type Years lived in current residence Years employed in Estes Park area Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!74! Renter!Profiles! !ProfessionallyO! Managed!Units! EPHA!Residents! New!to!the!area!<1!yr!10%!10%! Residents!for!a!few!years!1O5!30%!Z! Long!term!residents!>5!yrs!60%!Z! !!! Young!<30!15%!35%! Middle!working!yrs!(30O65)!70%!35%! Seniors!15%!30%! !!! Singles!20%!35%! Roommates!5%!Few*! Couples!no!kids!30%!25%! Families!w/!kids!45%!40%! !!! Jobs!held! ! ! ! ! Service!workers! Health!care!providers! Teachers! Mid/upper!managers! Service/retail/restaurant! workers! Health!care!providers! ! Source:!Property!manager!Focus!Group! *Roommate!households!usually!have!combined!incomes!over!LIHTC!limits.! Note:!Percentage!are!approximate,!representing!the!general!profile!of!residents!and!not!the!particular! occupants!at!any!point!in!time.! ! Lifestyle!and!Retiree!Renters!–!Few!renters!reside!in!Estes!Park!for!lifestyle!reasons! without!working.!Second!home!renters!are!also!rare.!!Retirees!do!not!rent!many! professionally!managed!market!units!(about!15%)!but!are!more!likely!to!live!in!EPHA! units!(30%).! ! Affordable/IncomeORestricted!Rental!Housing!! ! A!total!of!155!apartments!are!located!in!five!complexes!that!can!only!be!occupied!by! lowZincome!households.!Another!apartment!project!with!48!units!is!under!construction,! which!will!bring!the!total!to!203!units.!!Three!of!the!203!units!are!for!onZsite!managers! and!not!income!restricted.!Rents!caps!as!well!as!income!limits!are!determined!annually! by!Federal!agencies.!Annual!reZcertification!of!the!resident!eligibility!is!required.! ! Three!of!the!five!complexes!with!a!combined!total!of!161!apartments!were!financed! with!Low!Income!Housing!Tax!Credits!(LIHTC).!Tax!credits!are!a!particularly!attractive! form!of!financing!at!this!point!in!time.!As!such,!most!apartment!projects!in!Colorado! mountain!towns!built!in!recent!years,!or!now!under!construction,!were!financed!using! LIHTC.!!! ! Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!75! Rents!for!LIHTC!apartments!are!about!$25!lower!than!the!maximums!allowed.!This!is!not! due!to!market!conditions,!however,!but!is!rather!done!to!manage!potential!fluctuations! in!utility!allowances.!If!the!allowances!are!increased!while!CHFA’s!maximum!allowable! gross!rents!(contract!rents!plus!utilities)!remain!the!same,!the!contract!rents!would!have! to!be!lowered!to!compensate.!Rather!than!devote!the!time!required!to!lower!rents,! EPHA!provides!a!small!rent!discount!to!create!a!buffer.! ! IncomeORestricted!Rental!Complexes! Name!!Address!!InOService!Date!!!#!Units! !LIHTC!Family!Properties!!!!! Falcon!Ridge!!Under!construction!!48! Lone!Tree!Village!1310!Manford!Ave.!10/24/1997!!57! Talons!Pointe!1715!Red!Tail!Hawk!Dr.!7/30/2003!!44! South!St.!Vrain!Apartments!1631!Avalon!Dr.!11/30/1996!!12! Other!Income!Restricted!Family!Properties!!!!! Cleave!Street!Apartments!157!Cleave!St.!1932;!rehab!2005!!10! Park!Ridge!Apartments!1250!Acacia!Dr.!1985!!32! !!Total:!!203! Note:!Two!senior!apartment!complexes!are!not!included.! ! Falcon!Ridge!–!48!units!are!now!under!construction!adjacent!to!Talons!Point!(see! below).!The!project!was!planned!to!have!two!phases!with!a!total!of!66!units,!yet! opposition!from!nearby!residents!led!the!town!to!reject!the!bonus!request,!reducing!the! number!of!units!by!25%.!!The!resulting!density!is!8.7!units!per!acre,!which!is!very!low!for! an!apartment!property!where!land!is!limited!and!expensive.!The!property!will!be! attractive,!provide!a!mix!of!oneZ,!twoZ!and!threeZbedroom!apartments!in!flats!and! townhomes,!and!include!a!clubhouse!and!outdoor!recreation!facilities.! ! Lone!Tree!Apartments!–!Completed!in!1997,!this!familyZoriented!property!is!located! between!Lake!Estes/USZ36!to!the!north!and!the!Estes!Park!Golf!Park!to!the!south.! Townhomes!and!apartments!are!available!at!this!property.!One!of!the!57!units!at!this! property!is!a!manager’s!unit.!! ! Talons!Pointe!–!This!44Zunit!apartment!property!is!the!newest!of!the!LIHTC!projects,! completed!in!2005.!It!is!owned!and!managed!by!the!Estes!Park!Housing!Authority!and! located!in!the!northeast!corner!of!Estes!Park,!north!of!Lake!Estes!and!USZ34.!!Flats!and! townhomes!are!offered,!all!of!which!are!income!restricted.!! ! South!St.!Vrain!Apartments!–!This!12Zunit!property!includes!a!oneZstory!and!a!twoZstory! apartment!building.!It!is!located!just!off!S.!St.!Vrain!Ave./Rte.!7!on!the!south!end!of!Estes! Park.!Completed!in!1996,!11!of!the!12!units!are!income!restricted.!It!is!owned!by!a! private!entity.!! !! Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!76! Cleave!Street!Apartments!Z!This!historic!10Zunit!building,!owned!by!the!Estes!Park! Housing!Authority,!was!originally!built!in!1932!and!rehabbed!in!2005!using!Colorado! Division!of!Housing!grants!and!a!Colorado!Housing!and!Finance!(CHFA)!loan.!While!units! are!restricted!at!HUDZpublished!AMIs,!the!restrictions!are!not!assigned!to!specific!unit! types!(one!bedroom,!two!bedroom).!It!is!located!in!downtown!Estes!Park.! ! Park!Ridge!Apartments!is!subsidized!through!USDA’s!Rural!Development.!Residents!pay! 30%!of!their!household’s!income!for!rent.!The!32!units!are!located!south!of!town.!The! property!was!built!in!1985,!making!it!the!oldest!apartment!project!in!the!Estes!Park! area.!It!is!owned!by!an!outZofZstate!company!and!is!in!poor!condition.!The!property!is!a! likely!candidate!for!rehabilitation!or!redevelopment.!!! ! !! Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!77! SECTION!6!–!HOUSING!PROBLEMS! ! This!section!reports!on!perceptions!in!the!community!about!the!availability!of! affordable!workforce!housing!and!quantifies!multiple!indicators!of!housing!problems! ranging!from!affordability!to!overcrowding.!Key!findings!from!this!section!include:! ! • 90%!of!the!members!of!workforce!households!feel!that!the!inability!of! employees!who!work!in!the!Estes!Park!area!to!find!housing!they!can!afford!is!a! serious#or#critical#problem.! ! • Nearly!half!of!workforce!households!(over!2,000)!found!it!very!difficult!the!last! time!they!moved!to!find!affordable!housing!that!met!their!needs.!About!375! renters!are!still!searching!for!such!housing.! ! • Approximately!1,150!workforce!households!live!in!housing!that!is!not!affordable! based!on!their!incomes.!! ! • Just!over!530!workforce!households!live!in!overcrowded!homes.! ! • Approximately!930!workforce!households!reside!in!housing!that!is!in!fair!or!poor! condition.!!This!is!much!worse!than!in!2007!when!only!4%!of!residents!surveyed! indicated!their!residences!were!in!fair!or!poor!condition.! ! • About!700!renters!have!been!forced!to!move!or!evicted!in!the!past!5!years!due! to!changing!circumstances!with!their!rented!home.!!Flood!damage,!longZterm! rentals!being!converted!to!shortZterm!rentals!or!sold,!and!owners!moving!into! their!previously!rented!homes!are!the!most!commonly!cited!reasons.! ! • About!630!inZcommuters!would!move!into!the!Estes!Park!area!to!be!closer!to! work!if!they!could!locate!suitable!and!affordable!housing.!!Many!of!these! households!fall!within!the!younger!professional!and!family!demographic!that!the! area!has!been!losing!in!recent!years.! ! Housing!Problem!Perceptions! ! When!asked,!“How#do#you#feel#about#the#issue#of#people#who#work#in#the#Estes#Park#area# being#able#to#find#housing#they#can#afford?”;#nearly!90%!indicated!it!is!a!serious!or! critical!problem.!This!is!a!very!high,!even!when!compared!to!surveys!in!other!Colorado! mountain!towns.!A!similar!percentage!of!residents!and!employers!alike!see!workforce! housing!as!the!most!critical!or!one!of!the!more!serious!problems!in!the!area.! ! Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!78! Renters!are!more!likely!than!owners!to!rate!the!housing!for!people!who!work!in!the! Estes!Park!area!as!a!serious!or!critical!problem,!yet!only!1%!of!both!owners!and!renters! do!not!believe!it!is!a!problem.! ! “How#do#you#feel#about#the#issue#of#people#who#work#in#the# Estes#Park#area#being#able#to#find#housing#they#can#afford?”# !Source:!!2015!Household!and!Employee!survey! ! Middle!and!upper!income!households!are!just!as!likely!as!low!income!households!to!feel! that!workforce!housing!is!a!serious!or!critical!problem.!There!is!no!correlation!between! incomes!and!the!extent!to!which!members!of!workforce!households!feel!housing!is!a! problem,!which!is!rare.!!Typically!lower!income!households!feel!housing!is!more!of! problem!than!higher!income!households!–!the!problem!reaches!households!at!all! income!levels!in!the!Estes!Park!area.! ! Difficulty!Finding!Housing! ! Nearly!half!of!employees!surveyed!found!it!very! difficult!the!last!time!they!moved!to!find!housing! that!met!their!needs!and!that!they!could!afford.! The!level!of!difficulty!was!much!higher!among! renters!than!owners!–!1,260!renters!indicated!it! was!very!difficult!to!find!housing!they!could!afford! and!about!375!have!still!not!found!affordable! housing!that!meets!their!needs.!! ! 1% 4% 15% 53% 28% 1% 0% 6% 35% 58% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% I don’t believe it is a problem One of our lesser problems A problem among others needing attention One of the more serious problems It is the most critical problem Percent of Households Rent Own “I#have#no#rent#because#I#live#in#my#car.