In the picturesque ski town of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, even a lucrative salary of $167,000 isn’t enough to secure affordable housing. The city’s struggle with soaring housing prices has left a critical job position unfilled, highlighting a growing crisis in rural communities across the American West.
The Job That No One Can Take
Gary Suiter, the City Manager of Steamboat Springs, shared with NBC News the difficulties the town faces in filling a high-paying head of human resources position. Despite the attractive salary, two candidates turned down the job after failing to find affordable housing in the area.1 This situation underscores a larger issue plaguing many small towns where the influx of remote workers and the short-term rental market have driven up housing costs.
Read More: These Underrated American Towns Are Legit *Perfect* for a Weekend Getaway
A Broader Impact on Essential Services
The housing crisis in Steamboat Springs is not limited to city employees. The local hospital struggles to fill positions as even doctors, looking for homes valued in the millions, are getting outbid.2 The Steamboat Ski Resort has resorted to leasing a hotel to house its employees who can’t afford the high local rents. “Houses used to be for employees and hotels for guests. Now houses are for guests and hotels are for employee housing,” Loryn Duke, communications director at the Steamboat Ski Resort, told NBC News.
The Pandemic Effect
The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the already high housing prices in ski towns like Vail, Aspen, and Steamboat Springs. As remote work became more prevalent, people from more expensive urban areas relocated to these scenic towns, further inflating property values. This trend has pushed long-time residents and local workers out, leading to what Cindy Riegel, Chairman of the Board of Commissioners in Teton County, described as a shift from “living comfortably to survival mode”.
Read More: 17 Old Photos That Came Back to Life
Housing Battles and Community Impact
The housing crisis has ignited fierce debates in Steamboat Springs over potential solutions. While some advocate for stricter regulations on short-term rentals to free up housing for locals, others suggest building more affordable housing units. However, finding a consensus has proven challenging, and the town remains in a housing gridlock.
A Crisis Across the West
Steamboat Springs is not alone in this predicament. Similar scenarios are unfolding in ski towns across the American West. Luke Smith, an associate broker with Engel & Völkers Jackson Hole, highlighted the dramatic transformation of these once-quiet communities. In places like Driggs, Idaho, housing prices have surged for the first time, leaving residents grappling with the new economic realities.
The Way Forward
Addressing the housing crisis in Steamboat Springs and similar towns will require innovative solutions and collaborative efforts from local governments, businesses, and the community. As the gap between high-paying job offers and affordable housing continues to widen, finding a sustainable path forward is crucial for the vitality and stability of these communities.
Conclusion
The story of Steamboat Springs serves as a stark reminder of the broader housing crisis affecting rural and scenic areas across the country. With essential positions remaining vacant and locals being priced out, the need for actionable solutions is more urgent than ever. As Suiter aptly put it, “Once again, discoveries are being revealed that shed new and vivid light on the biblical literature,” and in this case, the literature tells a tale of economic disparity and the urgent need for housing reform.
H/t Business Insider
Read More: 10 Places that Were Built for Weird Reasons