Gov. Mark Gordon (right) visits students at Lyman High School. ‘For our state to thrive, young people must be able to stay, put down roots, and grow families,’ Gordon said.

Courtesy photo

A house sits for sale on Absaroka Street. Gov. Mark Gordon said having available starter housing in communities across Wyoming is a key way to avoid ‘brain drain.’

Tribune photo by Zac Taylor

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President Ronald Reagan’s sentiments resonate deeply as I visit Wyoming communities and speak with business owners. It is increasingly clear that access to housing is not just a personal need — it is foundational to our state’s economic potential — and absolutely essential for strong families and strong communities.

The quality and quantity of our housing stock either limits or leverages Wyoming’s future. To grow a world-class workforce and attract innovative businesses, we must first ensure that the very people we need — project managers, experienced tradespeople and new talent entering the labor force — can find a place to call home. Without reliable solutions, these individuals are forced to choose between burdensome living expenses or leaving the state entirely. This is particularly important to our Wyoming youth. 

When our youth leave, they take Wyoming’s future with them

This brain and talent drain is especially frustrating because our state is doing the hard work of preparing the next generation. Through the Wyoming Innovation Partnership (WIP), we have created a top-tier, coordinated education system that aligns our community colleges and the University of Wyoming with actual industry needs. We are giving our kids the skills to lead in energy, technology and tourism. Yet, after we invest in their potential, many are forced to look across state lines for their first homes. We are effectively training a world-class workforce for other states to enjoy, simply because we lack the starter housing they need to stay and grow here.

For our state to thrive, young people must be able to stay, put down roots, and grow families. Many communities are leading the way. As Mayor Patrick Collins of Cheyenne recently noted, housing is “one of the most basic building blocks of a strong workforce and a functional economy.”

The need extends far beyond our capital city

In Sheridan, the Weston Village subdivision stands as a testament to what is possible when local leadership prioritizes homeownership. Through a housing land trust, these homes are listed at a fraction of the market rate, ensuring that young professionals can actually afford to own the roof over their heads while the land remains a community asset. 

Our legacy industries — energy, technology, agriculture and tourism — are feeling the squeeze. In our energy rich counties, companies report increasing difficulty recruiting specialists because there is simply nowhere for them to live. Similarly, our tourism sector, which fuels thousands of jobs, risks stagnation if service workers and outdoor guides are priced out of the very towns they support. 

A 2024 study by the Wyoming Community Development Authority (WCDA) found that we must add between 20,700 and 38,600 units by 2030 to meet this demand. Currently, we are falling short.

Industry leaders like Related Digital have demonstrated their commitment with an “amazing $3.5 million gift” to kickstart an affordable housing project to bring 184 new low-cost units to the Cheyenne community. Mayor Collins emphasized that this private investment was intended to be a catalyst, stating, “We cannot recruit, retain, or grow a workforce if people have nowhere affordable to live.”

While the private sector and local governments are stepping up, the state must do more.

Unfortunately, progress is being stalled by imported divisive politics. During a recent meeting of the State Loan and Investment Board (SLIB), vital funding requests were tabled or denied, including the Cheyenne housing project. Over 20 Wyoming communities were represented at the meeting, each demonstrating overwhelming need, but no solutions were decided on by the Board. 

The frustration is justified

For seniors on fixed incomes, affordable housing is often the only way they can remain in the community they’ve lived in for decades. 

We saw during the last legislative session what happens when Wyomingites get engaged. When citizens show up to the “People’s House” in Cheyenne, their voices move the needle on critical issues. Let’s keep that momentum going. I urge you to get informed about the housing projects in your community, and understand the barriers your local leaders are facing, and then speak up. 

We must rise above political showmanship. When we fail to support housing applications, Wyoming workers and families suffer. Putting families and young people into homes is essential  in creating and sustaining strong communities.

Let’s ride for the brand.

(Mark Gordon was elected Wyoming's 33rd governor on Nov. 6, 2018.)