Jackson Hole, Wyoming — Here’s some not-so-breaking news: there’s a housing crisis in many ski towns in the United States, perhaps best exemplified by the situation in Jackson Hole.
Due to sky-high home and rental prices, buying a home or finding affordable housing in Jackson is practically impossible for middle—and upper-middle-class residents. The collapse of Teton Pass in June further highlighted this situation, making commuters’ journeys to the popular resort town even more tricky.
This week, CBS News dove into the income inequality that exists in Jackson Hole. They interviewed various workers, including Jackson councilwoman and mayoral candidate Jessica Sell Chambers. In the video report, all of them detail why they feel left out of the community that they work in.
Many workers have to live an hour away in towns like Driggs. However, even Driggs’ affordability has come into question. This isn’t helped out when outlets like the Wall Street Journal say that Driggs “could become the next Jackson Hole,” as many are beginning to purchase or build expensive properties in that community, too.
The solutions are straightforward: affordable and workforce housing funded by the rich. However, the regulatory hurdles and construction timeline make them difficult to implement, so their housing crisis will continue to be a news story in the years to come.
Image/Video Credits: CBS News, Makenzie Cooper