# We#have#been#trying#to#buy#or#rent#a# house#for#3#years#and#have#not#been# able#to#find#affordable#housing.#In# Gunbarrel,#we#paid#$1,000#with#utilities# included#for#a#onePbedroom#condo.#This# was#affordable#for#us.”# Estes!Park!area!employee! Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!79! “When#you#last#moved,#how#difficult#was#it#to#find#housing#that#met## your#needs#and#that#you#could#afford?”# Estes!Park!area!workforce!households,!2015! ! Own!Rent! Not!difficult!27%!5%! Moderately!difficult!36%!20%! Very!difficult!36%!57%! I!am!still!searching!for!such!housing!1%!17%! TOTALS!2,224!2,212! Source:!!2015!Household!and!Employee!Survey! ! There!is!a!clear!correlation!between!how!difficult!it!has!been!to!find!housing!and!the! length!of!time!employees!have!lived!in!their!current!residence,!which!is!one!of!many! indications!that!the!availability!of!affordable!housing!has!gotten!worse!over!time.!ThreeZ fourths!of!survey!respondents!who!had!lived!in!their!home!for!less!than!one!year! indicated!it!was!very!difficult!to!find!housing!that!met!their!needs!they!could!afford,!or! they!are!still!searching.!! ! “When#you#last#moved,#how#difficult#was#it#to#find#housing#that#met## your#needs#and#that#you#could#afford?”# ! !Source:!!2015!Household!and!Employee!Survey! ! !! 33% 42% 58% 66% 74% 67% 58% 42% 34% 26% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% 10 years or more 5 up to 10 years 3 up to 5 years 1 up to 3 years Less than 1 year Percent of Households Ti m e L i v e d i n R e s i d e n c e Very difficult or still searching Moderately or not difficult Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!80! Cost!Burdened!Households! ! Approximately!1,150!workforce!households!(26%)!residing!in!the!Estes!Park!area!live!in! housing!that!is!not!affordable!given!their!incomes.!Households!are!considered!to!be!cost! burdened!if!their!housing!payment!exceeds!30%!of!their!gross!income,!and!extremely! cost!burdened!if!it!exceeds!50%.!When!this!occurs,!these!households!have!insufficient! income!left!over!for!other!life!necessities!including!food,!clothing,!utilities,! transportation!and!health!care.! ! Percent!of!Income!Paid!for!Rent!or!Mortgage:!!2015! !Source:!!2015!Household!and!Employee!Survey! ! Members!of!the!workforce!who!have!lived!in!their!current!residence!for!less!than!three! years!are!more!likely!than!others!to!be!cost!burdened!by!high!housing!payments,!a! symptom!of!increasing!home!prices.!!Renters!are!more!likely!to!be!cost!burdened!than! owners!(35%!compared!to!16%).! ! Percent!of!Income!Paid!for!Rent!or!Mortgage:!!2015! !Own!Rent!TOTAL! Less!than!30%!84%!64%!74%! 30O50%!10%!21%!16%! Greater!than!50%!6%!14%!10%! TOTALS!2,224!2,212!4,436! Source:!!2015!Household!and!Employee!Survey! ! !! Less than 30% 74% 30-50% 16% Greater than 50% 10% Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!81! Overcrowding! ! Just!over!530!workforce!households!are! overcrowded!as!measured!by!the!standard!of! more!than!two!persons!per!bedroom.! Overcrowding!is!more!prevalent!among:! ! • Low!income!households!–!nearly!twoZthirds!have!incomes!equal!to!or!less!than! 80%!AMI.! ! • Renters!–!20%!of!renter!households!are!overcrowded!compared!to!5%!of! homeowners.! ! • Apartment!dwellers,!followed!by!singleZfamily!homes;!41%!of!overcrowded! households!reside!in!singleZfamily!homes.!! ! • Households!with!immediate!and!extended!family!members!–!about!27%!are! overcrowded.!Roommate!households!are!seldom!overcrowded,!which!is!unique! compared!to!other!mountain!towns!with!limited!rental!availability.!During!the! summer!season,!overcrowding!in!units!shared!by!unrelated!roommates! increases!as!seasonal!employees!move!in!with!yearZround!residents!or!crowd! into!seasonal!rentals.! ! Persons!per!Bedroom:!Estes!Park!area!working!households,!2015! (Shading#denotes#overcrowding)# Persons!per!bedroom!Own!Rent!Total! Under!2!75%!80%!88%! 2!or!more!5%!20%!12%! TOTAL!overcrowded!100!430!530! Source:!2015!Household!and!Employee!survey! ! Substandard!Housing! ! Approximately!930!workforce!households!(21%)!reside!in!housing!that!they!rate!as! being!in!fair!or!poor!condition.!This!is!much!worse!than!in!2007!when!only!4%!of! residents!surveyed!indicated!their!residences!were!in!fair!or!poor!condition.! ! Renters!are!far!more!likely!to!live!in!substandard!housing!than!owners,!with!oneZthird! (730!households)!rating!their!residences!as!fair!or!poor.!!Employees!who!are!most!likely! to!live!in!housing!that!is!in!fair!or!poor!condition!include:! ! • Households!living!in!RV’s,!motels/hotels!and!dormitories;! ! “Almost#all#of#my#workers#live#with# other#families#or#in#hotel#rooms.# Only#4#out#of#13#employees#have# their#own#house#or#apartment”# Estes!Park!area!employer! Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!82! • Households!who!have!lived!in!their!home!for!less!than!one!year;! ! • Single!parents!with!children.! ! Condition!of!Home! !Own!Rent!Total! Excellent!46%!21%!34%! Good!44%!47%!46%! Fair!9%!25%!17%! Poor!1%!8%!4%! TOTALS!2,224!2,212!4,436! Source:!2015!Household!and!Employee!survey! ! While!owners!are!less!like!to!live!in!homes!that!are!in!fair!or!poor!condition,!those!who! do!indicate!they!need!as!many!repairs!or!improvements!as!renters.!Energy!efficiency! upgrades!including!windows!and!insulation!were!the!most!frequently!cited! repair/improvement!needed!among!both!groups.! ! Mold!and!other!flood!damage!received!many!responses!–!about!50!owner!and!230! renter!workforce!households!indicated!they!need!mold!or!asbestos!abatement,!and! repair!of!flood!damage!was!the!most!frequent!“other”!problem!mentioned.! ! What#type#of#repairs#are#needed#to#your#home#if#it#is#in## fair#or#poor#condition?# ! Own!Rent! Old,!inefficient,!or!broken!appliances!50%!50%! Roof!(leaking,!cracked)!21%!21%! Exterior!upgrades!(paint,!siding,!landscaping)!61%!63%! Flooring!(carpet,!tile,!etc.)!64%!63%! Heating,!plumbing!or!electrical!46%!53%! Energy!efficiency!upgrades,!insulation,!windows!64%!72%! Infrastructure!(sidewalk,!driveway,!water/sewer!lines)!46%!32%! Mold!or!asbestos!abatement!25%!32%! Other!11%!16%! TOTALS!389%!401%! Source:!2015!Household!and!Employee!survey! *Adds!to!over!100%!because!most!homes!need!multiple!repairs.! ! !! Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!83! Loss!of!Employee!Housing! ! As!indicated!in!Section!3!–!Housing!Inventory,!locals!have!been!losing!ground!to!second! home!owners,!from!occupying!66%!of!units!in!2000!to!less!than!62%!in!2015.!While! some!of!this!is!due!to!rising!home!prices!and!the!inability!for!workers!to!afford!housing,! it!also!is!the!result!of!the!loss!of!units!that!locals!previously!owned!or!occupied.!Based! on!survey!results:! ! About!32%!of!renters!(700!total)!have!been!forced!to!move!or!were!evicted!in!the!past!5! years!–!and!some!more!than!once.!!! ! Rental!homes!being!sold,!flood!damage!and!rentals!being!converted!to!shortZterm! rentals!have!affected!the!most!renters!–!about!200!each.!!A!close!second!are!owners! moving!into!their!previously!rented!homes.! ! “Have#you#been#evicted#or#forced#to#move#within#the#past#5#years#due#to:”# !%!of!renters! affected! #!of!renters! displaced! Rental!home!was!sold!9%!205! Flood!damage!O!renters!9%!205! Rental!converted!to!shortOterm/vacation!rental!9%!197! Owner!moved!in!7%!159! Rental!home!was!foreclosed!upon!1%!15! TOTAL!respondents!affected*!32%!700! Source:!!2015!Household!and!Employee!Survey! *Column!totals!add!to!more!than!the!“TOTAL!respondents!affected”!because!some! renters!have!been!forced!to!move!multiple!times.! ! Among!owners,!about!9%!(200!total)!report!that!they!moved!or!have!been!forced!to! move!in!the!past!5!years.!!Flood!damage!affected!the!most!owners.!!Few!owners! indicate!that!they!have!converted!a!home!that!they!owned!and!occupied!either!into!a! shortZterm!or!longZterm!rental!in!recent!years.! ! “Have#you#moved#or#been#forced#to#move#within#the#past#5#years#due#to:”# !%!of!owners! affected! #!of!owners!! displaced! Flood!damage!O!owners!5%!120! Converted!home!to!shortOterm!rental!for!visitors!3%!60! Converted!home!to!longOterm!rental!for!residents!1%!30! TOTAL!respondents!affected!9%!210! Source:!!2015!Household!and!Employee!Survey! ! !! Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!84! Forced!Commuting! ! As!stated!in!the!Section!2!–!Economic!Conditions,!Trends!and!Employment,!about!62%! of!inZcommuting!workers!(630!total)!would!prefer!to!live!in!the!Estes!Valley!if!they!could! find!housing!that!they!could!afford.!These!workers!are!forced!to!commute!due!to!the! lack!of!workforce!housing!in!the!Estes!Park!area.!! ! Desire!to!move!varies!by!tenure.!!Of!current!inZcommuting!renters,!77%!want!to!move! compared!to!49%!of!inZcommuting!owners.!!It!is!typical!that!homeowners!who!inZ commute!tend!to!be!more!reluctant!to!move!given!their!more!stable!housing!situation.! ! “Would#you#consider#moving#your#household#to#the#Estes#Park#Valley# #(nearer#your#households#employment)#if#housing#were#available#that#you#could#afford# to#buy#or#rent?”