Archuleta County and The Town of Pagosa Springs have become the first in the state of Colorado to have their regional housing needs assessment (HNA) officially accepted by the Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) for full compliance with Senate Bill 24-174, also known as the Sustainable Affordable Housing Assistance bill.
The comprehensive HNA offers a detailed analysis of present and future housing needs in Archuleta County and Pagosa Springs, enabling informed decisions and effective housing strategies.
This analysis and subsequent projects will further the success of the Pagosa Springs Community Development Corporation (PSCDC), a key entity in implementing SB24-174 locally. Notably, the PSCDC recently developed workforce housing in the Chris Mountain/Trails areas by linking developers with available grants to create affordable units. Requirements of the bill and the helpful addition of state support will further these efforts for future projects.
“This achievement demonstrates Archuleta County’s, the Town of Pagosa Springs’ and the PSCDC’s commitment to proactive planning and addressing the critical housing needs of our community,” said Archuleta County Development Director Pam Flowers. “We are proud to be at the forefront of implementing SB24-174 and ensuring a sustainable and affordable future for our residents.”
SB24-174 places significant emphasis on data-driven planning at the local level to address housing needs, with the state providing guidance and financial support. The bill also aims to promote more diverse housing options.
With a deadline of December 2026, most local governments are still in the early stages of implementing these requirements, with deadlines for assessments and plans in the coming years putting the county and town ahead of the game. However, compliance with the bill does not end there.
“We appreciate the 600 employee and nearly 100 employer survey responses that provided valuable local opinions on challenges our community faces regarding the limited availability and options for affordable and workforce housing units,” noted James Dickhoff, the Town of Pagosa Springs’ development director. “The survey responses helped inform portions of the adopted HNA, which will be referenced by elected officials, developers and residents as we all participate in developing our community’s Housing Action Plan.”
Pursuant to SB24-174, having a population exceeding 5,000, the county and town must develop a Housing Action Plan by Jan. 1, 2028.
On May 7, DOLA awarded a $56,250 grant to support this effort, matched by $9,375 each from the county and town. The plan, outlining strategies for identified housing needs (updated every six years), requires a progress report to DOLA three years after publication and will be overseen by a DOLA project manager.
“I would like to point out that the Housing Action Plan process will involve a significant amount of community engagement, so people should be looking for information about those opportunities on our socials, in the media, and on our web pages,” Flowers commented. “We are expecting to begin that process as early as July or August of this year.”
“This successful achievement was made possible through the strategic collaboration between Archuleta County, the Town of Pagosa Springs and Pagosa Springs Community Development Corporation,” said Emily Lashbrooke, executive director of the PSCDC. “This milestone is the result of months of dedicated partnership, shared vision, and a deep commitment to addressing workforce and community housing needs with data-driven solutions. By aligning municipal, county and community development efforts, we have created a model of cooperation that ensures sustainable growth, housing equity, and economic resilience for the future of Archuleta County.”
The full HNA is available for review at https://archuletacounty.org/886/Archuleta-County-Housing-Needs-Assessment.
