In Small Town Colorado, Rent is so High that Employees are Camping on Company Property

A shortage of affordable housing in a small Colorado town is driving employers to let workers live in RVs on their property. 

According to an article by Robert Davis for Shelterforce, local employers say “Employees camping on company-owned land has been an “open secret” that a handful of local businesses engaged in while the town figured out how to build more affordable workforce housing.”

The practice put companies like Deerhammer Distillery, which. has received multiple citations, at odds with city codes that prohibit camping in highway commercial zones. The company requested a zoning variance in 2022, but continued to rack up citations. “By the end of August, the town passed an ordinance to allow temporary camping at certain business properties. To obtain a permit, business owners must provide hookups to water, sewer, and electricity, and they must submit a cleaning plan to town officials. Employees must also live in an RV or camper.”

Since then, two businesses have been approved for a workforce housing permit. “Along with allowing public camping, officials in Buena Vista are working toward increasing the number of affordable housing units in town by revising its zoning code to allow for container homes.”