# !Source:!!2015!Household!and!Employee!survey! ! InZcommuters!who!want!to!move!are!mostly!employed!in!the!health!care,!professional,! government!and!service!professions.!!A!comparatively!higher!proportion!of!inZ commuters!employed!in!education!and!nonZprofit!professions!are!also!interested!in! moving!to!the!Estes!Valley!rather!than!continuing!to!commute.! ! !! 51% 39% 10% 0% 23% 23% 40% 14% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% No Yes, if I could BUY a home Yes, if I could BUY OR RENT a home Yes, if I could RENT a home Pe r c e n t o f I n - C o m m u t e r s Own Rent Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!85! Industry!of!Employment:!!2015! !Want!to! move! Do!not!want! to!move! Health!care/social!assistance!17%!21%! Professional,!scientific,!technical!services!13%!5%! Bar/restaurant!12%!0%! Government/civic!service!(excluding!public!schools)!12%!31%! Educational!services!9%!7%! Other!services!(personal,!daycare,!auto!repair,!etc.)!9%!2%! Retail!trade!(grocery,!sporting!goods,!etc.)!7%!7%! NonOprofit!7%!2%! Construction!3%!7%! Other!19%!25%! TOTAL!100%!100%! Source:!!2015!Household!and!Employee!survey! ! Over!oneZhalf!of!inZcommuters!who!want!to!move!are!relatively!new!employees,!having! been!employed!in!the!area!less!than!3!years.!!Many!inZcommuters!leave!their!jobs!after! this!time!if!they!cannot!find!housing!closer!to!their!jobs,!as!noted!by!employers.!Many! who!want!to!move,!however,!have!been!contributing!members!of!the!local!workforce! for!10!years!or!more!(17%).! ! “How#long#have#you#been#employed#in#the#Estes#Park#area”# InOcommuters!who!want!to!move,!2015! ! !Source:!!2015!Household!and!Employee!survey! ! !! Less than 1 year 19% 1 up to 3 years 34% 3 up to 5 years 15% 5 up to 10 years 15% 10 years or more 17% Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!86! Over!oneZthird!of!inZcommuters!who!want!to!move!also!have!children!and!38%!are! young!professionals!between!the!ages!of!18!and!29.!!These!are!demographics!that!the! Estes!Park!area!has!been!losing!over!recent!years!and!are!important!to!maintain!a! vibrant!workforce!and!community.! ! Household!Age!and!Composition:! InOcommuters!that!want!to!move,!2015! ! Source:!!2015!Household!and!Employee!Survey! !! Age!of!Household! Members! Want!to!! move! Household!type!Want!to! move! Under!5!13%!Adult!living!alone!6%! 5!to!17!23%!Couple!with!child(ren)!26%! 18!to!29!38%!Couple,!no!child(ren)!36%! 30!to!64!81%!Immediate!and!extended!family!!13%! 65!and!over!4%!Other!Z!Write!In!2%! !!Single!parent!with!child(ren)!9%! !!Unrelated!roommates!9%! Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!87! SECTION!7!–!HOUSING!NEEDS!AND!GAPS! ! This!section!of!the!report!estimates!the!number!of!housing!units!needed!by!employees! in!the!Estes!Valley!both!to!fill!existing!gaps!in!the!market!and!to!accommodate!future! needs.!Units!needed!are!identified!by!ownership!and!rental!units!and!AMI!affordability! level.!! ! Housing!needs!are!determined!through!a!combination!of!factors!and!are!presented!in! two!categories:! ! • CatchZUp!Needs!ZZ!the!number!of!housing!units!needed!to!address!current! deficiencies!in!housing!based!on!overcrowded!housing!units,!employees!needed! to!fill!unfilled!jobs!and!inZcommuting!employees!who!want!to!live!in!the!Estes! Valley.! ! • KeepZUp!Needs!ZZ!the!number!of!units!needed!to!keepZup!with!future!demand! for!housing!based!on!projected!employment!and!jobs!vacated!by!retiring! employees.! ! The!housing!needs!estimated!in!this!section!are!a!component!of!housing!demand!in!the! Estes!Valley,!but!they!do!not!represent!total!demand.!This!section!estimates!housing! units!needed!to!support!employers,!keep!up!with!future!job!growth!and!improve! housing!conditions!for!area!workers.!!It!does!not!include!additional!components!of! demand,!such!as!resident!households!who!would!like!to!buy!a!new!or!different!home!in! the!Estes!Valley!or!outZofZarea!households!looking!to!purchase!vacation!homes.!! ! Current!Conditions!and!CatchOUp!Needs! Overcrowding# ! Overcrowding!can!only!be!addressed!by!building!additional!units.!As!reported!in!the! Housing!Problems!section!of!this!report,!530!units!are!overcrowded!in!the!Estes!Park! area.!An!increase!in!the!supply!of!workforce!housing!equal!to!about!oneZthird!of!the! number!of!overcrowded!units!will!help!address!overcrowding!to!the!extent!practical,! given,!for!example,!cost!consciousness!and!cultural!needs.!Therefore,!about!160!units! are!needed!to!help!address!overcrowding!within!the!Estes!Park!area.! ! Units!Needed!to!Address!Overcrowding! Total!overOcrowded!households!530! %!needed!to!address!overcrowding!30%! New!housing!needed!160! ! ! Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!88! InNcommuters# ! About!290!units!are!needed!in!the!Estes!Park!area!to!meet!the!needs!of!inZcommuters! who!want!to!move!nearer!their!jobs.!!Over!60%!of!inZcommuters!commuting!from! homes!down!valley!(e.g.,!Loveland,!Fort!Collins,!Boulder!and!Weld!Counties,!etc.)!want! to!move!to!the!Estes!Park!area!if!they!could!find!affordable!and!suitable!housing.!The! majority!would!prefer!to!buy!(70%).!!As!noted!in!the!Employment!Section,!providing! stable!housing!options!for!inZcommuters!helps!decrease!employee!turnover,!improves! customer!service!and!job!satisfaction,!among!other!benefits.! ! Units!Needed!to!House!InOCommuters! Total!inOcommuters!1,020! %!want!to!move!to!Estes!Valley*!62%! #!that!want!to!move!630! Jobs!per!employee!1.2! Workers!per!household!1.84! New!housing!needed!290! Want!to!rent!(30%)*!90! Want!to!buy!(70%)*!200! *Source:!!2015!Household!and!Employee!Survey! Unfilled#jobs# ! About!220!housing!units!are!required!to!house!employees!needed!to!fill!the!480!yearZ round!jobs!that!were!vacant!in!November!2015.!!Based!on!survey!responses,!about!70%! of!new!workers!to!the!area!rent,!meaning!the!majority!of!these!units!should!be!rentals.!! !!! Units!Needed!to!Help!Fill!Vacant!Jobs! #!YearORound!unfilled!jobs!(Nov.!2015)!480! Jobs!per!worker!1.2! Employees!per!household!1.84! Housing!units!needed!220! Rentals!(70%)!155! Ownership!(30%)!65! ! Future!(KeepOUp)!Needs! Retiring#employees# ! About!520!housing!units!will!be!needed!to!house!employees!that!fill!jobs!vacated!by! retirees!over!the!next!five!years.!!About!15%!of!area!employees!responded!on!the! survey!that!they!expect!to!retire!within!5!years,!meaning!employers!will!have!vacancies! to!fill!in!addition!to!any!newly!created!jobs.!!Some!retirees!will!likely!leave!the!area!upon! Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!89! retirement;!however,!when!they!sell!their!homes,!many!will!likely!be!purchased!by! second!homeowners!or!retirees!rather!than!local!employees.! ! !Retiring!employees! %!to!retire!within!5Oyears!15%! #!to!retire!1,150! Jobs!per!worker!1.20! Employees!per!household!1.84! Housing!units!520! Job#Growth# ! To!keep!up!with!estimated!job!growth!over!the!next!five!years,!approximately!300!to! 500!additional!units!will!be!needed!by!2020!to!house!85%!of!local!employees!in!the! Estes!Park!area.!The!85%!target!is!based!on!current!patterns!–!75%!of!the!current! workforce!lives!in!the!area!and!10%!commute!in!but!want!to!move.!The!range!of!needs! is!based!upon!whether!job!growth!will!occur!in!the!Estes!Park!area!at!the!same!rate!as! the!county!over!the!next!five!years!(about!1.9%!per!year),!or!if!it!will!continue!to!grow!at! a!faster!pace!as!it!has!done!since!2010!(about!3.2%!per!year).!!These!job!growth! estimates!are!presented!in!more!detail!in!Section!2!–!Economic!Conditions!and!Trends.! ! Estimate!of!Housing!Needed!to!Fill!New!Jobs,!2015!–!2020! !!Low!High! Increase!in!Jobs!between!2015!to!2020!!740!1,300! Jobs!per!Employee!1.2!1.2! New!Employees!Needed!620!1,080! %!to!live!in!Estes!Park*!85%!85%! #!to!live!in!Estes!Park!530!920! Employees!per!Housing!Unit!1.84!1.84! New!housing!needed!290!500! *Includes!75%!of!the!workforce!that!lives!in!Estes!Park!plus!inZcommuters! who!want!to!move!to!the!Estes!Park!area.! ! Summary!of!CatchOUp!and!KeepOUp!Needs! ! Based!on!estimated!catchZup!and!keepZup!needs,!approximately!1,480!to!1,690!housing! units!for!the!workforce!are!needed!by!2020.!!This!averages!about!300!to!340!units!per! year.!!This!is!almost!twice!the!estimate!presented!in!the!2008!Housing!Needs! Assessment,!primarily!because!the!problems!of!unfilled!jobs,!inZcommuters!wanting!to! move!to!the!area,!overcrowding!and!retiring!employees!have!increased.!! ! ! ! ! Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!90! Summary!of!Housing!Needs! CatchOUp!670! Overcrowding!160! InZcommuters!290! Unfilled!jobs!220! KeepOUp!810!to!1,020! Retiring!employees!520! New!jobs!290!to!500! TOTAL!through!2020!1,480!to!1,690! ! ! Needs!by!Own/Rent!and!AMI! ! Both!ownership!and!rental!housing!in!the!Estes!Park!area!that!is!affordable!for!the!local! workforce!are!needed.!About!40%!of!new!units!should!be!for!ownership!and!60%!for! rent.!!This!takes!into!account!that!70%!of!inZcommuters!prefer!to!own!homes!if!they! move!to!the!area,!along!with!the!reality!that!70%!of!new!workers!to!the!area!initially! rent.!!It!is!also!in!line!with!the!current!rental!crisis!experienced!in!the!Estes!Park!area! (e.g.,!0.3%!vacancy!rate).!! ! The!precise!ratio,!however,!is!somewhat!dependent!upon!the!community’s!desired! direction!and!housing!policy.!While!the!rental!market!is!currently!tighter!than!the! ownership!market!and!has!a!stronger!postZrecession!recovery,!ownership!is!needed!long! term!for!yearZround!residents.!! ! Summary!of!Housing!Needs!by!Own/Rent!Through!2020! !!!Low!High! Units!needed!through!2020!1,480!1,690! Ownership!590!650! Rental!890!1,040! ! Ownership!housing!should!be!distributed!based!on!the!income!distribution!of!Estes!Park! area!employed!households,!as!shown!below.!!Price!points!for!locals!should!range!as!low! as!about!