Based on the findings within the Southwest Colorado Index, the report concludes that most families must earn more than the basic hourly wage, or work multiple jobs, to afford rental housing. In other words, it’s not that Durango and surrounding communities are necessarily inhabited by the rich; but rather the cost of living is too high.

And that’s a problem, Regional Housing Alliance of La Plata County Executive Director Karen Iverson said. In order for a community to advance economically, it needs diversity in the workforce, and therefore housing.

“Housing is increasingly becoming unaffordable for working families,” Iverson said. “It is critical that we start to view this lack of affordable workforce housing as an economic issue. In order for our economy to grow, we need people to migrate into our community. In order for people to migrate to our community, we need affordable and desirable housing options.”

But the county’s housing picture isn’t complete without considering how wages factor in. Maureen Maliszewski, director of La Plata County Thrive! Living Wage Coalition, said much of Durango’s workforce isn’t adequately paid, which of course directly impacts where they can afford to live.

“The service industry, restaurants, motels, the tourism industry, cleaning services – that’s a high percentage of workers in Durango who often have low wages,” Maliszewski said. “Of course, some of those workers are tipped, but some of them aren’t.”

According to Thrive!, the livable wage in 2015 in La Plata County is $12.79 for a single person, who would need to hold down 1.55 jobs to earn that if he or she was making minimum wage.

“No doubt Durango is an expensive place to live,” City Council Christina Rinderle said. “We’re working with our partners, the RHA and others, to help address the problem.”

That partnership resulted in the opening of Lumien Apartments this fall, one of 12 dwellings in La Plata County to receive low-income tax credits and the first rental development for the community in seven years. Rinderle said Lumien was a win, and the city is “just getting started” on what will hopefully be many more affordable dwellings. RHA and the La Plata Homes Fund are trying to bring 100 additional units of affordable housing to the area within five years.