StrugglesLife in the Mountains: The Next Generation
Leader: Matt Beck
Panel: Carmen Marble
Melanie Montoya
Erik Dalton
Celia Demeris
Amy Keeler, teachers aid
Jenny Barker
Intro: Young people of the region: concerns
Matt: sustainable strategies company, helped ski area develop a plan
Carmen: Matt's business partner
Amy: environmental studies
Slade: Western Colorado Congress, history major
Jenny: Fort Lewis art degree, environmental studies
Melanie: San Miguel Resource Center advocate manager, telluride foundation,
translation service, bright futures program
Eric: Jagged Edge owner, ski coach
How hard is it to live here? Choice between car and rent. Lives with
matt's parents, Carmen, rent is high, from BC, rent is high there, it's hard
to move out on your own, you have to live with many people, Boulder is the
same, 2 jobs to pay rent, no hope of owning own home, has had 5-6 jobs since moving to Telluride. People don't realize how hard it is.
Moved to Grand Junction 2 years ago, is having trouble making ends meet.
How am I going to make it, living in poverty? Food or an education?
Durango is tough too, kids go hungry to pay for school, she got grants
College loans and food are not cheap, she has no car, has seen struggle, but is optimistic, gap between service jobs and good jobs, this town is full of opportunities, you can create opportunity here and make it happen
Runs business and customers are struggling; local businesses have a customer base that can't afford the product
Tuition, fresh out of college, high payments, funding for tuition ideas
In last 2 years tuition has gone up 2 grand, it's so hard to get residency
in this area, state could give opportunities to students, raffle for books,
or a food bank to help average person living there.
Running a business you see many employees go through, is that a problem finding employees.
It's a huge task training one employee and you have to do it every four
months, people can't afford to stay through the off season, they plan on
losing all their employees every year
Long term concerns for the world and action plan:
C&D vote yes
Decision making, who is in control, who is making decision that affect our lives, involving young people is important, young people must be involved
Young people don't vote, so their voices aren't heard, people think it
doesn't matter, they think we don't know or care, it's a major concern,
Western slope, water shortage will be a major issue in the future, were not conserving and we're polluting. Must use water efficiently
Will our children be able to have the same stuff we have, mountains etc., we must conserve and find ways to sustain and not be destructive
Networking, how can we continue networking, what about an action agenda?
Country, apathy of youth, parents generation was outraged, they pacified us, we aren't fighting, we are complacent, children aren't aware, education is key
Integration of the Hispanic community, several programs working toward
healthy integration, SMRC is doing it etc., but we can do better, it's not a
matter of educating Hispanics, but gringos as well. Food is an issue,
affordable food is a problem, they can?t afford higher quality food, and
they aren't educated about it
Community and the economy, where do your dollars go when you shop online, when you shop in town tax dollars go to help the community, use your money in a smarter way
Questions:
Q: 3rd day in town, Lawson Hill is intriguing because a house costs $426,000
1 bedroom, being able to buy in is attractive, what programs are in place
and what can we do to make it more affordable
A: Neighbor in Lawson: neighborhood was built with HUD money there is a cap on runaway real estate price, I don?t know if there are other programs, Lawson is deed restricted, Town of Telluride has caps on deed restricted housing
I am an owner, county does not have a percentage cap, great program, but there is not enough of it, friend won a lottery, you and me (young folk) are priced out, places we used to rent no longer exist, more people commute, it will be a problem for a while, missed opportunities, economic forces driving market,
Affordable housing, affordable commercial space, will I be able to buy
commercial space or a home, if there is a price cap what?s the point?
Price cap, first leap, just to rent is $600, and that's not affordable, once
you go to buy, we are all still elitist, even $100,000 home, you have to
have some backing, I'm not worried about the people who can think of buying,
Put it in perspective, who are we talking about?
I've been here since 1979, and we would have said the same things at that time, rents etc., we couldn't afford them then either, the kinds of people who are able to come here already have money, we could all move to Oklahoma no offense, and buy a 5 bedroom house, we had numerous seminars, we have done some good things, with deed restricted, but it?s still not much of an investment, for most people it?s not a possibility, what does it do to our community?
Q: All of you are working multiple jobs, how can we minimize the wage gap so young people can live here and buy a house?
A: Nobody is working minimum wage, nobody can live on that, we need to be paying people more, teachers make so little, I can make more bartending
A lot of young people with good jobs are working for non profits, we believe in change, we need to decide where we place our value, social workers get close to the top of what they?ll ever make, we need to support the non profits, subsidies for non profits, there is lots of money here, more donations and grants, any organization will give you a voice for money, it?s important to keep people here who are doing a good job
Businesses, change the way we shop, going to Montrose, keep money here, and support our businesses
Maybe we don?t all need to own houses, new kind of family, I have interns on my farm, I go in debt to have interns, I want them to experience farm life, how can we revitalize that?
Teach the next generation to raise their own crops. People don?t know how to do the basics any more. Get out of target, etc. multinationals are
destroying communities, support businesses with good ethics, we?ll be living better lives
Let's adopt each other
Whatever you need you can buy, were not taught that we can make things, steer away from buying, make things, barter, some kind of trading, not big corporate business
Affordable housing, co-op, market for a young person, like a fraternity?
Can we buy parts of houses?
Project Durango earthrise, people buy shares of the mortgage, it's a grand vision, will be making shared kitchen and bathrooms,
Retain workers by offering them shares in their business
Don't be scared that you can't live here, it's not a dead end, it shouldn't
be exclusive, go to town council, talk loud!!!!!! Keep the energy going,
passionate young people, storm town council until we get what we want!!!!
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