Newsletter Contents:
Housing Matters in Durango
Welcome to the November 2021 issue of the Political Science Club Newsletter! In conjunction with the first Community by Conversation event sponsored by FLC Engage and the League of Women Voters of La Plata County, this newsletter is all about an issue that is important to everyone in the FLC and Durango community: affordable housing!
This month’s newsletter features an article on affordable housing by ASFLC Student Senator Jade Slavin, a senior at Fort Lewis College who is studying Environmental Studies and Native American and Indigenous Studies. You will also find a profile of FLC alumna extraordinaire Sophie Schwartz who has been absolutely instrumental in designing the Community by Conversation housing event!
Community by Conversation Event
To talk more about housing, please join us for a complimentary community dinner and conversation about our local housing issues on Monday November 15th from 5:30pm to 7:00pm (Mountain Time) in the Vallecito Room (Student Union Room 103). This event will bring campus and community organizations together with Fort Lewis College administration and elected officials in Durango and La Plata County to discuss our community values and goals related to housing policy. You are invited to come and share your own experiences, thoughts, and hopes related to this important issue that impacts us all.
In addition to great food, company, and conversation, there will be a drawing for some great prizes at the event. In order to enter the prize drawing, please take a few minutes to respond to this brief anonymous questionnaire about your views on local housing needs and policies.
If you are unable to attend this event in person but you would still like to be part of the discussion, please join us via Zoom (meeting ID: 974 7953 0690). To learn more about this important event and how to participate, please visit flcengage.org.
In addition to great food, company, and conversation, there will be a drawing for some great prizes at the event. In order to enter the prize drawing, please take a few minutes to respond to this brief anonymous questionnaire about your views on local housing needs and policies.
If you are unable to attend this event in person but you would still like to be part of the discussion, please join us via Zoom (meeting ID: 974 7953 0690). To learn more about this important event and how to participate, please visit flcengage.org.
Let’s Talk About It:
Advocating for Affordable Housing
By Jade Slavin, ASFLC Student Senator
Over the summer I noticed an alarming rise in the number of postings on the Fort Lewis College student app concerning students urgently looking for a place to live during the upcoming school year. As an ASFLC Student Senator serving on the Student Services Committee, I made it my mission to investigate the issues associated with housing that students are facing and learned that it is a much larger issue that extends off campus. I spoke with several professors on campus who have been involved in housing efforts and discussions or had experienced housing insecurity in the past to try and understand the situation and to find out if any plans were in place to build or provide more housing.
Durango’s Housing Crisis
According to the Durango Herald, the median price for a house in Durango rose approximately 30% in the past year, but housing was already expensive. Due to inflation, many landlords decided to sell their rental properties, making the price of the available rentals in the area increase as there were fewer rentals on the market. In 2020, the state of Colorado also cut higher education funding by 58%. Due to Colorado’s fast-growing economy and low property taxes, Durango is an attractive place to own a second or third home. Policies in Durango have emphasized single-family housing in downtown neighborhoods by regulating how many people can live in a certain place at a certain time, and some landlords refuse to rent to students. There is a need for developers to be able to build more high-density units, but this challenges many residents’ idea that Durango should be a quiet, quaint little town, free of apartment complexes. Because there are fewer housing options available in Durango, Fort Lewis College students, staff, and faculty are impacted.
Housing Insecurity for FLC Faculty and Staff
FLC faculty and staff also face housing insecurity. Durango lacks sufficient affordable housing options and the cost of living is high. This impacts the college’s ability to hire faculty. New faculty members cannot afford condos or apartments in town, let alone a house. If staff and faculty can’t afford to live here, how do we expect students to pay rent? A current faculty member who has faced housing insecurity in the past stated that she has moved seven times in the past six years because her rent kept increasing and she could not afford to stay. Moving repeatedly is not ideal, especially if it coincides with finals week or exams.
