Celebration of Adam’s Way neighborhood in Eagle a celebration of a new way of workforce housing
New neighborhood represents a new way of working for Habitat for Humanity, Eagle County
It took Alli Weibel more than two years to move into her new home on Adam’s Way in Eagle. The wait was well worth it.
Weibel, along with 15 others, celebrated Thursday the completion of 16 new homes just off Third Street between Eagle’s fire station and Eagle Valley Middle School. The homes were the product of a unique collaboration between Habitat for Humanity, the town of Eagle, Eagle County, the school district and other partners. The school district received rights to 12 of the units in exchange for providing land for the project.
“The town’s been working very diligently to try and bring workforce housing in for our community,” Eagle Town Council Member Bryan Woods said. “And our teachers are an especially important part of this.”
Woods noted the Adam’s Way project is a “very sustainable” way to develop housing in town, since the land was available, with utitlities already in place.
The Adam’s Way neighborhood was named in honor of longtime Eagle community member and activist Adam Palmer, who died in a 2021 avalanche in southwestern Colorado. Palmer served on the Eagle Town Council and worked for Eagle County government, first as a planner and, later, as the director of sustainable communities. He also served on other boards, including ECO Trails, Holy Cross Energy and the Hardscrabble Trails Coalition.
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The development itself was unique, particularly for Habitat, which usually builds homes from scratch.
In this case, the homes were built in the Fading West factory in Buena Vista. That meant the new residents had to contribute the required “sweat equity” on other projects and in other ways.
Weibel, a teacher, taught Spanish to Habitat staff along with construction work at the Stratton Flats homes in Gypsum.
Another resident, district employee Tim Moffet, said he contributed about 300 hours to projects, including filling in for other residents.
“They allow us to come volunteer to other people who may be struggling,” Moffet said.
And there was plenty of non-construction work at the Adam’s Way site, primarily with the neighborhood’s landscaping.
During the dedication ceremony, new resident Michael Agostino talked about his first experience with working construction with others.
“Working with my new neighbors and partner families at Stratton Flats has been one of the most purposeful things I have ever done,” Agostino said. “To see homes literally spring up from the ground through blood, sweat and probably some tears has been remarkable to witness. Many hands truly do make light work.”
It took many hands, and many dollars from many sources, to bring the Adam’s Way homes to completion.
“It took so much innovation,” Chandler-Henry said, noting that Habitat needed to change its methods to allow factory-built homes. Then there were the numerous partnerships involved, and the need for Habitat to increase its normal income limits to accept district employees. District employees are income-restricted to between 80% and 100% of the valley’s area median income. Habitat applicants can earn between 35% and 80% of the area median income. All the units are permanently deed-restricted.
“That’s what’s it’s going to take” to bring more new workforce housing to the valley, Chandler-Henry said, adding that homes like those at Adam’s Way would sell for far more on the open market. “You’ve got to have a team to buy down the amount that workers can afford,” she said.
The buy-down included a $3.3 million grant from the county’s housing funds, along with a $1.1 million state grant. There were numerous other in-kind services provided by contractors and others to help keep costs down.
Local Habitat board member Dan White said the Adam’s Way project is a “very huge” thing. “This is, I think, a milestone for a lot of Habitats, not just us, but I think nationwide … it’s a model that might be feasible going forward.”
In his remarks to the large crowd gathered for the celebration, Agostino echoed the thoughts of many residents when he said “I had literally dreamt of this moment” from the day he was accepted into the program.
“This is a lovely neighborhood,” Weibel said. “I’m excited about it.”