Boxcar Restaurant (Avon) hosted the final Housing Happy Hour Wednesday afternoon. There was another strong turnout of local business owners, including Ef(ec), a local nonprofit started by moms to raise money for Eagle County education and its teachers.
Each of the Housing Happy Hours have had a good turn-out of locals discussing ballot issue 1A for affordable workforce housing. Many personal stories by business owners and their employees were told about how lack of affordable housing has impacted them in a negative way; a common theme for much of the workforce here in Vail Valley.
Boxcar owners and staff understand the need for affordable housing. Co-owner Clara Luff shared that 90% of her staff chose to camp this year due to high rent. Fortunately, camping here has many of its perks in the summer. Another example for the need of ballot issue 1A to pass. Learn more about 1A (FAQ), but it’s not just the Boxcar staff who have had to adapt to the Vail Valley’s affordable housing issues.
Meet Cara Luff, co-owner of Boxcar Restaurants, whose vision is to stay in the valley. She wants to be a homeowner, a song that many local, working professionals are singing. Even as a business owner, she has to rent a space in Edwards for now. Clara has had to share a place with four roommates (not including her spouse, Scott) for three years now.
Clara and Scott have been looking to find another place for themselves for a few years now (without any luck). She shared, “Scott found a place in Edwards to rent that posted one afternoon, not too long ago. The very next morning I called to find out more about it, and it was already under contract.”
Clara said she is in full support of 1A and hopes it will pass.
Pictured here is Gabby, who came to help her friends get Boxcar off the ground and running. Gabby and her husband have lived in the valley for a few years now. After being told that their rent in Vail was raised and now unaffordable, her and her husband were forced to look for a new place to live. Now, they must drive from Gypsum everyday for work because it was the only available and affordable space that they could find.
Gabby wants to own her own business and home someday. “I would like to start my own business, but just like homeownership, it is too expensive here, unfortunately. So my husband and I will likely have to move someplace else when that time comes.” Another common song that is sung here. Gabby is voting YES for 1A.
The Housing Happy Hour discussions have been informative and a good chance for many to voice their own personal stories and ideas about affordable workforce housing. The community support has been tremendous from the local workforce and business owners alike. Thank you to everyone who came to discuss ballot issue 1A and the following businesses who hosted a Housing Happy Hour:
- Dusty Boot (Eagle)
- Crazy Mountain Brewing Company (Edwards)
- Loaded Joe’s (Avon)
- Minturn Saloon (Minturn)
- Root & Flower (Vail)
- Color Coffee Roasters (Eagle)
- The Bookworm (Edwards)
- Bonfire Brewery (Eagle)
- Boxcar (Avon)