How Stability Opened the Doors for the Next Chapter

Earlier this year, we had the opportunity to sit down with TJ Taylor, a community member who has lived in the Gunnison Valley for the past decade. His story reflects a challenge many valley residents face and sheds light on how stable housing can give someone the ability to stay, contribute to the community, and truly put down roots.

Discovering a Place That Feels Like Home

TJ first arrived in Gunnison ten years ago to attend Western Colorado University. Like many students who come here for school, the valley quickly became more than a place to study. When we asked TJ what he loved most about living here his answer came easily:

“The access to the outdoors is the obvious answer for me. Rarely putting my mountain bike on the car in the summers is pretty special; there’s so much right out the back door,” he shared. “I also grew up in a really small community and I love that aspect of living here. I’m happy it takes me a long time to get to Clark’s and back home– not because of traffic, but because of how many conversations with friends and neighbors I get wrapped up in.” 

Today, TJ is the Director of the ICELab, the valley’s economic support organization. He and his team work directly with local entrepreneurs to help them scale their businesses with the end goal of creating more high paying jobs and diversifying the economic drivers in the Gunnison Valley.

Before buying their deed-restricted home,  TJ and his partner lived in several rentals in Gunnison and Crested Butte, but one year in particular stood out. After completing a year-long lease, their landlord opted to move them to a month-to-month agreement rather than renew for another year.

Without the reliability of a long-term lease, planning ahead became difficult. They constantly worry that they could be asked to move with little notice, an all-too-common experience for locals navigating the tight rental market in the valley. 

“We started looking for other, more secure housing, and it took us about a year to find a new place. Living in a house for almost a year on a month-to-month lease was far from ideal.”

How Stable Housing Changed Everything 

TJ and his partner finally purchased a deed-restricted home in Crested Butte in 2021, and securing their permanent home base shifted more than just their address.  As TJ put it, “It really solidified this place as home for us. It’s enabled us to start planning for the future and building a family here.”

Having a stable place didn’t just give them security; it also deepened their connection to this special place. TJ shared, “It’s made us feel more integrated in the community and has encouraged us to be more engaged because we feel like we have skin in the game.”

He also talked about the everyday joys and moments that make a place feel like home. “I’ve loved living in a neighborhood surrounded by locals, and having an alley filled with bikes, boats, snowmobiles, and dogs.”

Caught in the Middle of a Tough Market

For TJ and his partner, one of the hardest parts was that they didn’t fit neatly into the typical housing categories. 

As he explained, “We were really stuck in the middle of the housing market here. We are a two-income household, and both incomes are earned in the valley. We weren’t able to afford the open market here, but then we make too much for the majority of the deed restrictions.”

It was one specific detail that opened the door for them: “The fact that our house’s specific deed restriction did not have an income limit was the reason we had a chance.”

Looking Ahead With a Sense of Belonging

While TJ and his partner’s place may not be their “forever home”, he describes it as an important beginning.

“We want to build a family here,” he said. “The chance to purchase a deed-restricted home has been a great first step for us. We don’t see this home as our forever home, but it’s a foot in the door to be able to save and plan for graduating into our forever home here.”

His story is an important reminder of what different types of affordable housing do for hardworking people in our community. Not just in the practical sense, but in how it helps people build a real life here and feel like they genuinely belong.

TJ’s story gets at the heart of our mission at the Valley Housing Fund. By facilitating, funding, and advocating for more affordable housing opportunities, we’re helping create space for dedicated community members like TJ to invest in their futures and in the future of a community they love.