Our Story

Living in a ski town has many advantages- like skiing and making snow angels in your backyard. However, there are a few downsides to calling a ski resort "home," like finding one you can afford. Home prices in Eagle County, which includes Vail, Avon, Edwards, Eagle and Gypsum, rose 227% in the last decade, while wages have only increased 56%, making home ownership out of reach for the average wage-earner.

A Habitat for Humanity affiliate was founded in Eagle County in 1995 to create low-income housing partnerships with local service workers, families with hardship, the medically or otherwise handicapped, or others who could not afford housing prices in a ski area but whose skills were in demand because of the local economy. When the affiliate discovered that land costs were prohibitive in Eagle County as compared to Lake County (Leadville), service boundaries for the affiliate were expanded in 1998 to include Lake County. Habitat for Humanity of Eagle & Lake Counties is now one of 35 affiliates throughout Colorado, and 1,500 throughout the U.S.
 

History

The Habitat for Humanity of Eagle and Lake County affiliate was formed in 1995 because several Eagle County citizens were concerned about the lack of affordable housing available for local service workers, families, and others who were attempting to live and work in the Eagle River Valley. The local affiliate built its first home a year later in Gypsum (Eagle County). Volunteers from across Eagle County helped to build the house.

After the first home was built, the efforts to purchase affordable building sites in Eagle County were halted. Because this was an obstacle to moving forward with the Habitat mission, the Board expanded its service area to include Lake County in 1997. With the help of area churches, two lots were purchased in Leadville and construction for two families started in 1999. With the purchase of eight more lots in Leadville, 7 homes were completed in Leadville between 1999 and 2003 to ensure affordable houses for families in need. In 2004, a home was completed in Eagle and three homes started in Leadville, Gypsum and Eagle.

In its tenth year anniversary, this Habitat affiliate will build 5 in '05! The Eagle and Lake County affiliate has already completed a home in Gypsum as a "blitz build" in conjunction with a local builder, Rick Hermes, and more than 20 local subcontractors. Also in 2005, the Leadville duplex will be completed, to provide two homes for local families, and a duplex at The Bluffs in Eagle will be built in partnership with the Arrowhead community and many other volunteers. Plans for future building sites are underway.

The Habitat for Humanity of Eagle and Lake Counties has a committed and active Board of Directors and cadre of Ambassadors. The Board determines policy and oversees and guides the mission of the Habitat affiliate. This board collectively brings experiences from many walks of life, areas of expertise, religious affiilations, and experiences. The Ambassadors spread the mission of the Habitat philosophy through their spheres of influences, seeking community involvement, advocacy, policy, and fund development.