More housing options can help small businesses succeed and Colorado’s economy thrive

As housing prices and cost of rent continues to soar throughout Colorado, so does the strain on our small businesses. The consequences of the housing crisis we find ourselves in ripples throughout communities across Colorado: hurting families, businesses and our economy.

I’ve lived and worked in Jefferson County for the last 25 years as the CEO of a manufacturing small business and I’ve experienced firsthand the ramifications of the housing crisis. While Jeffco is a beautiful place to live with local shops and scenic views, its housing expenses have risen to be 62% higher than the national average and the average rent for a one bedroom apartment is $2,171 –making it hard for my employees to live in the same community where they work.

The lack of affordable options places a heavy burden on my employees. Like many Colorado

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keep up with the cost of housing, and adjusting salaries to accommodate unreasonably high costs of living is unsustainable and unfair to small business owners.

Liz Geisleman

workers on the front range, my employees have to commute about an hour each way to get to work. Not only does that daily commute increase traffic on the highways during rush hour, it also forces my employees to absorb additional costs that hurt their ability to provide for themselves and their families. Our employees that live a distance from our headquarters and rely on child care are put in a difficult position. A long commute is just one example among many of how the lack of affordable options hurts my small business. I’ve adapted to the needs of my employees by making their work schedules more flexible, but there’s a limit to how much my small business can bear. It’s become nearly impossible to