Durango’s Housing Crisis
According to the Durango Herald, the median price for a house in Durango rose approximately 30% in the past year, but housing was already expensive. Due to inflation, many landlords decided to sell their rental properties, making the price of the available rentals in the area increase as there were fewer rentals on the market. In 2020, the state of Colorado also cut higher education funding by 58%. Due to Colorado’s fast-growing economy and low property taxes, Durango is an attractive place to own a second or third home. Policies in Durango have emphasized single-family housing in downtown neighborhoods by regulating how many people can live in a certain place at a certain time, and some landlords refuse to rent to students. There is a need for developers to be able to build more high-density units, but this challenges many residents’ idea that Durango should be a quiet, quaint little town, free of apartment complexes. Because there are fewer housing options available in Durango, Fort Lewis College students, staff, and faculty are impacted.
Housing Insecurity for FLC Faculty and Staff
FLC faculty and staff also face housing insecurity. Durango lacks sufficient affordable housing options and the cost of living is high. This impacts the college’s ability to hire faculty. New faculty members cannot afford condos or apartments in town, let alone a house. If staff and faculty can’t afford to live here, how do we expect students to pay rent? A current faculty member who has faced housing insecurity in the past stated that she has moved seven times in the past six years because her rent kept increasing and she could not afford to stay. Moving repeatedly is not ideal, especially if it coincides with finals week or exams.
Housing Insecurity and Student Homelessness
Due to Durango’s housing crisis, lack of affordable housing options, and limited availability in the on-campus residence halls and apartments, there have been cases of student homelessness on the Fort Lewis College campus. I was told that in the past a student was found living in a tent on the roof of the Whalen Gym, and another was found living in the ceiling of the men’s bathroom in the Reed Library. Other stories include students living out of their cars or couch surfing.
Enrollment rates have increased at FLC and the administration hopes that this trend will continue. But if we continue to admit more and more students, where do we expect them to live? We cannot expect a population of our students to be homeless.
Many students are working two or three jobs in order to pay their monthly rent. Some are working 40 hours a week while also taking classes full time. Are we going to expect our students to be full-time employees? Employers are also worried about the local housing crisis and housing insecurity because they will lose potential employees, many of whom are students. The city of Durango depends on student workers, and it’s actually bad for the local economy if students can’t afford to live and work here because they are a portion of the workforce.
Impact on Students
Students are a vulnerable population. Upperclassmen or non-traditional students are struggling with housing insecurity the most because they value their independence and either want to live off-campus or in the on-campus apartments which fill up fast. If student success is our mission as a college, then we must address the housing needs of our students. If students don’t have housing, are housing insecure, or work 40 hours a week, they cannot be successful in their classes and the quality of their educational experience is impacted. Constantly moving from one house to another impacts physical and mental health and wellbeing, since housing and shelter are a basic need and are core elements in terms of quality of life. We cannot normalize homelessness in our student body.
What Is Currently Being Done about This Issue?
FLC has partnered with La Quinta Inn & Suites as well as the 1304 Apartments to provide additional housing options until they are able to build more housing on campus. According to FLC’s Director of Student Housing Edgar Anaya, this short-term solution includes 20 units at the 1304 Apartments and 90 beds at La Quinta Inn & Suites. The partnership with the 1304 Apartments expires in August 2022, while La Quinta will expire in December 2021. FLC plans to continue to seek future partnerships and has even considered purchasing existing hotels or repurposing buildings into housing complexes rather than demolishing them. Other solutions may include exploring unique and innovative housing options such as introducing host family programs or home-shares with seniors in the community. Students may be more open-minded towards these unique solutions.
What Are the Long-term Solutions?
