Residents and housing groups urge board to sell Old Slade land to city to enable workforce housing

Multiple residents, housing advocates and the City of Laramie urged Albany County School District #1 trustees on April 8 to sell the district’s Old Slade property to the city at a price that would allow a proposed workforce housing project to move forward.

The public-comment period featured speakers representing the Albany County Housing and Land Trust, Wyoming Neighbors for Housing, neighborhood residents and the city manager. Fred Schmeckle, executive director of the Albany County Housing and Land Trust, told the board the trust is targeting homes priced at or below $300,000 — roughly 116% of area median income by a federal definition — and said additional land costs would threaten the project’s viability and eligibility for key grants.

“Additional land costs would be very prohibitive to us being able to move forward and we would lose a lot of potential for grant funding to drive that price down,” Schmeckle said, adding the trust will use creative financing and partnerships to lower unit costs.

City Manager Todd Feer told trustees the City of Laramie has submitted an offer on the property and said any binding real-estate decision would require further council action. “We appreciate what you’re trying to accomplish and we look forward to working with you,” Feer said.

Several nearby residents also urged a sale at a price that sustains affordable development. Michelle Visser, a neighbor to the Old Slade site, framed the sale as consistent with the district’s 2030 mission and argued a vote to sell at a sustainable price would help retain staff and stabilize families. “If you vote yes to this housing project, you will stand in a long line of leaders who are far-sighted and future-oriented,” Visser said.

Father Jordan Bishop of Wyoming Neighbors for Housing described multi-generation family ties to Laramie and said rising housing costs risk breaking that continuity: “I love Laramie and I really want to be able to stay here as a young person who can't afford the housing prices right now,” he said.

Board members did not take a final, separate vote on the land sale at the meeting. Public commenters repeatedly tied workforce housing to student success and staff retention; multiple speakers urged the board to set a sale price that preserves project grantability and affordability.

Next steps: the district and city will continue discussions; any binding city purchase will require Laramie City Council review and the board has not yet announced a schedule for a formal land-sale vote.