Fort Collins Homeowners Face Foundation Cracks in Aging Housing Crisis

Carol Phelps stands on her front porch in Fort Collins, staring at the cracked foundation of the house she’s owned for thirty years. She isn’t alone; Will Edwards and Mandell Winter Jr., her neighbors on the same block, are wrestling with the exact same problem. As the Colorado Sun reported, these three homeowners became the human face of a much larger crisis: the intersection of aging and housing in Colorado.

Their story kicked off the Sun’s “Aging in Colorado” series, which just took home the top public service award at the 2025 Colorado Better News Media Contest. For context, Colorado is the third-fastest aging state in the nation. That’s a heavy stat to swallow, but it makes sense when you look at the demographics. We’re getting older, faster, and our infrastructure isn’t keeping up.

Let’s do the math on the awards themselves. The Sun walked away with 26 total prizes. That includes a dozen first-place finishes. It’s a massive haul for an online outlet in its eighth year, especially considering they compete against the largest group of daily outlets in the state. On paper, it looks like a dominance of quality. In practice, it reflects a small staff punching way above its weight.

The win wasn’t just about one article. It was about a team effort. The “Aging in Colorado” series featured work from Jennifer Brown, Tamara Chuang, Brian Eason, Kevin Simpson, Parker Yamasaki, and freelancer Robert Davis. Each brought a different angle to the table, from medical challenges to financial strains.

Dana Coffield, the editor, summed it up best: “This was a great night for The Sun. We were honored for the high-quality reporting by individuals, but also for projects that called in people across teams to serve our readers. I’m so proud of all of us.”

There’s a reason for that pride. The Sun didn’t just win for the aging series. They also took first place for best series with “What is a river?,” a deep dive into the Arkansas River from its mountain headwaters to the Kansas border. That project involved Lance Benzel, Jason Blevins, Michael Booth, Tracy Ross, Jerd Smith, Brown, Simpson, and Yamasaki. It’s a lot of names, but it highlights a key trend: collaboration is winning.

Individual talent shone through, too. Jesse Paul, who leads the elections reporting team, won second place in the A-Mark Prize for Investigative Reporting. His work focused on the mental health challenges of former U.S. Rep. Yadira Caraveo and how they affected her staffers and her bid to reclaim her seat. It was persistent, sensitive reporting that caught judges’ attention.

Jennifer Brown had a standout night as well. She took first place in general feature writing for her piece on a Colorado “death cafe” where participants tackle end-of-life topics. She also won first for her health feature on a traveling oncologist who sees patients across the Eastern Plains. Two wins, two distinct voices, both grounded in real human experiences.

The Sun also won for best website and collected a first-place honor for its signature live event, the annual Colorado SunFest. Its educational Rise & Shine Journalism Workshop for students finished second. It’s a broad sweep of categories, showing depth across print, digital, and live events.

So, what does this mean for folks around here? It means the local news is paying attention to the issues that keep you up at night. Whether it’s the cost of heating your home, the availability of doctors in rural areas, or the state of the rivers that define our landscape, the Sun is digging in.

The awards ceremony was held Saturday night, recognizing entries produced in 2025. The Colorado Press Association judged the entries, dividing them into classes based on story output. Despite its relatively small staff, the Sun competed in the largest group of daily outlets. That’s a competitive field. Winning 26 prizes there is no small feat.

For the neighbors of Carol Phelps, Will Edwards, and Mandell Winter Jr., the win validates their struggle. Their story was heard. The cracks in their foundations are now part of a statewide narrative. And that matters.

The Sun’s success isn’t accidental. It’s built on a foundation of rigorous reporting, diverse perspectives, and a commitment to serving the community. From the mountains to the plains, the outlet is covering the full spectrum of life in Colorado.

As the state continues to age, these stories will become even more relevant. The challenges of housing, healthcare, and economic stability will only grow. The Sun is positioned to lead the charge, armed with the credibility of 26 awards and the trust of its readers.

In the end, it’s not about the trophies. It’s about the truth. And right now, the truth is that we’re getting older, and we need to adapt. The Sun is helping us see that clearly. That’s why they won. And that’s why it counts.