During a regular meeting held on July 16, the Archuleta County Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) approved a sending a letter of support for the Southwest Colorado Council of Governments (SWCCOG) in preparing a grant application to the Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) under the Housing Planning Grant Program, funded through Senate Bill 24-174.
The matter was approved by a split vote of 2-1, with John Ranson and Warren Brown voting in favor and Veronica Medina opposing it.
The BoCC was initially briefed on the matter during a work session earlier in the day by Pagosa Springs Community Development Corporation (PSCDC) Executive Director Emily Lashbrooke, who explained the grant being applied for is a Region 9 Economic Development District grant that will assist with performing a regional housing needs assessment on a regular basis.
Lashbrooke explained that Region 9 would perform a regional housing needs assessment that will “call out each municipality” and “eliminate our responsibility on SB24-174 to have to do that study every three years.”
In April, Archuleta County and the Town of Pagosa Springs adopted the 2025 Archuleta County regional housing needs assessment, which was a collaborative effort between the two jurisdictions and the PSCDC.
Lashbrooke indicated that a housing needs assessment is “not a cheap program,” indicating the community paid approximately $70,000 for the assessment that was completed in April.
She mentioned that the letter of support request is to be able “to do regional studies, which will eliminate our responsibility to have to fund that.”
Lashbrooke explained that “they passed this regulation with no funding tied to it,” explaining that there was dedicated funding available for the first round, “but no future funding prompt.”
Brown indicated his support on the matter, stating, “I just think it makes sense,” in that the county will be required to perform another housing needs assessment and this could be a way for the county to not have to fund the project again in the future.
Medina asked for clarification, mentioning, “As you know I sit on that board, and we discussed it.”
Medina currently sits on the SWCCOG board.
“When we as a board discussed it, it was doing this for regional and doing a template so that everybody has something to follow,” she said, asking, “Again just chasing a grant in order to do something regionally … is that what this is?”
Lashbrooke explained that Region 9 would compile the report with data pulled from the county and town.
“If it is what we discussed the last meeting, I’m not for it. I’m not for chasing a grant for Region 9 to do work on a regional basis,” Medina said.
She went on to explain that Archuleta County currently has a lot of needs, adding that “Archuleta County’s left out.”
She noted that the county oftentimes does not get the assistance it needs to complete projects that have been identified.
“And I just don’t see that we are getting what it is that we need,” Medina added.
Later, during the regular meeting, the letter of support was moved from the meeting’s consent agenda and into the new business portion in order to allow for more discussion on the matter.
Region 9 Regional Programs Manager Shak Powers provided more information on what was being requested from the BoCC with the letter of support.
He explained that the request goes back to SB24-174, explaining that it is a “piece of legislation that requires all jurisdictions with a population of more than 1,000 to complete housing needs from certain data sets, with certain required outputs every six years.”
He explained that as a result of the requirements in SB24-174, the state has put out grant funding to assist, “which we are pursuing.”
He noted that he was in communication with the PSCDC with the recent Archuleta County housing needs assessment that was completed, and that assessment was able to meet the state requirements, “and now there will be one due every six years in perpetuity thereafter.”
Powers also added that the assessments “are very time-consuming” and that Region 9 is hoping to be able to automate that process.
Powers described the SWCCOG as the “sister arm” of Region 9, explaining that it “is working towards bringing consultants on” to develop a tool to automate the production of a housing needs assessment every six years.
“We are not asking any of the local jurisdictions for monetary contribution, only for support as we move forward with this endeavor,” Powers said.
Powers noted another benefit of hopefully being able to automate the assessments is that there will be consistency in reporting styles with no mixture of methodologies.
Medina asked if the SWCCOG would be responsible for maintaining the tool developed for producing the assessments, with Powers indicating that, as of now, that is the assumption.
“I’m the vice chair for the SWCCOG,” Medina stated, explaining that she didn’t really recall discussing this matter.
She added, “I mean, I do recall,” and explained she was not in favor of it then either.
Medina also explained that the state is offering technical assistance to jurisdictions to meet the requirements in SB24-174.
“Not sure if we’re trying to do something there’s already assistance for,” she commented, mentioning there are other items that Region 9 could be focusing on. “I just feel like there are other items that I think that Region 9 could focus on.”
She went to reference the Community Development Action Plan (CDAP) between Archuleta County and Region 9, noting that, according to the CDAP, Region 9 will offer county-level data and strategic planning with specific goals and community projects identified.
“While I think this is a commendable undertaking, I think that chasing a grant for this purpose — I just think that maybe Region 9 could focus some of their attention on some of the items that we have on our CDAP,” she said, noting there are matters the county has yet to receive support or communication on, such as a community public engagement portal.
“Archuleta County so often is left out for whatever reason. I don’t think it’s intentional by no means, but, for whatever reason, we’re left out,” Medina said.
Powers explained that Region 9 would work to automate this program statewide to take the burden off of counties in having to fund these studies going forward.
“I think you can smell exactly what’s happening here, is another unfunded state mandate,” Powers said, noting the SWCCOG board will be voting on the matter during its next meeting scheduled for July 31.
He explained that individual jurisdictions can decide to be in favor of the matter or not, and that if the SWCCOG votes against it, the grant application will be withdrawn.
In response to a question from Brown, Powers indicated Region 9 is pursuing just over $100,000 with the grant application.
Brown also acknowledged Medina’s sentiments about Archuleta County being left out, noting that he agrees that the county is left out of some conversations, though he’s noticed “historically that we really don’t participate in our own success.”
Brown indicated that he was more in support of Region 9 going after the grant than not, adding that he hopes these efforts make the county a “more recognizable player in our community.”
Business assistance grants
Finance Director Chad Eaton presented the second round of the county’s business assistance grant applications during the July 16 meeting, noting there were eight applicants this round.
After discussion and amendment to a motion, the BoCC ultimately approved awarding a total of $18,000 to six different businesses located in the downtown main street district to be used for rent, wage and marketing assistance.
While reviewing the applicants, Eaton indicated one application was received from a business outside of the main street district and, therefore, he did not include a recommendation to the BoCC.
The total amount requested from the eight applicants was $40,000.
Brown also expressed concerns with the awarding funds to the Humane Society, noting that the county already funds that organization through other monies.
“Not sure that’s appropriate,” Brown said, explaining the county budgets dollars already to go toward funding the Humane Society of Pagosa Springs.
clayton@pagosasun.com
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