In The NoCo

Why using federal land to ease housing shortages could be controversial – or well-received – in Western communities

By In The NoCo,

Published July 4, 2025 at 5:35 AM MDT

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A site in Nevada shows an empty dirt lot surrounded by dozens of homes. — The Bureau of Land Management sold the 20-acre Cactus Trails site in Las Vegas last year to Clark County. 210 single-family homes with be built there for households that make $70,000 per year or less.

In the months ahead, leaders across the West will wrestle with a proposal to use federal land as a remedy for housing shortages.

You may remember that a few weeks ago, Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah wanted to sell off thousands of government-owned acres in Western states, including some parts of Colorado. That plan died when some key Republican senators refused to support it.

But a similar, and more focused, proposal may still move forward under the Trump administration. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum has offered a plan to sell or lease federal land to Western communities that are facing housing shortages. Interior Department officials will meet with local leaders about it in the months ahead.

So how will this idea be received in places like Summit County, Colo. — which face severe housing shortages, but are also defined by the picturesque public lands that surround them?

Rachel Cohen is a reporter for the Mountain West News Bureau, which KUNC is part of. Rachel's been reporting on this issue, and spoke with In The NoCo’s Brad Turner about how it might lead to some difficult choices for towns in Colorado and around the West.

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In The NoCo

KUNC's In The NoCo is a daily slice of stories, news, people and issues. It's a window to the communities along the Colorado Rocky Mountains. The show brings context and insight to the stories of the day, often elevating unheard voices in the process. And because life in Northern Colorado is a balance of work and play, we celebrate the lighter side of things here, too.

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Rachel Cohen

Rachel Cohen is the Mountain West News Bureau reporter for KUNC. She covers topics most important to the Western region. She spent five years at Boise State Public Radio, where she reported from Twin Falls and the Sun Valley area, and shared stories about the environment and public health.

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Brad Turner

Brad Turner is an executive producer in KUNC's newsroom. He manages the podcast team that makes In The NoCo, which also airs weekdays in Morning Edition and All Things Considered. His work as a podcaster and journalist has appeared on NPR's Weekend Edition, NPR Music, the PBS Newshour, Colorado Public Radio, MTV Online, the Denver Post, Boulder's Daily Camera, and the Longmont Times-Call.

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Erin O'Toole

As the host of KUNC’s new program and podcast In the NoCo, I work closely with our producers and reporters to bring context and diverse perspectives to the important issues of the day. Northern Colorado is such a diverse and growing region, brimming with history, culture, music, education, civic engagement, and amazing outdoor recreation. I love finding the stories and voices that reflect what makes NoCo such an extraordinary place to live.

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