| OCR Text |
Show High housing cost a common lament Too high and too much. Those were thoughts of people along Main Street Thursday when asked about the Vernal area housing situation. What they meant was, the price of housing is too high, and too much of it is being built. "I believe they'll find out they have more than they need," commented Claudia McLaren, housewife. "If anything," said Lloyd Winward, a Vernal Area Chamber of Commerce board member, "we probably have excessively ex-cessively built. A lot of housing that is occupied is ready for sale, and sales are very slow." An apartment landlord as well, Winward said he tries to be reasonable with rents. "Our area has grown quite fast,' said Donna Bodily, a Maeser housewife. The long-time area resident said prices have risen "terribly." "I honestly don't understand how young people can afford it. I don't think Vernal is that far out of line with other places, from what people tell me." Lenore Campbell, office manager for an engineering firm, also noted high prices. "They're catching up", she said of prices compared to Glenwood Springs, Spr-ings, Colo., an energy-impacted area she moved from. "1 think young people have a legitimate problem," observed Ms. Campbell, saying she bought a house without trouble. "My secretary and her husband can't afford the down payment." Christine Chraghead, who moved with her family from Iowa, said she was surprised at housing prices here, and said the cost of living in general is high. They live in a trailer now, but hope to be able to rent a duplex or find a bigger trailer. "You have to make money to live here," she said. "It's just the boom here-that's what's raising it (prices) up," said construction construc-tion worker Hirum Dudley, who found a place to live without too much problem because of relatives living here. Coworkers Co-workers have had "quite a time" finding fin-ding housing, he said. "They've hunted around." Sandy Allen, an assistant store manager who lives in Gusher in eastern Uintah County, said she wants to move to Vernal but can't find a place she can afford. "I can't afford to rent on what I make." Bobby San Juan, a heavy equipment operator from Ft. Duchesne, believes there is not enough housing, adding that available housing is "real hard to find." "If you finance a house, the cost is too high. It's rough on a person who has kids. Some of us work 45 miles south of here." San Juan said he notices more commercial com-mercial than residential building. "You can't live in a shop." Said Mrs. Bodily. "It's kind of hard to see Vernal grow up-the way it has." 7 r' ". - - , : -" 1 t ' ... ' ) i- ' .; (' ' ' I i - " i LENORE CAMPBEL "Catching up". - . y-v . ' I - -. I ' LLOYD WINWARD "Have excessively built". I v. ; v - ' x DONNA BODILY risen "terribly". THE OTHER CHOICE opens for business during ribbon cutting ceremonies featuring the Vernal" Dinah-Mites, owner Chuck Dewey and manager Cary White, (center). Cl" - 1 "I BOBBY SAN JUAN "Cost to high". i - ' " 1 C-F ' , i ' y., " ? - it X ' - "- ' ' ' .' I 1 1 1 ; .'! , " ' t . CHRISTINE CHRAGHEAD "Have to make money". -x . " . V 3 , V - . HIRUM DUDLEY "Just the boom". |