Admission is expected to increase, as well as retention rates. This has prompted discussion about constructing new housing developments. This semester, FLC has more students than they can provide housing for. We must consider our values as a campus community and prioritize building affordable housing options for students and staff on the mesa. FLC has hired Jenn Lopez, an FLC alum and housing consultant, and President and founder of Project Moxie. Lopez is recommending the construction of staff and faculty apartments on campus. According to FLC Chief Operating Officer Steven Schwartz and Director of Student Housing Edgar Anaya, FLC does have plans to build an apartment-style complex in which students will have their own bedrooms and share a kitchen in each unit. The idea is to build a three-story apartment complex providing 300 beds in the current parking lot of the Mears Apartments and eventually demolish the Mears complex in the next 5-7 years. This new complex would provide 100 more beds than the Mears apartments. But can Fort Lewis students wait 5 to 7 years for more housing? FLC’s next building project on campus must provide affordable housing for students.
Fort Lewis College and Durango are not alone in facing these housing challenges. Advocating for more equitable salaries among professors may be part of the solution, as well as advocating for affordable housing on campus and throughout Durango. We need changes in policies at the city and county level to incentivize building affordable housing. As a college, we must come together to recognize the housing crisis so that we can provide affordable housing for our students, staff, and faculty.
Due to Durango’s housing crisis, lack of affordable housing options, and limited availability in the on-campus residence halls and apartments, there have been cases of student homelessness on the Fort Lewis College campus. I was told that in the past a student was found living in a tent on the roof of the Whalen Gym, and another was found living in the ceiling of the men’s bathroom in the Reed Library. Other stories include students living out of their cars or couch surfing.
Enrollment rates have increased at FLC and the administration hopes that this trend will continue. But if we continue to admit more and more students, where do we expect them to live? We cannot expect a population of our students to be homeless.
Many students are working two or three jobs in order to pay their monthly rent. Some are working 40 hours a week while also taking classes full time. Are we going to expect our students to be full-time employees? Employers are also worried about the local housing crisis and housing insecurity because they will lose potential employees, many of whom are students. The city of Durango depends on student workers, and it’s actually bad for the local economy if students can’t afford to live and work here because they are a portion of the workforce.
Impact on Students
Students are a vulnerable population. Upperclassmen or non-traditional students are struggling with housing insecurity the most because they value their independence and either want to live off-campus or in the on-campus apartments which fill up fast. If student success is our mission as a college, then we must address the housing needs of our students. If students don’t have housing, are housing insecure, or work 40 hours a week, they cannot be successful in their classes and the quality of their educational experience is impacted. Constantly moving from one house to another impacts physical and mental health and wellbeing, since housing and shelter are a basic need and are core elements in terms of quality of life. We cannot normalize homelessness in our student body.
What Is Currently Being Done about This Issue?
FLC has partnered with La Quinta Inn & Suites as well as the 1304 Apartments to provide additional housing options until they are able to build more housing on campus. According to FLC’s Director of Student Housing Edgar Anaya, this short-term solution includes 20 units at the 1304 Apartments and 90 beds at La Quinta Inn & Suites. The partnership with the 1304 Apartments expires in August 2022, while La Quinta will expire in December 2021. FLC plans to continue to seek future partnerships and has even considered purchasing existing hotels or repurposing buildings into housing complexes rather than demolishing them. Other solutions may include exploring unique and innovative housing options such as introducing host family programs or home-shares with seniors in the community. Students may be more open-minded towards these unique solutions.
What Are the Long-term Solutions?
Admission is expected to increase, as well as retention rates. This has prompted discussion about constructing new housing developments. This semester, FLC has more students than they can provide housing for. We must consider our values as a campus community and prioritize building affordable housing options for students and staff on the mesa. FLC has hired Jenn Lopez, an FLC alum and housing consultant, and President and founder of Project Moxie. Lopez is recommending the construction of staff and faculty apartments on campus. According to FLC Chief Operating Officer Steven Schwartz and Director of Student Housing Edgar Anaya, FLC does have plans to build an apartment-style complex in which students will have their own bedrooms and share a kitchen in each unit. The idea is to build a three-story apartment complex providing 300 beds in the current parking lot of the Mears Apartments and eventually demolish the Mears complex in the next 5-7 years. This new complex would provide 100 more beds than the Mears apartments. But can Fort Lewis students wait 5 to 7 years for more housing? FLC’s next building project on campus must provide affordable housing for students.