$115,000!up!to!about!$350,000!(50%!through!150%!AMI).!! ! • The!current!market!is!not!providing!a!sufficient!supply!of!homes!in!this!price! range,!whereas!homes!affordable!to!households!earning!over!150%!AMI!are!over! supplied.!!! ! • Homes!affordable!for!households!earning!under!50%!AMI!are!also! undersupplied;!however,!producing!homes!at!this!price!will!not!occur!without! substantial!subsidies!or!programs!such!as!Habitat!for!Humanity.!These! Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!91! households!also!often!have!trouble!qualifying!for!loans!and!meeting!down! payment!purchase!requirements.! ! Homeowner!Income!Distribution!Compared!to!Homes!Sales!and!Availability! AMI!Range!Maximum! Affordable! Sale!Price! Owner! Income! Distribution! Current!Condo,! Townhome!and! SF!Listings! <50%!$115,500!10%!0%! 50%!to!80%!$184,800!11%!11%! 80.1!to!100%!$231,000!14%!7%! 100.1!to!120%!$277,200!12%!9%! 120.1!to!150%!$346,500!22%!10%! Over!150%!Over!$346,500!31%!63%! TOTAL!Z!100%!138! ! There!are!basically!no!units!available!to!rent!at!any!price!point!in!the!Estes!Park!area.!!! Rentals!are!needed!for!households!at!all!income!levels.!!As!shown!below,!however,!new! rentals!should!be!mostly!priced!for!households!earning!under!80%!AMI!based!on!the! incomes!of!households!with!an!Estes!Park!area!employee.! ! Renter!Income!Distribution!Compared!to!Available!Rentals! !!Maximum! Affordable!Rent! Renter!Income! Distribution! Available! Rentals*! <50%!AMI!$780!28%!0! 50Z80%!AMI!$1,245!29%!2! 80Z100%!AMI!$1,560!15%!3! 100Z120%!AMI!$1,870!11%!0! Over!120%!AMI!Over!$1,870!17%!0! TOTAL!Z!100%!5! *Available!rentals!include!rentals!available!in!the!Estes!Park!area!in!December!2015.! ! Seasonal!Worker!Housing! ! Businesses!recruited!and!trained!workers!to!fill!about!3,000!jobs!last!summer.10!Given! the!scarcity!of!housing!in!the!area,!84%!of!employers!that!hire!seasonal!workers!state! that!the!ability!for!these!workers!to!find!housing!is!a!“major!problem.”!Many!employers! have!expressed!frustration!with!being!unable!to!hold!onto!workers!due!to!the!inability! for!new!hires!to!find!housing.! ! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 10!See!Section!2!–!Economic!Conditions!and!Trends!(Seasonality).! Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!92! In!most!seasonal!resort!communities,!housing!for! seasonal!workers!is!often!provided!by!the! employers!who!hire!them.!Neither!private! developers!nor!public!housing!authorities!can! afford!to!develop!housing!that!is!occupied!only! part!of!the!year.!Since!the!peak!period!for! seasonal!workers!is!in!the!summer!months,!RV! spaces,!camping!facilities,!nonZwinterized!cabins! and!similar!low!cost!housing!options!for!these! workers!are!feasible,!unlike!in!the!ski!towns.!! Employers!have!specific!knowledge!of!the! number!of!workers!they!plan!to!hire,!their! demographic!characteristics!and!their!housing! needs.!! ! In!the!Estes!Park!area,!many!employers!are! helping!to!address!this!problem:! ! • Employers!responding!to!the!survey!provided!housing!assistance!to!about!50%!of! their!seasonal!workers!(over!1,100!total).11!! • While!seasonal!workers!were!not!a!focus!of!the!fall!2015!employee!survey,!a!few! seasonal!employee!responses!were!received!(18!total),!many!of!which!were! housed!by!their!employer.!! • A!few!employers!have!some!pending!development!proposals!to!build!housing!for! their!workers.12!! ! Summary!of!Employee!Housing!Assistance:!!2015! Employees!Assisted:!#! Jobs!filled!by!seasonal!residents!3,000! Jobs!per!seasonal!worker!(est.)!*1.5! Seasonal!workers!needing!housing!2,000! Housed!by!employers!**1,100+! Number!of!Seasonal!Housing!Units!Needed!Unknown/fluctuates! *Year!round!workers!hold!1.2!jobs!on!average!in!the!Estes!Park!area.!!Seasonal!workers!typically!hold! more!than!this!(up!to!1.8!jobs!in!some!communities).!An!estimate!of!1.5!was!used!(midZpoint).! **Actual!count!from!responding!employers.! ! Housing!units!needed!by!seasonal!workers!has!not!been!defined!–!needs!change!yearZ toZyear!based!on!several!factors!–!tourism,!hiring!needs,!weather,!housing!market! availability,!etc.!The!Estes!Park!area!is!encouraged!to!explore!ways!to!continue!to!help! employers!flexibly!serve!this!population.!Maintaining!development!code!provisions!that! help!employers!to!build!or!provide!housing!for!their!and!other’s!workers,!programs!that! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 11!See!Section!3!–!Housing!Inventory!(Employer!Assisted!Housing).! 12!See!Section!3!–!Housing!Inventory!(Proposed!and!Pending!Development).! “Seasonal#housing#for#those# here#for#the#summer#is#nearly# impossible#to#find.#This#really# hampers#our#ability#to#serve#our# guests#and#give#them#a#great# service#experience#because#we# are#always#shorthanded.”# # “We#have#found#that#it#is#WAY# too#hard#to#find#a#place#to#live.# We#also#believe#that#if#it#were# easier#to#find#housing,#we#would# have#a#better#rate#of#returning# staff#each#year.#It#is#very# frustrating#for#us#and#them!”# Estes!Park!area!employers! ! Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!93! can!facilitate!pooling!of!resources!and!master!lease!programs!to!meet!seasonal!needs,! and!allowing!innovation!in!taking!advantage!of!lowZcost!summer!housing!options! including!camping!options,!such!as!RV!sites,!campgrounds,!and!unweatherized!cabins.!! ! !! Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!94! SECTION!8!OO!HOUSING!PREFERENCES! ! This!section!examines!what!workforce!households!need!and!want!in!housing!–!type,! number!of!bedrooms,!location,!design!features!and!amenities.!Takeaway!from!the! section:! ! • Existing!residents!and!inZcommuters!who!want!to!move!into!or!within!Estes!Park! primarily!want!to!buy!homes.!This!counters!the!strong!need!for!rental!housing! when!considering!catchZup!and!keepZup!demand.!Similar!towns!often!set!a!policy! or!goal!for!the!mix!of!ownership!and!rental!workforce!housing!taking!into! consideration!factors!like!these!as!well!as!the!historic!owner/renter!mix!in!the! community.!! ! • When!developing!workforce!housing,!townhomes!are!a!clear!preference!over! condominiums.! ! • Workforce!households!living!in!the!Estes!Park!area!often!reside!in!larger!homes! than!they!need.!There!are!relatively!too!few!oneZ!and!twoZbedroom!homes!and! relatively!too!many!homes!with!three!or!more!bedrooms.! ! • Estes!Park’s!highly!valued!proximity!to!nature!and!outdoor!recreation!is!second! to!the!affordability!of!housing/cost!of!living!as!the!most!important!consideration! overall!when!looking!for!a!place!to!live.!This!suggests!that!if!housing!is!not! affordable,!the!beautiful!Rocky!Mountain!location!will!not!keep!many!employees! in!the!community.! ! • Amenities!most!desired!include!garages,!mobile!phone/internet!access,!pets! allowed,!inZunit!washers/dryers!and,!if!the!household!includes!children,!play! areas.! ! Want!to!Own!vs.!Rent! ! The!2015!Household!and!Employee!survey!asked!local!workforce!households!and!inZ commuting!households!whether!they!want!to!move!into!a!new!or!different!home!in!the! Estes!Park!area.!About!62%!of!inZcommuters!and!41%!of!local!workforce!households! expressed!a!desire!to!move.! ! • Of!workforce!households!who!want!to!move,!most!want!to!own.!! ! • Current!owners!want!to!continue!to!own!and!nearly!60%!of!renters!want!to! move!into!ownership.!! ! Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!95! • Another!28%!of!renters!would!own!or!rent.!Relatively!few!renters!who!want!to! move!from!where!they!now!rent!want!to!continue!to!rent.!This!preference! balances!the!own/rent!mix!in!the!demand!generated!for!additional!units!through! job!growth.!! ! Preference!to!Own!or!Buy!a!Home!in!the!Estes!Park!area:!!2015! !Present!Tenure!Status! Do!you:!Owners!Renters!Total! Prefer!to!Own!100%!59%!67%! Either!own!or!rent!(no!preference)!0%!28%!22%! Prefer!to!Rent!0%!14%!11%! TOTALS!100%!100%!100%! Source:!2015!Household!and!Employee!Survey! ! Unit!Type! !! SingleZfamily!homes!were!by!far!the!favorite!choice!when!members!of!workforce! households!who!want!to!move!were!asked,!“If#you#were#to#move#into#a#new#or#different# home#in#the#Estes#Valley,#what#is#your#first#and#second#preferred#choice#of#home?”!This!is! not!a!reflection!of!the!marketability!of!other!types!of!housing.!Research!on!housingZ related!tradeoffs!in!Colorado!mountain!towns!has!shown!that!employees!are!more! willing!to!compromise!on!unit!type!and!size,!but!typically!hold!firm!on!price!and! location.! ! First!Choice!–!Preferred!Type!of!Housing:!!2015! !Present!Tenure!Status! FIRST!Preferred!Home!Type:!Owners!Renters!Total! Single!family!97%!78%!82%! Duplex/townhome!2%!6%!5%! Condominium!2%!2%!2%! Apartment!0%!7%!6%! Mobile!Home!0%!5%!4%! Other!0%!2%!2%! TOTALS!100%!100%!100%! Source:!2015!Household!and!Employee!Survey! ! The!second!choice!home!provides!insight!into!the!relative!desirability!of!other!types!of! housing.!Duplexes!and!townhomes!are!far!more!preferred!than!condominiums!by!those! who!want!to!move!to!or!within!the!Estes!Park!area.!! ! !! Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!96! Second!Choice!–!Preferred!Type!of!Housing:!!2015! !Present!Tenure!Status! SECOND!Preferred!Home!Type:!Owners!Renters!Total! Duplex/townhome!57%!52%!53%! Condominium!20%!22%!22%! Apartment!0%!10%!8%! Single!family!4%!6%!5%! Other!20%!10%!12%! TOTALS!100%!100%!100%! Source:!2015!Household!and!Employee!Survey! ! Bedrooms!Needed! ! Workforce!households!employed!in!the!Estes!Park!area!in!general!need!fewer!bedrooms! than!they!now!have,!which!is!good!for!affordable!housing!efforts,!since!smaller!homes!! cost!less!to!build.!! ! • Whereas!over!half!indicated!they!need!one!or!two!bedrooms,!40%!now!live!in! one!or!two!bedroom!homes.!! ! • Only!48%!need!three!or!more!bedrooms!although!56%!now!have!this!many! bedrooms.! ! !! Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!97! How!Many!Bedrooms!Do!You!Occupy!and!How!Many!Does!Your!Household!Need?! Estes!Park!area!workforce!households,!2015! !Source:!!2015!Household!and!Employee!Survey! ! Of!workforce!households!wanting!to!move!into!a!new!or!different!home!in!the!area,! those!who!want!to!own!report!needing!more!3Z!and!4Zbedroom!homes!than!those!who! would!consider!renting.! ! Number!of!Bedrooms!Needed!by!Own/Rent:!2015! Bedrooms!Needed! Want!to! own! Would!rent! or!own! Studio!0%!2%! One!10%!22%! Two!37%!41%! Three!38%!29%! Four!14%!7%! Five!1%!0%! Source:!2015!Household!and!Employee!Survey! ! !! 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% Five Four Three Two One Studio Nu m b e r o f B e d r o o m s Bedrooms in current home Bedrooms needed Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!98! Location!Attributes! ! When!looking!for!a!place!to!live,!the!affordability!of!housing/cost!of!living!is!the!most! important!consideration!among!renters,!but!a!close!second!to!proximity!to!nature!and! outdoor!recreation!among!owners.!! ! While!owners!and!renters!rate!the!relative!importance!of!the!options!offered!similarly,! owners!place!greater!importance!on!most!attributes,!especially!proximity!to!services,! community!amenities!and!community!character.!!Renters!gave!higher!ratings!than! owners!only!on!the!affordability!of!housing!and!cost!of!living.! ! Several!“other”!writeZin!survey!responses!were!received!to!this!question.!Allowing!pets! was!the!most!frequently!cited,!followed!by!the!quality!of!housing.! ! Importance!of!Location!Attributes! !Own!Rent!Grand!Total! Affordability!of!housing/cost!of!living!4.2!4.7!4.5! Proximity!to!nature/outdoor!recreation!!4.3!3.9!4.1! Community!character!(family!oriented,! neighborhood!feel,!etc.)! 4.1!3.7!3.9! Community!amenities!(parks,!libraries,!etc.)!4!3.6!3.8! Proximity!to!my!place!of!employment!3.7!3.7!3.7! Proximity!to!services!(medical,!shopping,!etc.)!3.5!3.1!3.3! Proximity!to!place(s)!of!employment!for!other! household!members!! 3.3!3!3.2! Quality!of!schools!!3.2!2.9!3! Proximity!to!day!care!!1.7!1.7!1.7! Source:!!2015!Household!and!Employee!Survey! *Sorted!in!descending!order!of!importance.! ! Owner!Amenities! ! A!garage!and!adequate!storage!top!the!list!of!what!home!buyers!who!work!in!the!area! most!seek!when!choosing!a!home.!!Most!buyers!realize!they!will!have!to!consider!older! units!to!find!homes!they!can!afford.!! ! Condominiums!do!not!appeal!to!many,!but!still!function!as!housing!for!some!of!the! workforce,!primarily!since!other!options!are!so!limited.!Empty!nesters!are!more!likely!to! consider!condominiums,!yet!families!with!children!are!far!more!likely!to!only!consider! singleZfamily!homes!with!private!yards.! ! Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!99! The!community!has!continued!to!attract!older!residents!with!its!amenities!and!relatively! large!inventory!of!condominiums.!!Living!down!valley!often!appeals!more!to!singles!and! younger!families!who!prefer!the!lifestyle,!schools!and!familyZoriented!amenities!like! community/recreation!centers!available!in!Loveland!and!Fort!Collins.!!Some!REALTORS®! feel!the!community!is!transitioning,!however,!and!that!its!attraction!of!younger!tourists! with!events!like!beer!festivals!will!ultimately!lead!to!younger!home!buyers.!This!is! supported!by!information!in!Section!6!–!Problems,!where!many!of!the!inZcommuters! that!want!to!move!closer!to!their!work!are!comprised!of!younger!workforce!households! and!families.! ! Rental!Amenities! ! The!amenities!and!features!that!renters!desire!are!similar!in!most!respects!between! those!renting!market!units!compares!to!incomeZrestricted!rentals.!They!both!highly!rate! being!able!to!have!pets!and!laundry!either!in!the!unit!or!on!site.!! ! There!are!some!notable!exceptions.!When!considering!these!differences!is!it!important! to!note!that!the!incomeZrestricted!units!are!apartments!in!complexes.!The!market!units! are!largely!scattered!condominiums,!singleZfamily!homes!and!cabins.!! ! • Pets!are!at!the!top!of!the!list!for!both!categories!of!rentals.!Pets!are!rarely! allowed!at!apartment!properties!and!in!professionally!managed!rentals!even! though!they!are!highly!valued.!Renters!are!getting!around!prohibitions!by! indicating!their!pets!are!“service”!animals.!An!alternative!is!to!charge!pet!rent!as! well!as!higher!security!deposits.! ! • Mobile!phone/internet!service!shares!the!top!rating!with!pets.!The!National!Park! Services!had!some!vacancies!in!their!summer!employee!housing!because!the! units!did!not!have!internet!access.! ! • OnZsite!and!inZunit!washers/dryers!are!very!important.! ! • Garages!are!moderately!important!to!market!renters!yet!none!of!the!income! restricted!rentals!have!garages.! ! • Playgrounds!are!of!moderate!value!to!the!residents!in!the!incomeZrestricted! apartment!complexes!but!of!low!value!to!market!renters.! ! • Storage!is!lower!in!terms!of!importance!that!often!found!in!mountain!towns,! perhaps!because!Estes!is!not!a!ski!resort!and!residents!may!not!have!all!of!the! gear!associated!with!that!sport.! !! Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!100! Importance!of!Amenities!to!Renters! 1!=!not!important;!5!=!very!important! !ProfessionallyO Managed!Market! Rentals! EPHA!Rentals! Pets!allowed!5!5! On!site!laundry!4!5! Mobile!phone/internet!service!5!5! In!unit!laundry!4!3! Garage!3!N/A! Yard!space!3!3! Energy!efficiency!3!1! Storage!2!3! Clubhouse!N/A!2! Playground!1!3! Exercise!equipment!1!N/A! Security!1!1! Source:!!2015!REALTOR®!and!Property!Manager!focus!groups! ! In!terms!of!unit!design,!there!is!no!clear!preference!for!singleZstory!units!as!compared!to! multiZstory.!In!general,!older!renters!prefer!one!level!while!families!with!children!like! townhomes!and!other!multiZstory!units.! ! Renters!are!split!roughly!50/50!between!those!who!want!a!full!bathroom!with!tub!and! those!who!are!fine!with!a!¾!bathroom!with!shower.! ! ! ! ! !! Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!101! SECTION!9!–!HOUSING!RESOURCES!AND!LIMITATIONS! ! This!section!introduces!land!and!housing!resources!that!may!be!available!to!help! address!affordable!housing!for!the!workforce.!!The!existing!regulatory!environment!is! discussed!as!it!relates!to!the!development!of!affordable!housing,!including!both!code! and!process.!Changes!incurred!by!the!2013!flood!and!pending!floodplain!redistricting! are!also!introduced.!Finally,!funding!and!programs!provided!by!local!and!regional! organizations!are!presented.!!This!information!helps!guide!recommendations!and! possible!strategies.!! ! Vacant!and!TownOOwned!Land! ! The!below!map!shows!vacant!land!in!the!town!of!Estes!Park!area.!!Much!of!the!land! shown!may!not!be!suitable!or!available!for!development.!!Of!the!parcels!shown,!only!the! Fish!Hatchery!parcel!is!currently!under!consideration!for!workforce!housing!(upper!left! corner!of!the!map).! ! This!parcels!is!about!4!miles!west!of!town.!!The!area!is!currently!under!AZ1!zoning,! allowing!about!four!units!per!acre.!!Not!all!the!land!is!developable!due!to!steep!slopes,! wildfire!hazard,!and!other!conservation!areas,!but!some!significant!acreage!could! potentially!be!developed!at!higher!densities.!! ! Discussions!have!been!occurring!with!the!Estes!Park!Housing!Authority.!!If!an!agreement! can!be!worked!out!with!the!Town!donating!land,!homes!for!moderateZ!and!middleZ income!families!could!be!constructed!that!are!below!market!but!above!the!limits! associated!with!Federal!and!State!housing!programs.!The!parcel!has!competing!interests,! both!for!conservation!and!housing,!but!the!extensive!size!of!the!parcel!should!lend!itself! to!meeting!multiple!interests.! ! !! Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!102! Vacant!Land!in!the!Estes!Park!Area:!!2013! !Source:!!Estes!Park!Community!Development!Department!from!Larimer!County!Assessor!Records! *Land!classifications!are!from!Assessor!records!and!do!not!represent!Estes!Valley!zoning!designations! ! ! Floodplain!Redistricting!in!2016! ! The!Federal!Emergency!Management!Agency!