Grand Junction and Mesa County just wrapped up a packed community open house where frustrated residents laid bare the brutal reality of trying to live in western Colorado right now. Families, seniors, and young workers all said the same thing: housing costs are pushing people out, and they want real solutions, not more studies.
The room was full of stories that hit hard. One mother told officials her adult children can’t move out because even a one-bedroom apartment eats half their paycheck. A construction worker said he drives 90 minutes each way from Rifle because he can’t find anything affordable in Grand Junction. Another woman, a nurse at St. Mary’s Hospital, said she’s considering leaving the career she loves because she can’t make the math work anymore.
“People are one rent increase away from losing everything,” said Ashley Chambers, the city’s housing manager who helped organize Thursday’s event. “We heard that loud and clear tonight.”
Why This Matters Right Now
Mesa County’s population has grown nearly 20% since 2010, but housing hasn’t kept up. The median home price in Grand Junction just hit $435,000, up more than 60% in five years. Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment now tops $1,650 a month, according to the latest numbers from the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority.
That’s forced tough choices.
Teachers are doubling up with roommates. Hospital workers are leaving for cheaper states. Local businesses can’t fill jobs because new hires can’t find a place to live.
Scott Aker, CEO of the Grand Junction Housing Authority, didn’t sugarcoat it: “When people spend more than half their income on housing, they’re cutting medicine, food, or car repairs. That’s not sustainable for any community.”
What Residents Actually Said at the Open House
People didn’t just complain. They brought ideas.
Many called for zoning changes to allow more duplexes, triplexes, and small apartment buildings in neighborhoods currently locked to single-family homes only. Others want the city to speed up approvals for new projects that have been stuck in limbo for years.
Several attendees asked for stronger partnerships with developers who build workforce housing, units priced for teachers, nurses, and first responders. One man suggested tax breaks for landlords who keep rents affordable for five years or more.
Debbie Elliott, who came with her husband, said the event gave her hope for the first time in years. “My kids want to stay here, raise their families here. But right now, that feels impossible. Tonight showed me the city is finally listening.”
The Clock Is Ticking Thanks to State Law
Colorado lawmakers passed legislation in 2023 requiring every fast-growing community to complete a detailed housing needs assessment. Grand Junction and Mesa County are doing theirs together, a rare joint effort that officials say will carry more weight.
The process is being led by Root Policy Research, a Denver-based firm that has done similar studies across the state. They’re combining Thursday’s feedback with an ongoing online survey (still open at gjcity.org/housing) and hard data on rents, wages, and vacancy rates.
The final report, expected by early summer 2025, will spell out exactly how many affordable units the region needs and recommend specific strategies. Then each government will write its own action plan by fall.
Real Change or Another Report on a Shelf?
That’s the question hanging in the air.
Residents have seen studies before. What they want now is action: rezoning neighborhoods for “missing middle” housing, cutting fees that add $50,000 to the cost of each new home, protecting existing mobile home parks from redevelopment, and creating a local fund to help working families buy their first home.
City Council member Jason Nguyen attended the open house and told me afterward: “I’ve never seen this many people show up for a planning meeting. They’re not angry at us. They’re scared. And they have every right to be.”
For the first time in years, Grand Junction leaders seem to get it. The housing crisis isn’t coming. It’s here. And the people who make this community run, the ones who teach our kids, care for our sick, and keep the lights on, are the ones getting squeezed the hardest.
If local officials turn this moment into real policy changes, they could save the soul of western Colorado. If they don’t, the next open house might be a going-away party for the middle class.
What do you think Grand Junction should do first to fix this? Drop your thoughts below, and if you’re talking about it online, use #GJHousingCrisis so we can keep this conversation going.