Fort Lewis College and Durango are not alone in facing these housing challenges. Advocating for more equitable salaries among professors may be part of the solution, as well as advocating for affordable housing on campus and throughout Durango. We need changes in policies at the city and county level to incentivize building affordable housing. As a college, we must come together to recognize the housing crisis so that we can provide affordable housing for our students, staff, and faculty.
Jade Slavin is a senior at Fort Lewis College, majoring in Environmental Studies and minoring in Native American and Indigenous Studies. She is also an ASFLC Student Senator.
Jade Slavin is a senior at Fort Lewis College, majoring in Environmental Studies and minoring in Native American and Indigenous Studies. She is also an ASFLC Student Senator.
FLC Alumni Spotlight on Sophie Schwartz
An Impressive Record of Engagement at the Fort
While we are proud of all our graduates, rarely does someone come along who is as dedicated and impressive as class of 2021 alumna Sophie Schwartz. Sophie graduated summa cum laude from Fort Lewis College last May with degrees in Political Science and Philosophy. In her time here she was the Vice President of the student body, President of the Philosophy Club, captain of the Ethics Bowl team, captain of the women’s golf team, inductee into two national honor societies, and the student representative on several campus-wide committees. Among her many accolades Sophie was recipient of the Leadership Center’s FLC Legacy Award (2020-21), the Philosophy Department’s Outstanding Student of the Year (2019-20), and the Political Science Department’s Civic Leadership Award (2020-21).
What is Sophie Doing Now?
Since graduating, Sophie has continued to devote her enormous energy and intellect to making the Fort a better place. In her current position as the FLC Engage Program Developer, Sophie has worked side by side with Political Science Professor Paul DeBell to plan and organize the first Community by Conversation event. According to Dr. DeBell, “Sophie is an extraordinary leader who leaves every organization she is a part of better. She has played a critical role in turning FLC Engage into a stronger, more effective, and more equitable civic engagement organization.”
Sophie has also been working as a Cultural Interpreter Program Support at the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian. In this position she works with the Smithsonian’s cultural interpreters on developing new educational programs and leads virtual field trips for K-12 schools. According to Sophie “it has been a lot of fun being able to do this sort of work remotely; I enjoy working with the kids and providing education around Indigenous cultures and contemporary issues.”
Why Housing Matters
Sophie’s involvement on the issue of housing in Durango originated in her personal experience as a person fresh out of college and looking for a place to rent. “I found it incredibly hard to find a place to rent that was affordable or realistic for me. This was in part because there weren't too many affordable places to begin with, but it was worsened by the fact that any application I filled out was probably in line behind another 20 to 50 applicants.” She notes that she has many friends and acquaintances who are struggling to find housing in the area. “Whether it's struggling with being unhoused or housing insecure, finding a place to live, being able to afford rent and all other expenses, or dealing with rent hikes that make living even more costly, it's something that so many people face when trying to live in this town.” As a result, when she and Dr. DeBell sat down this summer to select the topic for the first Community by Conversation event, Sophie immediately thought of housing. “I think I was also drawn to this topic because I understand how crucial and fundamental housing is. I think everyone has the right to housing/shelter and the security that comes with that.”
Sophie highlights the critical role that the FLC student body plays in Durango’s workforce and economy. “Any way you slice it, students make up a significant portion of Durango’s population that contribute so much, whether that be by providing labor, spending money in the local economy, or just bringing vibrancy and youth culture to the town.” During her time as a leader in the FLC student government, one of their top priorities was to establish stronger connections between the student body and the community of Durango. “I think in a lot of ways students are not really treated as part of the community, or at least not to the extent that maybe they could be.” Reflecting on the Fort’s location on the mesa, Sophie states “If you think about it, there is quite literally a physical disconnect between students and the community. I think that is also reflected in the way that the community treats students and vice versa.” While she acknowledges that there have been attempts by both community members and students to begin to bridge this gap, she believes there is still plenty of room for improvement when it comes to creating avenues for connection and collaboration. “That is what we're hoping to help with by hosting this event.” Although the issue of affordable housing has been a topic of discussion for years in Durango, Sophie finds that student housing has not been a central part of this discussion. “I think that sort of says it all about how we forget to prioritize and treat students as part of this community.”