(FEMA)!is!expected!to!release!a!new!100Z year!floodplain!map!for!the!Estes!Park!area!at!the!end!of!2016.!!This!map!is!expected!to! place!many!properties!in!the!floodplain!that!currently!are!not!classified!as!such.!!It!is! unknown!at!this!time!how!many!residential!properties!may!be!affected!by!this! redistricting.!!! ! FEMA!has!programs!targeted!to!reducing!the!damage!to!property!and!disruption!caused! by!repeated!flooding.!!Redistricting!will!open!the!door!to!additional!grant!opportunities! to!address!flooding!related!issues!and!renovations!in!Town.!!Among!FEMA’s!concerns! are!“severe!repetitive!loss”!(SRL)!properties,!which!are!properties!that!are!subject!to! repeat!flooding!damage.!!In!the!past,!grant!funds!have!been!available!to!state!and!local! Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!103! governments!for!acquisition!or!relocation!of!SLR!structures!and!conversion!of!the! property!to!open!space,!elevation!of!structures!or!dryproofing!of!historic!properties.13!! ! The!Islander,!an!8Zplex!unit!downtown!that!often!houses!local!employees,!is!one!for! which!the!Town!may!request!these!funds,!but!an!application!has!not!yet!been! submitted.!!While!removing!properties!from!the!floodplain!is!important,!a!noZnetZloss! policy!for!housing!occupied!by!residents!should!be!equally!as!important.!!As!more!SRL! properties!are!identified,!the!Town!should!have!in!place!a!plan!to!relocate!or!replace! lost!units!in!nonZflood!areas,!rather!then!simply!remove,!these!properties.!!! ! The!Town!has!hired!a!consulting!team,!Logan!Simpson,!to!establish!a!Downtown!Plan! consistent!with!community!goals!and!needs.!!This!plan!will!evaluate!the!potential!for!3Z stories!and!steppedZback!4Zstories!in!some!downtown!areas,!some!of!which!is!in! anticipation!that!basement!and!crawl!spaces!will!be!in!the!floodplain!following! redistricting.!This!could!open!up!options!for!more!housing!downtown.!!As!the!Town! continues!with!these!efforts,!it!is!important!to!consider!the!potential!impact!of! floodplain!redistricting!and!the!impact!on!housing.!!! ! Redevelopment!Parcels! ! The!town!has!few!undeveloped!parcels.!!Most!potential!development!is!through! redevelopment!rather!than!new!subdivisions!within!the!town.!!A!few!properties!were! identified!by!the!town!as!potential!candidates!for!redevelopment,!though!no!specific! plans!are!currently!in!the!works:! ! • An!almost!5Zacre!parcel!about!two!miles!south!of!downtown!on!South!St.!Vrain! Avenue.!!This!parcel!is!across!the!avenue!from!the!golf!course.!!It!had!a!recent! proposal!for!development!that!was!contested!by!residents!in!the!area!and!was! subsequently!withdrawn.! ! • A!9.5Zacre!parcel!north!of!the!lake!on!Dry!Gulch!Road!and!just!south!of!Vista! Ridge!Condominiums.!!The!parcel!could!be!rezoned!to!accommodate!higher! density!residential,!but!as!with!most!development!in!the!area,!would!be! contentious!with!the!community.! ! • Cleave!Street!property!downtown,!which!is!one!area!to!be!evaluated!as!the!town! reviews!a!Downtown!Plan!for!Estes!Park.14!!This!parcel!contains!Cleave!Street! Apartments!(EPHA),!along!with!a!few!buildings!that!are!ripe!for!redevelopment.! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 13!See!“Guidance!for!Severe!Repetitive!Loss!Properties,”!May!2011,!available!at:! https://www.fema.gov/pdf/nfip/manual201105/content/20_srl.pdf;!“FY!2015!Flood!Mitigation!Assistance! Program!Fact!Sheet,”!available!at:!http://www.fema.gov/mediaZlibraryZdata/1432847398289Z 878c470e718239eedcaadc8d52ea1823/FMAFactSheetFY2015.pdf! 14!See!discussion!herein!above!under!“Floodplain!Redistricting!in!2016.”! Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!104! ! Redevelopment!of!many!properties!is!challenging.!!The!town!underwent!a!broad!scale! rezoning!many!years!ago!that!changed!many!multiZfamily!zones!to!singleZfamily.!!This! means!that!there!are!several!“nonZconforming”!uses!in!place,!such!as!hotels!and!multiZ family!residential,!which!may!not!be! permitted!to!redevelop!to!their!current!use.! No!net!loss!provisions,!requiring!removed! residential!units!to!either!be!replaced!on!site! or!another!site!or!a!feeZinZlieu!of! replacement!be!paid,!are!common!in!areas! concerned!about!the!loss!of!local!housing!to! redevelopment.!! ! Regulatory!Issues! ! Many!concerns!regarding!the!current!zoning!and!development!environment!in!the!Estes! Park!area!were!raised!through!interviews,!survey!comments!and!data!observations.!The! primary!issues!raised!included:! • The!low!density!zoning!in!the!valley,!! • Redevelopment!challenges!(discussed!above),!! • Opposition!to!most!types!of!development!by!vocal!residents,!! • Ineffective!attainable!housing!incentives,!! • Lack!of!mandates!or!fees!for!workforce!housing,!and!! • The!prohibitions!on!renting!Accessory!Dwelling!Units!(ADUs).!!! ! This!section!highlights!some!of!these!concerns.!!The!Strategies!section!of!this!report! recommends!how!the!Town!may!improve!its!regulatory!environment!to!better! accommodate!attainable!housing.! ! MultiZfamily!zones.!!Very!little!multiZfamily!zoning!exists!in!town.!!As!of!2013,!only!2%!of! land!in!the!Estes!Valley!was!zoned!for!multiZfamily!residential!(3!to!8!units!per!acre).! Nearly!half!of!the!land!in!the!Estes!Valley!is!zoned!for!very!low!density,!rural!uses!only!(1! home!on!at!least!10!acres).!EightZunits!per!acre!is!low!even!compared!to!most!other! mountain!resort!communities!in!Colorado.!!! ! Density!bonus.!! • The!current!Estes!Valley!Development!Code!allows!a!50%!density!bonus!(e.g.! from!8Zunits!per!acre!up!to!12Zunits!per!acre)!if!attainable!housing!is!proposed!as! part!of!a!development.!!The!density!bonus!is!subject!to!discretionary!review!and! may!not!be!granted.! • Attainable!housing!is!defined!as!rentals!for!households!earning!60%!AMI!or!less! and!ownership!for!households!earning!80%!AMI!or!less.!!These!price!points! “I#have#been#in#this#town#for#18# years,#and#have#seen#this#issue#go# from#bad#to#worse.#I#was#one#of# those#forced#to#leave#the#old#trailer# park.#The#lot#is#still#empty.”# Estes!Park!Area!Employee! ! Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!105! overlap!with!what!can!be!produced!with!federal!funding!(units!for!80%!AMI! households!or!below).15!! ! Residential!Zoning!Acreage:!!Estes!Valley,!2013! Residential!Land!Use!Total!Acres!Percentage! MultiOfamily:!3O8!du/acre!(RM)!319!2.0%! Single!Family:!10!acre!min.!(REO1)!7,369!46.3%! Single!Family:!2!1/2!acre!min.!(RE)!4,694!29.5%! Single!Family:!1!acre!min.!(EO1)!2,212!13.9%! Single!Family:!1/2!acre!min.!(E)!1,026!6.4%! Single!Family:!1/4!Acre!min.!(R)!202!1.3%! Single!Family:!5,000!s.f.!min.!(RO1)!14!0.1%! Two!Family:!27,000!s.f.!min.!(RO2)!74!0.5%! TOTAL!15,910!100.0%! Source:!2013!Town!of!Estes!Park!and!Larimer!County!Land!Use!Records,!as!reported!in!the!Estes!Valley! Comprehensive!Plan!(2012!Update),!Chapter!Four:!Land!Use.! ! Townhomes.!!Until!2011,!townhomes!were!not!a!recognized!product!under!the! Municipal!Code!in!the!Estes!Valley.!!Townhomes!are!presently!permitted!in!the!RZ1,!RZ2,! RM,!A!and!AZ1!zone!districts.!Townhomes!are!a!preferred!attached!product!type!by! many!locals!in!mountain!towns,!including!the!Estes!Park!area!(see!Section!8!–!Housing! Preferences).!!! ! Accessory!Dwelling!Units.!The!rental!of!ADUs!has!been!proposed!and!rejected!in!the! past.!!This!should!be!revisited!as!it!can!help!provide!employee!housing!for!locals.! Crested!Butte!and!Telluride!have!effective!ADU!provisions.! ! Planned!Unit!Developments.!The!use!of!PUDs!is!limited!and!must!include!a!commercial! component.!!As!new!development!opportunities!have!decreased!and!redevelopment! opportunities!have!grown,!more!flexible!PUD!standards!are!needed!to!make!the!most!of! hard!to!develop!lots.! !!!! Development!Fee!Waivers.!!The!Town!Board!has!been!assisting!many!developments! with!fee!waivers.!!Fee!waivers!made!the!affordable!rental!project,!Falcon!Ridge,!feasible.! The!Town!should!selectively!apply!fee!waivers!for!projects!that!advance!Town!goals!and! needs,!such!as!supporting!attainable!housing.! ! Buildout!Analysis.!!The!Town!last!updated!its!buildout!study!in!2007.!The!study! estimated!that!the!Town!could!accommodate!about!7,780!total!residential!homes!under! thenZcurrent!zoning.!!Presently!68%!of!homes!are!occupied!by!yearZround!residents.! This!means!that!5,100!of!these!7,500!units!should!accommodate!the!needs!of!local! residents!if!the!town!wants!to!preserve!its!character.!Applying!estimates!of!housing! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 15!See!Estes!Valley!Development!Code,!§!11.4!Attainable!Housing!Density!Bonus.! Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!106! units!in!the!Estes!Park!Area!(which!is!a!larger!area!than!the!Estes!Valley)!indicates!that! about!2,000!residential!units!remain!to!be!built!–!1,390!of!which!should!be!for!residents.!! ! This!analysis!is!an!important!planning!tool!for!the!town!and!can!help!when!evaluating! proposed!projects!to!ensure!town!attainable!housing!goals!are!being!met.! ! Estes!Valley!Estimated!Buildout:!!2007! LAND!USE! ACRES!BY! CLASSIFICATION! ESTIMATED! BUILDOUT! (existing!plus! future!units)! MultiOfamily:!3O8!du/acre!(RM)!294!2,255! Single!Family:!10!acre!min.!(REO1)!2,859!344! Single!Family:!2!1/2!acre!min.!(RE)!4,332!1,121! Single!Family:!1!acre!min.!(EO1)!1,887!1,583! Single!Family:!1/2!acre!min.!