In 2026, voters in Laramie and Albany County will elect local leaders who will make important decisions about housing, land use, infrastructure, public investment, and community growth.

Wyoming Neighbors for Housing reached out to candidates for Laramie City Council and the Albany County Commission to ask how they would approach the local housing shortage if elected.

We are focusing on these two offices because they have direct responsibility for many of the decisions that shape whether homes can be built here. City Council helps determine local development rules, infrastructure investments, public land use, housing partnerships, and city funding priorities. The County Commission makes key decisions about county land use, growth areas, infrastructure, and coordination with the City of Laramie and other partners.

Other offices matter too. But this questionnaire focuses on the local governing bodies with the most direct authority over the rules, costs, partnerships, and public decisions that affect housing in Laramie and Albany County.

The need is clear. The Wyoming Community Development Authority’s 2024 Wyoming Housing Needs Assessment estimates that Albany County will need roughly 3,700 new homes by 2030, while Laramie is currently building about 60 homes per year. A 2025 Albany County Housing Coalition survey of more than 600 residents found that 65% of renter respondents and 55% of homeowner respondents were cost-burdened, meaning they spent more than 30% of their income on housing.

We asked candidates where they stand, what role they believe local government should play, and what actions they would support to help more people afford stable homes in the communities they serve.

Read responses from 2026 candidates for Laramie City Council and Albany County Commission below.