When asked about the issue of many property owners’ hesitance to rent to students, Sophie states “I can't even count the times I've seen an ad for a rental property that exclaimed, in all caps, 'NO STUDENTS'. I've always felt this was discriminatory in some way.” In her characteristically thoughtful response, Sophie acknowledges that of course property owners have the right to decide who they want to rent to, but she finds it unfortunate that college students are stereotyped as unreliable, havoc-wreaking, wild, and messy. “It feels frustrating that housing can be denied to an entire population of people given their status that is as arbitrary as pursuing an education or age or any of the other myriad of reasons that students are presumed to be bad renters.” Sophie recognizes that this is a difficult problem to fix, but from her perspective as a recent student “the problem is at best annoying and at worst a matter of lost housing and security for students looking to live in town.”
What’s Next for Sophie?
In 2022 Sophie will be relocating to work with the Emerson Collective, a company whose mission is to pursue a more equal and just America by focusing on creating systemic change in education, immigration, climate, and cancer research and treatment. In this position Sophie will continue her work to encourage informed political engagement. Sophie eventually plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Philosophy with the goal of becoming a faculty member at a place like Fort Lewis College. One thing is for certain: wherever Sophie winds up, they will be very lucky to have her!
Some Final Words of Advice from Sophie
“My suggestion for new students, whether it pertains to housing or school, is to USE YOUR VOICE. While it may not always feel like it, your voice is powerful. Advocate for your needs and your wants as a student, because you are valuable to this community and you sure as hell are valuable to the college. The secret is out: they always want more students and they want to retain you, so use your voice. Get involved in the community or at the college in any way that you can. As a student you have so many more opportunities and it really is a special time in your life, so use that to your advantage and advocate for the things you care about.”
While we are proud of all our graduates, rarely does someone come along who is as dedicated and impressive as class of 2021 alumna Sophie Schwartz. Sophie graduated summa cum laude from Fort Lewis College last May with degrees in Political Science and Philosophy. In her time here she was the Vice President of the student body, President of the Philosophy Club, captain of the Ethics Bowl team, captain of the women’s golf team, inductee into two national honor societies, and the student representative on several campus-wide committees. Among her many accolades Sophie was recipient of the Leadership Center’s FLC Legacy Award (2020-21), the Philosophy Department’s Outstanding Student of the Year (2019-20), and the Political Science Department’s Civic Leadership Award (2020-21).
What is Sophie Doing Now?
Since graduating, Sophie has continued to devote her enormous energy and intellect to making the Fort a better place. In her current position as the FLC Engage Program Developer, Sophie has worked side by side with Political Science Professor Paul DeBell to plan and organize the first Community by Conversation event. According to Dr. DeBell, “Sophie is an extraordinary leader who leaves every organization she is a part of better. She has played a critical role in turning FLC Engage into a stronger, more effective, and more equitable civic engagement organization.”
Sophie has also been working as a Cultural Interpreter Program Support at the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian. In this position she works with the Smithsonian’s cultural interpreters on developing new educational programs and leads virtual field trips for K-12 schools. According to Sophie “it has been a lot of fun being able to do this sort of work remotely; I enjoy working with the kids and providing education around Indigenous cultures and contemporary issues.”