(E)!899!1,560! Single!Family:!1/4!Acre!min.!(R)!154!583! Single!Family:!5,000!s.f.!min.!(RO1)!13!78! Two!Family:!27,000!s.f.!min.!(RO2)!65!254! TOTAL!10,503!7,778! Estes!Park!Area*!(2015!existing!homes)!(example!only)!5,735! Remaining!housing!to!be!built!(example!only)!2,034! Resident!Housing!(68%)!(example!only)!1,390! Source:!2007!Buildout!Analysis,!as!reported!in!the!Estes!Valley!Comprehensive!Plan!(2012!Update),! Chapter!Four:!Land!Use.! *Estes!Park!Area!housing!estimates!represent!a!larger!area!than!just!the!Estes!Valley.!!This!number!is! provided!for!example!purposes!only!–!the!number!of!units!remaining!to!be!constructed!in!the!Estes!Valley! should!be!higher!than!represented!in!this!example.! ! Funding! ! To!date,!affordable!housing!development!has!mostly!relied!on!the!use!of!Low!Income! Housing!Tax!Credits.!!A!few!units!have!been!produced!by!the!private!market!(The! Neighborhood),!and!others!through!creative!financing!by!the!EPHA!(Vista!Ridge!and!The! Pines)!to!produce!both!affordable!ownership!and!rental!units.! ! The!Town!presently!does!not!have!in!place!a!source!for!affordable!housing!revenue,!but! has!provided!direction!to!staff!to!explore!options.!!Many!options!are!presented!in!the! Strategies!section!of!this!report.!! ! !! Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!107! Organizations!! ! Estes#Park#Housing#Authority#(EPHA)# ! In!addition!to!the!rental!units!it!owns/manages!and!the!ownership!units!it!oversees,! EPHA!offers:! ! • Estes!Valley!Workforce!Housing!Assistance!(EVWA)!is!a!down!payment!program! created!by!the!Estes!Park!Board!of!REALTORS®!and!EPHA!to!assist!working! families!with!incomes!from!81%!to!150%!AMI.!It!is!funded!with!private! donations,!grants,!the!Town!and!the!Board!of!REALTORS®.!Utilization!of!the! program!was!low!until!recently,!but!now!the!portfolio!includes!five!loans.!Terms! are:!! o A!maximum!loan!amount!of!3.5%!of!the!purchase!price!OR!$10,500;! o An!interest!rate!of!2%!with!a!10Zyear!term;! o Repayment!of!the!loan!can!be!deferred!if!needed!to!qualify!for!the!first! mortgage;! o Loan!amounts!are!dependent!on!available!program!funding;! o Applicants!need!to!invest!a!minimum!of!$3000!of!their!own!funds!into! the!home!purchase;! o A!prequalification!letter!from!a!lender!is!required;!and! o Homeownership!education!is!also!required.!!!! ! • Homebuyer!Education!–!EPHA!refers!buyers!to!a!homebuyer!counseling!program! provided!online!by!the!Colorado!Housing!and!Finance!Authority.!No!one!provides! homebuyer!education!classes!in!the!Estes!Valley,!but!classes!are!held!in!Fort! Collins!and!Boulder.! ! • Section!8!Rental!Assistance!–!EPHA!has!an!allocation!of!Section!8!rent!subsidy! vouchers!that!are!awarded!to!income!qualified!households!who!then!must!find! rental!housing!that!rent!for!no!more!than!the!Fair!Market!Rents!defined!by!HUD.! EPHA!has!50!vouchers.!Only!42!are!utilized!at!this!time!because!voucher!holders! are!unable!to!find!units!that!rent!for!less!than!the!maximum!allowed.! ! While!operational!selfZsufficiency!is!the!goal,!the!Town!has!financially!supported!EPHA! since!formed!in!2000.!At!its!peak,!the!Town!provided!$250,000!to!$300,000!annually! with!the!understanding!that!EPHA!would!ask!for!fewer!funds!each!year,!eventually! reaching!operational!selfZsufficiency!through!income!from!properties.!The!Town!has! allocated!$50,000!for!2016,!and!also!supports!the!Authority!by!providing!legal!fees,! office!space!and!phone!service.!The!selfZsufficiency!goal!applies!only!to!operations.!The! Town!will!still!consider!providing!subsidies!for!the!construction!of!housing,!as!done! when!$369,000!was!provided!for!Falcon!Ridge.! Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!108! Loveland#Housing#Authority## ! The!Loveland!Housing!Authority!is!a!sister!agency!to!EPHA.!It!helps!with!various! administrative!functions!including!accounting,!allocation!of!Section!8!vouchers,!and!is! now!working!on!the!initial!lease!up!of!Falcon!Ridge.!This!agency!also!provides!several! homeowner!programs!that!cover!the!Estes!Park!area:! ! • Larimer!Homeownership!Program!(LHOP)!provides!down!payment!assistance!to! households!with!incomes!no!greater!than!80%!AMI!who!are!purchasing!a!home! in!Larimer!County!outside!the!City!of!Fort!Collins.!This!program!has!not!been! used!often!in!the!Estes!Park!area!because!home!prices!are!too!high,!yet!could!be! of!benefit!if!additional!deed!restricted!units!are!developed!for!lowZincome! residents.!Terms!include:! o A!maximum!loan!amount!of!$10,000;! o An!interest!rate!of!2%;! o Buyers!must!contribute!at!least!1%!of!the!home’s!purchase!price;! o The!home!value!may!not!exceed!the!current!FHA!limits;! o Funds!will!not!be!reserved!until!a!home!is!under!contract!and!a!first! mortgage!has!been!approved;! o Applicants!must!be!preZapproved!by!a!lender!prior!to!submitting!an! application;! o Applicants!must!attend!a!first!time!home!buyer!class;!and! o Home!buyer/Applicant!is!able!to!work!with!any!lender!of!their!choosing! for!the!first!mortgage;!however,!the!program!reserves!the!right!to!not! lend!behind!a!first!mortgage!that!would!have!questionable!terms.! ! • Larimer!Improvement!Program!offers!lowZ!to!noZinterest!rate!loans!to!income! qualified!families!with!incomes!at!or!less!than!80%!AMI!for! repairs/improvements.!!EPHA!works!with!residents!to!complete!applications!and! the!Loveland!Housing!Authority!administers.!Because!of!FHA!limits!and!equity! requirements,!this!program!better!serves!seniors!than!workforce!households.! Terms!include:! o A!maximum!loan!amount!of!$24,999;! o The!interest!rate!varies!from!0%!to!5%!based!upon!the!family’s!income;! o Loan!terms!are!very!flexible;!and! o Focus!on!health!and!safety!related!issues!and!could!include!roof! replacement!or!repair,!new!siding,!windows!and!insulation!to!improve! energy!efficiency,!room!additions!in!overcrowding!situations,!etc.!! ! • Disaster!Relief!!is!a!special!allocation!of!Federal!funding!provided!by!the! Colorado!Division!of!Housing!to!assist!households!displaced!by!the!September! 2013!flood!and!the!High!Park!fire.!Most!of!the!assistance!is!devoted!to!housing! rehabilitation,!but!up!to!$50,000!can!be!provided!for!ownership!assistance.! Under!both!programs,!households!with!incomes!equal!to!or!less!than!80%!AMI! Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!109! who!can!demonstrate!flood!or!fire!displacement!can!apply!for!Disaster!Relief! assistance.!Terms!and!loan!amounts!are!determined!on!a!caseZbyZcase!need.!!! ! To!date,!25!households!within!the!study!area!have!received!Disaster!Relief!assistance! through!these!programs.! ! Location!#!Households!Assisted!Amount!Provided! Drake!3!$84,314!!!! Estes!Park!5!$104,377! Lyons!(Larimer!Co)!2!$151,262!!!! Big!Elk!13!140,477.58!!! Glen!Haven!2!$65,133!!! Cedar!Cove!3!$88,571!!!! Source:!!Loveland!Housing!Authority! # • Emergency!Grant!Assistance!is!provided!to!owners!who!make!no!more!than!50%! AMI!for!urgent!need!situations!such!as!burst!pipes!or!a!broken!water!heater!or! furnace.!Stipulations!include:!! o Furnace!replacement!first!requires!an!application!with!the!Longs!Peak! Energy!Conservation!weatherization!program;! o Grants!cannot!exceed!$1,000!absent!special!circumstances;!and! o Grants!are!only!provided!one!time.! Estes#Park#Economic#Development#Corporation# ! The!Estes!Park!Economic!Development!Corporation!(EDC)!was!formed!in!August!2013!in! part!to!plan!for!and!promote!the!economic!development!of!the!Estes!Valley;!assist! existing!local!businesses!to!reach!their!full!economic!potential;!and!use!and!promote!the! tools!of!economic!development!to!create!a!more!dynamic,!multiZgenerational! community!to!the!benefit!of!all!citizens.!By!June!2014,!the!EDC!had!helped!over!80! businesses!with!Colorado’s!Recover!Colorado!business!grant!program!for!flood!and!fire! recovery!programs.!! ! The!lack!of!affordable!housing!for!the!workforce!has!long!been!a!problem!for!area! businesses.!The!November!2015!economic!strategy!study!commissioned!by!the!EDC! reiterated!that!the:!“Limited!availability!of!workforce!housing!in!the!Estes!Valley! presents!a!serious!threat!to!the!ability!of!businesses!to!attract!and!retain!qualified! employees.”!16!!! ! The!EDC!has!formed!a!Housing!Committee!to!explore!methods!and!opportunities!for! addressing!workforce!housing.!The!Housing!Committee!is!in!the!process!of!formulating! policy!recommendations!and!options!to!address!workforce!housing!with!a!vision!toward! identifying!or!helping!to!facilitate!housing!projects.!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 16!“Estes!Valley!Economic!Development!Strategy,”!Nov.!2015,!Avalanche!Consulting,!pp.!26,!et!al.! Estes!Park!Area!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting! APPENDIX!A!–!HOUSEHOLD!INCOME!AND!AFFORDABILITY! CALCULATIONS! ! Housing!is!affordable!when!the!monthly!payment!(rent!or!mortgage)!is!equal!to!no! more!than!30%!of!a!household’s!gross!income!(i.e.,!income!before!taxes).!Although! there!is!some!variation,!this!standard!for!affordability!is!commonly!applied!by!federal! and!state!housing!programs,!local!housing!initiatives,!mortgage!lenders!and!leasing! agents.! !!! Affordable!rents!and!purchase!prices,!meeting!this!30%!standard,!are!often!calculated! for!various!income!levels,!expressed!as!a!percentage!of!the!Area!Median!Income!