JH Planet: It Takes a Village
How an activist, two aspiring politicos and a community solved a housing crisis.
JACKSON HOLE, WY – Two town candidates missed primary day. They were not at election headquarters when results came in. While their peers knocked on doors making last minute campaign promises to help ease the tight rental market, town council candidate Jessica Sell Chambers and mayoral hopeful Pete Muldoon solved the housing crisis—for one family, for now.
The Garcia family was this close to moving back to Mexico. “Back” is a funny word. The boys—Ventura and Dominic—were born in Jackson; they’ve never seen the land their mother is from. The Garcias’ breadwinner had already been deported. The dog was shipped away as well. Noemi, a single mom now, was working overtime at Smith’s to make enough to send her kids off until she could find housing.