Why Housing Matters
Sophie’s involvement on the issue of housing in Durango originated in her personal experience as a person fresh out of college and looking for a place to rent. “I found it incredibly hard to find a place to rent that was affordable or realistic for me. This was in part because there weren't too many affordable places to begin with, but it was worsened by the fact that any application I filled out was probably in line behind another 20 to 50 applicants.” She notes that she has many friends and acquaintances who are struggling to find housing in the area. “Whether it's struggling with being unhoused or housing insecure, finding a place to live, being able to afford rent and all other expenses, or dealing with rent hikes that make living even more costly, it's something that so many people face when trying to live in this town.” As a result, when she and Dr. DeBell sat down this summer to select the topic for the first Community by Conversation event, Sophie immediately thought of housing. “I think I was also drawn to this topic because I understand how crucial and fundamental housing is. I think everyone has the right to housing/shelter and the security that comes with that.”
Sophie highlights the critical role that the FLC student body plays in Durango’s workforce and economy. “Any way you slice it, students make up a significant portion of Durango’s population that contribute so much, whether that be by providing labor, spending money in the local economy, or just bringing vibrancy and youth culture to the town.” During her time as a leader in the FLC student government, one of their top priorities was to establish stronger connections between the student body and the community of Durango. “I think in a lot of ways students are not really treated as part of the community, or at least not to the extent that maybe they could be.” Reflecting on the Fort’s location on the mesa, Sophie states “If you think about it, there is quite literally a physical disconnect between students and the community. I think that is also reflected in the way that the community treats students and vice versa.” While she acknowledges that there have been attempts by both community members and students to begin to bridge this gap, she believes there is still plenty of room for improvement when it comes to creating avenues for connection and collaboration. “That is what we're hoping to help with by hosting this event.” Although the issue of affordable housing has been a topic of discussion for years in Durango, Sophie finds that student housing has not been a central part of this discussion. “I think that sort of says it all about how we forget to prioritize and treat students as part of this community.”
When asked about the issue of many property owners’ hesitance to rent to students, Sophie states “I can't even count the times I've seen an ad for a rental property that exclaimed, in all caps, 'NO STUDENTS'. I've always felt this was discriminatory in some way.” In her characteristically thoughtful response, Sophie acknowledges that of course property owners have the right to decide who they want to rent to, but she finds it unfortunate that college students are stereotyped as unreliable, havoc-wreaking, wild, and messy. “It feels frustrating that housing can be denied to an entire population of people given their status that is as arbitrary as pursuing an education or age or any of the other myriad of reasons that students are presumed to be bad renters.” Sophie recognizes that this is a difficult problem to fix, but from her perspective as a recent student “the problem is at best annoying and at worst a matter of lost housing and security for students looking to live in town.”
What’s Next for Sophie?
In 2022 Sophie will be relocating to work with the Emerson Collective, a company whose mission is to pursue a more equal and just America by focusing on creating systemic change in education, immigration, climate, and cancer research and treatment. In this position Sophie will continue her work to encourage informed political engagement. Sophie eventually plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Philosophy with the goal of becoming a faculty member at a place like Fort Lewis College. One thing is for certain: wherever Sophie winds up, they will be very lucky to have her!
Some Final Words of Advice from Sophie
“My suggestion for new students, whether it pertains to housing or school, is to USE YOUR VOICE. While it may not always feel like it, your voice is powerful. Advocate for your needs and your wants as a student, because you are valuable to this community and you sure as hell are valuable to the college. The secret is out: they always want more students and they want to retain you, so use your voice. Get involved in the community or at the college in any way that you can. As a student you have so many more opportunities and it really is a special time in your life, so use that to your advantage and advocate for the things you care about.”
Asking Our Community:
Do you have any concerns about local housing issues?
We end each issue of the Political Science Newsletter by asking Fort Lewis students, faculty, and staff to answer a question that has been on our mind. In this issue, we asked members of our community about their concerns related to housing. Here is what they told us!
“I have major concerns for the current student housing provided by Fort Lewis as well as the city of Durango. If students don’t receive on-campus housing, they’re left trying to find local housing off-campus at extreme costs. Many students are left not knowing what to do."
Raina Schmidt
Junior | Psychology
“I firmly believe that this is an issue that needs to be addressed. The limited space for students to live on campus, as well as parking.”
