Your Garfield County Libraries will host a housing summit at the Ute Theater & Events Center in Rifle featuring Laurie Best, Town of Breckenridge Housing and Childcare Programs Manager. Laurie has spent the last 30 years trying various approaches to the affordable housing crisis.
Would any of these field tested models help us in Garfield County?
Laurie will present some of her findings, take questions, and will be available for networking and small group discussion afterward.
—
Laurie Best has managed the Town of Breckenridge Housing and Childcare Programs since 2000. When she started more than two decades ago, there were just a handful of deed restricted properties in Breckenridge and the community was starting to experience housing challenges as a result of changing market conditions. There was considerable concern that the character and economic vitality of the Town would be impacted as locals were being priced out. Under her oversite almost 1,200 deed restricted units have been built or preserved since 2000 (about 50 a year on average). Learn how the public sector has intervened in the market to provide housing that is suitable and affordable for the local workforce of Breckenridge. You’ll hear about their Five Year Workforce Housing Blueprint and will share a variety of tools and strategies that have been used effectively to develop new inventory and to preserve existing inventory. Attendees will learn how to start a housing program, how to sustain a housing program, how to structure partnerships, as well as cost and financing options.
Thursday, February 22
2:00 pm