City of Salida Acquires Properties to Provide Affordable Workforce Housing

Posted By: Dan R May 24, 2022

The City of Salida has completed a lengthy process to acquire properties in downtown Salida to be reused for affordable workforce housing.

The City, utilizing the eminent domain process, has fair market value to acquire adjacent properties at 102 D Street and 223 East 1st Street, the southwest corner of the intersection of 1st Street and D Street. Existing structures on the property are dilapidated and in disrepair, and were the subject of numerous municipal court complaints against the previous owners–John Mehos and PMM, LLC.

The properties were deemed uninhabitable by the Chaffee County Building Department and Salida Police Department in 2017, and have been a blight on the community for some time.

With the properties now the possession of the City, work will commence as soon as possible to remove the existing structures and prepare the property for possible development as new affordable workforce housing.

“With the current ongoing housing crisis affecting residents, businesses, and workers in Salida, this is a crucial acquisition to provide long-term relief through affordable housing,” said Mayor Dan Shore. “The City Council and I have worked diligently through the eminent domain process to acquire these properties to give opportunities to our workforce. Use of eminent domain was not a decision made lightly by the City Council, but was the only choice to take control of an unfortunate situation and turn it into a positive outcome for Salida. We realize that this was a long process, and appreciate the community’s faith in the City Council’s decision to pursue an eminent domain action to take control of our destiny to provide housing for our workforce.”

Eminent domain is a process by which a local government uses its rights to acquire private property for public use, upon payment of just compensation to the property owner. On May 2, 2022, the City of Salida participated in a valuation hearing to determine the amount of just compensation to be paid to the property owner. During the valuation hearing, an independent commission heard evidence from real estate experts about the value and condition of the properties and found the fair market value to be $620,000. The City deposited this amount into the court’s registry on May 18, 2022. This payment finalized the transaction, ensuring that the property is now in the public domain and that it will be used for public purposes.

Dan R
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