Kolandi Tso
Sophomore | Public Health
“I have huge concerns with the current housing situation in Durango. My roommate and I got extremely lucky in that when our last apartment was sold out from under us, we were able to find another place. This is not the case for many students. Students are camping, living out of their cars, or living in hotels. Housing on campus is completely full, and all other housing is so expensive that students have withdrawn from the semester due to lack of available, affordable housing. Students should not have to delay their education because they cannot afford to live in Durango. The situation is extremely problematic.”
Grace Klein-Robbenhaar
Senior | Psychology
“While I am concerned about the ability of working people to continue living in Durango because of housing prices, I am encouraged to see policymakers and the community show such an interest in this topic. I am confident that we can come together and set ourselves on the right path.”
Aria Swenk
Junior | Political Science
“The current housing crisis places our entire way of life at risk because it has deep ripple effects in other areas of the economy. Low housing supply and high demand displaces workers to satellite communities like Farmington and Aztec, and as a consequence it provokes a spike in the cost of labor. As a result, the price of goods and services in Durango and the surrounding area will increase well beyond the reach of typical incomes. In time, acute housing crises - like the one we are experiencing - result in living conditions that are simply untenable for the working class and middle class alike. The end result is a community where only the mega wealthy can afford to live.”
Dr. Benjamin Waddell
Associate Professor | Sociology
“As culinary and service industry professionals, we cannot survive in Durango on our salaries alone. Without a partner or roommates to pitch in on the rent, it is just not possible to live in Durango with the current housing costs.”
Andi McGary and J.B. Holmes
Supervisors | San Juan Dining
Raina Schmidt
Junior | Psychology
“I firmly believe that this is an issue that needs to be addressed. The limited space for students to live on campus, as well as parking.”
Kolandi Tso
Sophomore | Public Health
“I have huge concerns with the current housing situation in Durango. My roommate and I got extremely lucky in that when our last apartment was sold out from under us, we were able to find another place. This is not the case for many students. Students are camping, living out of their cars, or living in hotels. Housing on campus is completely full, and all other housing is so expensive that students have withdrawn from the semester due to lack of available, affordable housing. Students should not have to delay their education because they cannot afford to live in Durango. The situation is extremely problematic.”
Grace Klein-Robbenhaar
Senior | Psychology
“While I am concerned about the ability of working people to continue living in Durango because of housing prices, I am encouraged to see policymakers and the community show such an interest in this topic. I am confident that we can come together and set ourselves on the right path.”
Aria Swenk
Junior | Political Science
“The current housing crisis places our entire way of life at risk because it has deep ripple effects in other areas of the economy. Low housing supply and high demand displaces workers to satellite communities like Farmington and Aztec, and as a consequence it provokes a spike in the cost of labor. As a result, the price of goods and services in Durango and the surrounding area will increase well beyond the reach of typical incomes. In time, acute housing crises - like the one we are experiencing - result in living conditions that are simply untenable for the working class and middle class alike. The end result is a community where only the mega wealthy can afford to live.”
Dr. Benjamin Waddell
Associate Professor | Sociology
“As culinary and service industry professionals, we cannot survive in Durango on our salaries alone. Without a partner or roommates to pitch in on the rent, it is just not possible to live in Durango with the current housing costs.”
Andi McGary and J.B. Holmes
Supervisors | San Juan Dining
Political Science Club Officers:
President Jackson Berridge / Vice President Dawson Gipp / Secretary Benjamin Brewer / Treasurer Dorothy Elder
If you have any questions or concerns about this newsletter, please contact Political Science Club faculty advisor
Dr. Ruth Alminas at (970) 247-6166 or by email at [email protected].
President Jackson Berridge / Vice President Dawson Gipp / Secretary Benjamin Brewer / Treasurer Dorothy Elder
If you have any questions or concerns about this newsletter, please contact Political Science Club faculty advisor
Dr. Ruth Alminas at (970) 247-6166 or by email at [email protected].