(AMI).! AMI!is!published!annually!by!the!U.S.!Department!of!Housing!and!Urban!Development! (HUD)!for!each!county#and!represents!the!Median!Family!Income!of!an!area.!This!means! that!the!AMI!does!not!incorporate!incomes!from!nonZfamily!single!and!roommate! households,!which!make!up!56%!of!households!in!the!Estes!Park!area.!As!a!result,!the! AMI!will!generally!be!higher!than!the!average!income!of!all!households.!! ! The!AMI!varies!by!household!size.!The!median!(or!middle)!family!income!estimate!in!an! area!generally!falls!on!or!near!the!100%!AMI!rate!for!a!family!of!four.!In!Larimer!County! the!AMI!in!2015!is!$77,800.! !! Larimer!County!AMI’s!by!Household!Size:!!2015! AMI!Level!1Operson!2Operson!3Operson!4Operson!5Operson! 30%!$16,350!$18,690!$21,030!$23,340!$25,230! 50%!$27,250!$31,150!$35,050!$38,900!$42,050! 60%!$32,700!$37,380!$42,060!$46,680!$50,460! 80%!$43,600!$49,840!$56,080!$62,240!$67,280! 100%!$54,500!$62,300!$70,100!$77,800!$84,100! 120%!$65,400!$74,760!$84,120!$93,360!$100,920! 150%!$81,750!$93,450!$105,150!$116,700!$126,150! Source:!!US!Department!of!Housing!and!Urban!Development!(HUD)! ! Throughout!this!report,!the!analysis!of!affordability!will!be!based!on!the!income!for!a!2Z person!household,!which!is!about!the!average!size!of!households!in!the!Estes!Park!study! area.!The!affordable!rents!and!purchase!prices!of!the!average!Estes!Park!area!household! at!various!rates!of!AMI!are!as!follows:! ! !! Estes!Park!Housing!Needs!Assessment,!January!2016! Rees!Consulting,!Inc.;!WSW!Consulting!!2! Maximum!Affordable!Housing!Costs! AMI!Household!Income!Max!Rent!Max!Purchase!Price*! 30%!$18,690!$467!$69,299! 50%!$31,150!$779!$115,499! 60%!$37,380!$935!$138,599! 80%!$49,840!$1,246!$184,798! 100%!$62,300!$1,558!$230,998! 120%!$74,760!$1,869!$277,197! 150%!$93,450!$2,336!$346,496! Source:!!HUD,!Consultant!team! *Assumes!30Zyear!mortgage!at!5.5%!with!5%!down!and!20%!of!the!payment! covering!taxes,!HOA,!PMI!and!insurance.! ! Interest!rates!have!been!kept!low!for!several!years!and!will!eventually!rise.!Rates!for!a! 30Zyear!fixed!rate!mortgage!currently!average!around!4.5%!depending!upon!credit! scores.!As!rates!rise,!higher!incomes!will!be!required!of!buyers!to!buy!the!same!priced! home!today.!For!example,!a!one!percentage!point!increase!drops!the!affordable! purchase!price!by!$20,000!to!$25,000!for!households!with!incomes!at!80%!AMI.!This! should!be!a!consideration!when!setting!prices!for!new!homes!and!making!decisions! about!resale!price!calculations.! Two issues/concerns: 1) That the comprehensive plan will not be as specific to the needs of the Town and that the consultants/final product could be overly influenced by input from Larimer County. I am not saying that the interests of the town and of the county cannot be the same. But the goal here is ultimately to have a comprehensive plan that guides the incorporated Estes Park. 2) The finished product will lack substance to help prepare Estes Park for the future. There are big changes occurring in our country, our state and our county that we need to plan and prepare for. And that will be hard to do. Two keywords for vision statement: forward-looking sustainable two issues/concerns Generational gap: The gaps between (and I'm generalizing a bit) younger, working families and older, retired residents -- in communication, in vision, in priorities. It feels as though there's often one perspective supported by the former group and another by the latter. I'd like to see CompPAC begin to address and close divides, which will obviously take compromise and some dedicated effort. Sustainability/responsible use: As we grapple with substantial growth in our tourism numbers as well as explosive growth in the Front Range, we need to be able to balance preservation and sustainability with accommodating the changing (economic and environmental) landscape. I'd like to see how the CompPAC can create a strategy for caretaking our lands and open spaces while adjusting to the influx of visitors and residents. Vision statement keywords: Inclusive Innovative Childcare! Additional issues/concerns: affordable housing, transportation: year round & bike lane •keywords: sustainability for all, inclusion The comprehensive plan will provide solutions to HOUSING that will enable a diverse economic, social, and generational community to live, to thrive, and to be invested in the future of Estes Park. The comprehensive plan will embrace CHANGE, recognizing that we are not and never have been perfect, and that by adapting we can create solutions for a resilient, healthy and happy place to live in, to play in, and to visit. Comprehensive Plan Vision Keywords: Community and Adaptive Balancing Development and Preservation A plan that the community embraces as its own One or two keywords that could be in a Vision Statement: Sustainable Actionable (1) Getting ahead of issues stemming from a changing climate is vital to the survival of Estes Park; these include a warming, drying climate with increased wildfires and greater frequency of "once in a lifetime" storms. (2) Transportation issues are my second subject: Bike lanes, sidewalks, trails, and transit should all be expanded to provide transportation alternatives for visitors and residents alike, and must account for changing technology such as unmanned vehicles and drones. Vision statement key words: - Implementation - Funding Issues/Concerns: Floodplain Management in the Downtown Corridor - Welcoming all types of accommodations - it would be great to add additional campgrounds in the appropriate zone districts Consider architectural and aesthetic design standards for downtown corridor Improve blighted areas along Highway 7 Vision Statement: vibrant, open-minded 1. Managing Growth - What do we (the community) want when it comes to growth, and are we prepared to take action to match our desire? If we want growth to continue, we need to match our infrastructure growth to keep up, including workforce housing, child care, services, etc. 2. Plan Acceptance - How will we make sure that the plan (1) addresses the various priorities in our community, (2) is perceived to address the various priorities, and (3) is understood by all. This will require significant compromise by all, but first will require groups to be open and honest about what they think will be best for the community in the long term. One or two keywords that should show up in vision statement Community Proactive / Anticipating How can the economy of Estes Park be diversified to provide sustainable career* opportunities? *For this purpose, a “career” is a job with time-based context, having both a sense of history and direction. Good careers have depth, meaning, and purpose in which there’s a compelling future built from growth and development. A successful career personifies not just the way you make your living, but also who you really are. (Gary Markle, Energage) In the context of the future of Estes Park, very few jobs in the tourist service sector qualify as careers, which is the basis for including diversification in this issue. Key term for the vision statement: diversified, sustainable economy Issues that are important: - affordable housing solutions- short term and long term - Economic Development for Estes and entire Valley One or two words - thriving; economic sustainability Community Proactive / Anticipating Vision Statement words: Diverse and Inclusive Top Two Issues Estes Park needs to have adequate, quality housing to support all segments of its society – low to moderate income workers, senior citizens, retirees, second home owners, remote workforce and seasonal workforce units. Private sector and governmental cooperation is essential to finding opportunities to best use available land for the continued well-being of the community. Estes Park must maintain its reputation as first-class visitor destination while sustaining the beauty of its natural surroundings and unique interaction with wildlife. This will require attention to environmental, educational, transportation and regulatory issues. 2 concerns: Comp plan may not be used, just like the last one wasn’t. The Comp Plan may emphasize tourism growth over quality of life in the Valley. While tourism is the lifeblood of Estes Park, greater efforts need to also be made to attract enterprises and work from home employees that provide year round employment and can add to our economy without sacrificing the beauty of the Valley nor exacerbate the divide between the incorporated and unincorporated portions of the Valley. Key words: Coming together and inclusive LAKE ESTES MARYSLAKE LILYLAKE E HIG H W A Y 3 6 NSAINTVRAINAVE S S A INT VRA I NAVE BI G T H OMPSONAVE HIGH W AY66 W HIG H WAY34 T U N N ELR D HIGHWAY36 D E VILS GULCHRD FALLRIVER R D HIGHW AY7 Rocky MountainNational Park £¤36 £¤34 £¤36 £¤34 £¤34 £¤36 UV7 UV66 UV43 Estes Park 0 0.6 1.2 Miles±Town of Estes Park Proposed Three-Mile Plan Boundary Printed: 7/2/2021Pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes Sec. 31-12-105 EVDC Boundary Town Boundary Rocky Mtn National Park Boundary