dumbrenter, the (mostly dilapidated) rural farmhouses most of these workers rent is the best they can do for the money. There ARE many older (some dilapidated and some fully-restored) large homes with basements in the city (Greeley) but a good portion of them are zoned commercial (medical, dental, counseling, social svcs, etc) and another good portion are rented out to UNC students by the room (similar to the “mini-dorms” near SDSU). Another smaller portion are rented out as frat and sorority houses.

Rents are double or more in Greeley for the same-sized house as those in nearby rural areas.

Also, in some instances, it is likely cheaper to get a propane tank occasionally filled and a septic tank/leachfield occasionally serviced (or the LL pays for these svcs) than to have to pay monthly gas and sewer bills.

In the winter, those high plains have a very high wind-chill factor because the mtns are too far away to hold it back. Thus the 4′ long icicles sealing screen doors and the snow piling up over the eves and freezing solid :=0