With rising housing costs in most of Colorado, the workers who fill potholes, fix guardrails, and, crucially, plow snow can’t afford to live in the areas where they work, making it tough for everyone who lives and plays there.
Recently John Lorne, the Director of Maintenance and operations for the Colorado Department of Transportation, toured a two-story modular home The Farm At Buena Vista, one of dozens in a tightly packed new neighborhood. The high ceilings, extra-thick insulation-stuffed walls, and stainless steel appliances earned Lorme’s initial approval, even though the home was built in a nearby factory.
“I’m pleasantly surprised,” Lorme said. “It does not look like a manufactured home. It looks like a quaint little village. I would be proud to live here.”
A tour of the Fading West Modular home factory convinced Lorne this was a viable option the state should pursue.
The modular homes built by Buena Vista-based Fading West Development are about 25 percent cheaper than comparable on-site builds, according to company executives. And they just might become a key part of the state’s mission of keeping roads clear and safe.
While CDOT plans to continue its current strategy of “surging” its maintenance workers to under-staffed mountain areas in the winter months, the agency also sees workforce housing as a more permanent fix for its hiring problems. The agency is planning to spend $6.5 million on housing projects along the vital Interstate 70 corridor and in other housing-starved mountain towns.
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Gary Fleisher is the Editor in Chief of Modular Home Source and Offsite Builder. Email at [email protected]
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