DEAR EDITOR:

I’ve become worried about the homeless population in town, especially during the winter season. How many deaths from sleeping outside will it take before the housing authority department realizes their insensitivity towards tenants and their true detriment on our quality of life?

I would like to share my perspective on the housing crisis in Telluride. I’ve had multiple friends struggle with housing, including myself, and I’ve experienced many injustices happening behind the scenes. Extreme rules to rent increases to the general lack of empathy, all of us needing housing are being mistreated and exploited for our unfortunate circumstances. An example of an injustice that I’d like to create awareness around is how they restrict the number of tenants, regardless of how many rooms it sleeps. Not just the Boarding House or Shandoka, all over town there are unoccupied but unavailable rooms.

I have lived in Telluride for two years in constant search for housing. Recently, I was staying in a friend’s room at the Boarding House because I had no other place to sleep. That is until I was abruptly kicked out recently. I wasn’t causing any issues, the rent was paid for, and yet they’ve shown no remorse for how they’ve treated me and my homelessness. As they’ve become aware of my situation, they still haven’t offered any housing or help whatsoever. Now, even when someone offers their couch in Shandoka, I’ve been fearful that the housing authority is watching and will penalize the tenants for housing me, when they are only trying to help keep me safe.

Rachel Clark

Telluride