Colorado women-led volunteer team tackles affordable housing build in the mountains

In one of Colorado's most expensive places to live, a group of women are getting their hands dirty to make housing more affordable.

Habitat for Humanity Vail Valley is building 30 new homes in 2025, part of an effort to help local families actually live near where they work. For many volunteers, this week's "Women Build" project is their first time on a construction site, but not their last.

"In the next two days, we're empowering our female volunteers to feel comfortable on this job," Construction Manager Kelsie McKenna told CBS Colorado. "When we think of a traditional construction site, it's not necessarily this. Our teams will be learning tools such as saws and nail guns, even something like learning how to use a measuring tape."

Habitat's Elyse Howard says these projects give women a path to homeownership and a stake in the community. 

"It's a fabulous place to raise a family and make a life," Howard told CBS Colorado. "We just focus on creating those opportunities."

Part of those opportunities stem from standard lack of affordable housing issues that plague mountain resort communities like Gypsum and other towns in the Vail Valley. Other aspects are less location based. 

With support from Lifetime Home Remodeling and its roofing partner GAF, the team is s building more than houses. They're building confidence, stability, and futures for families in the heart of the mountains.

"Women heads of household have more barriers to homeownership than their male counterparts," Howard explained. "We're really proud also to have about 70% of our homeowners be female heads of household."