A VISION FOR PAONIA
History: Most of the homes in the Town of Paonia were built during the last century. At that time they were affordable workforce homes built to accommodate the coal miners, who were the largest group of homeowners in town.
Present: The “Housing Needs Assessment” (HNA) published by Urban Rural Continuum in 2023 for the Town of Paonia offers the following remarks concerning the current housing supply in Paonia:
“The housing stock is very old and many homes need repairs.”
“The existing housing stock is misaligned with household size. 73% of all households have just 1 or 2 people, yet only 12% of homes are studio or 1- bedroom.”
“The housing stock is very homogeneous, primarily consisting of single-family homes, limiting households’ choices if they want or need to move as their life circumstances change.”
The Town’s population is aging (43% or residents are 55+ years old) and the prime age workforce age (age 25 to 54) is shrinking.”
“Locals struggle to compete with cash buyers (62% of homes sold in Paonia in 2022 were purchased with cash).
The Problem: From Ordinance 2024-05, currently subject to repeal by Paonia’s voters: “WHEREAS: in response to growth pressures and concerns related to the scarcity of affordable and workforce housing, The Town has determined that there is a need to protect the limited supply of affordable housing…”
From the HNA: “Local employers indicated they are having trouble finding and keeping qualified employees and that lack of housing is the top reason for this.”
“Rental options are limited and affordable for many locals.”
The Cause: The families of miners who have retired or have lost their jobs with the many mines closing have chosen to remain in Paonia.
Many people who work from home have bought homes in Paonia bringing enough cash to purchase homes in town.
Many retirees have moved into Paonia, again with enough cash to purchase homes in town.
Because of a shortage of undeveloped lots and little room for annexation in Paonia, there is inadequate space to build new homes in town.
Because of the current water tap moratorium there is no domestic water available for any new houses.
The Need: From the HNA, “100 additional housing units are estimated to be needed in the area by 2028…”
The Solution:
-
Upgrade and repair Paonia’s domestic water infrastructure.
-
Build homes outside of Paonia suitable for
retirees, elderly, and at-home workers. -
Encourage the people in the above groups to
sell their homes and move to the more suitable
homes.
The Vision:
-
Wright Water Engineers, Inc. are working on a study of
Paonia’s domestic water system. They have found that
there is significantly more legally decreed water available
from the existing springs than is being delivered to the
end users. Improvements can be made to the collection and
piping components of the system, but are costly and time
consuming. The system has been neglected for decades
and the repairs can not be accomplished overnight.
A capital investment could be made to assist and speed
that project in exchange for water taps to a senior
community within the distribution area of the Paonia
water utility. -
Acquire land within the water distribution area of the
Paonia water system (Lamborn Mesa). -
Build a subdivision with homes ideally designed for
seniors, taking advantage of views of the mountains.
Have a community center with landscaping surrounding
that center. The center would include a gathering area,
a dining room and a kitchen, perhaps a theater and
exercise area. -
Include homes in the subdivision for service staff,
including cooks, cleaners, maintenance workers,
and staff with vehicles for doing shopping, running
errands, and bringing seniors to the community center
for meals or whatever. -
Seniors could buy, or more likely rent, their homes in the
subdivision. -
Seniors would sell their homes in Paonia and use the
proceeds from their homes to live in the senior
subdivision. -
Those Paonia homes, thus freed up, would be used for
long-term rentals or for purchase by the workforce
now experiencing difficulty finding homes in town.
Being older homes, many in need of restoration and
upgrading, they would be as affordable as any in the area. -
The new owners of those homes would be younger and
probably be willing and able to upgrade the homes,
improving the quality and character of the town. -
The proposed affordable workforce housing problem in
Paonia would be solved without the need of regulations
on STR’s, ADU’s, or other solutions proposed in Paonia’s
Housing Action Plan. Repeal Ordinance 2024-05. -
A cap on the number of STRs in Paonia would still be
set, but at a higher number than Ordinance 2024-05
specifies. Draft a new ordinance for STRs.
Joe Yeamans