HomeMy WebLinkAboutNikki MacLeod_22-FEB-26To Whom It May Concern,
My name is Nikki, and I serve as the Human Resources Director at Gould Construction. I am writing
in support of the Harvest Roaring Fork project.
From an HR perspective, the depth of the housing crisis in the Roaring Fork Valley is not abstract, it
is something we see and feel every single day across all levels of our workforce. We live in one of
the most expensive and rapidly appreciating areas in the country, and that reality is heavilyfelt
throughout our working communities. The impact begins with recruiting. We routinely lose talented
candidates during the recruiting process once they see local housing costs. Even highly qualified,
motivated individuals simply cannot make the numbers work.
It continues with our current employees. We have hardworking men and women, many of them
primary breadwinners for their families, who commute an hour or more each way because they
have been pushed farther and farther down valley without an opportunity to live close to where they
work. The toll that takes on families, safety, and quality of life is significant.
This crisis extends beyond our company. My husband owns a business in Garfield County and faces
the same challenge. He struggles to find and retain employees because of the housing shortage
and cost burden. Across industries, we hear the same message: there are not enough skilled
workers, but the underlying issue is clear, there is nowhere to house them.
We are also seeing a growing trend of multiple generations of families living under one roof out of
necessity, not choice. New families are bringing their first child into the world while living with
parents because they cannot find anything affordable that doesn't require an hour -plus commute.
That is not a sustainable model for a healthy, thriving community.
On a personal level, as a mother and someone who grew up in this community, this issue is deeply
important to me. I returned after college to build a life and raise a family here, and it has been far
more difficult than it should be. Countless RFV natives have been pushed out due to housing. I want
it to be easier for my child's generation to build a life in the place they love.
More affordable housing is not optional, it is critical. Projects like Harvest Roaring Fork are essential
to stabilizing our workforce, strengthening families, and preserving the long-term vitality of the
Roaring Fork Valley.
I encourage support and approval of this project.
Sincerely,
Nikki MacLeod
Human Resources Director
Gould Construction