Deb Callies

For Deb Callies, housing is not simply about where someone lives. It can shape whether people have access to the education, healthcare, employment and economic opportunities that influence the quality of their lives. As Director of Housing for the City of Greeley, Callies has focused her work on shaping housing policy and programs around those connections, particularly how housing location affects access to opportunity.

“Where we live determines what opportunities we have for economic growth, education, healthcare and mental health care,” says Callies.

Callies brings more than 20 years of experience across affordable housing, workforce development and grant-funded programs. Shaped by her background in sociology and her study of how historical and socioeconomic conditions influence where people live and the opportunities available to them, she sees housing as closely connected to education, healthcare, employment and access to nearby resources. Her personal and professional experiences have reinforced her view that housing location can shape economic mobility, health and long-term quality of life.

Callies’ perspective became particularly clear when she compared Greeley’s maps. The city is 46 percent people of color, and she observed that areas showing poverty and those where black and brown residents primarily live are essentially the same. Her perspective is also shaped by what she describes as “two Americas,” a divide she connects to the historical exclusion of Black Americans from homeownership and the resulting differences in opportunities to build wealth. For her, recognizing these patterns is essential to understanding why housing policy cannot be separated from the broader question of who has access to opportunity.

That perspective also shapes how Callies approaches Greeley’s growth. The city still has greenspace and projected growth, creating room to establish neighborhoods with a full spectrum of incomes from the beginning. She believes mixed-income communities cannot emerge passively from market forces. They require intentional planning, funding and partnerships. She also challenges the assumption that well-developed affordable housing harms nearby communities.

Turning Growth into Mixed-Income Communities

The Housing for All Strategic Plan established the political will to develop as many mixed-income neighborhoods as possible as Greeley grows. Yet political will alone cannot deliver it. Without dedicated funding and supportive regulations, the natural market will continue producing what it already produces.

“The most significant outcome was establishing the political will of the City to develop as many mixed-income neighborhoods as possible as the City grows,” says Deb Callies.

The affordability challenge begins with supply and demand. Desirable places attract demand while limited supply can lead to multiple bids and rising prices. Callies believes cities must also examine the regulatory costs they add to the equation. Regulations and fees can increase development costs, while conflicting requirements can delay projects. Greeley has hired a consultant to examine which regulations are essential for health and safety and which may need to change to allow development to move forward.

Callies challenges the assumption that developers simply refuse to build affordable housing. Her husband’s work as a new-construction plumber has shown her how regulations can add costs over time. Many developers would like to build the starter homes that once served a large market, but cannot do so at prices many households can afford. Her response is greater collaboration between regulators and developers. Cities can remove barriers within their control while developers contribute their expertise, allowing both sides to work toward viable housing projects.

Where we live determines what opportunities we have for economic growth, education, healthcare and mental health care.

 

Funding creates another gap. Construction costs have risen beyond what many median-income households can afford, including families with two full-time earners. Federal and state resources can support affordable housing, but eligibility rules limit their use. Callies sees local funding as a way to give cities greater flexibility over the housing they create.

Greeley can combine federal and state resources with units sold under 120 percent of area median income and deed-restricted for 30 years, while local funds can support more attainable and middle-income housing. Down-payment assistance can also help bridge the gap between construction costs and what households can afford.

Public-private partnerships bring these tools together. Rather than relying solely on mandatory affordability requirements, Callies favors working directly with builders as Greeley grows. The city can provide funding and define desired housing products while developers bring their expertise. She also points to locking in costs early and land banking as ways to manage long development timelines.

For Callies, mixed-income housing requires deliberate action. Regulations, funding and partnerships must work together if cities want to create housing the market alone cannot deliver.

Housing with Purpose

Better housing outcomes cannot be measured simply by the number of units built. What matters just as much is whether people can access the opportunities that housing can create. She believes improving economic conditions for black and brown residents benefits the wider community and sees housing policy and funding decisions as tools for deliberate desegregation.

Callies encourages housing directors and public-sector leaders to embrace continuous learning by recognizing what they do not yet know, studying the history and economics of segregation and seeking perspectives beyond their own experiences. She recommends exploring museums, books, podcasts, Black voices and racial equity conferences to broaden their understanding. She also urges leaders to examine their own neighborhoods and question whether their policies reflect the diversity and needs of the communities they serve.

“Doing this, we will create thriving, healthy communities and households that are desirable places to live no matter how high your income is,” Callies states.

Callies knows people will not always welcome these conversations, but she does not see disagreement as a reason to retreat. She is still learning herself and does not expect the journey to be finished. What distinguishes her leadership is the willingness to connect housing policy with the human consequences behind every regulation and funding decision.

By connecting housing policy with opportunity, bringing public and private interests together and using growth as a chance to widen access, Deb Callies has earned the title Director of Housing of the Year 2026. The recognition honors a leader who understands that housing for all means creating communities where more people can live, participate and thrive.