HomeMy WebLinkAboutresolution.council.086-25RESOLUTION 4086
(Series of 2025)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ASPEN,
COLORADO, AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO SIGN A LETTER OF
SUPPORT EXPRESSING ITS COMMITMENT TO CONTRIBUTE FUNDS FOR
THE PURCHASE OF MOBILE HOME PARKS THAT PROVIDE
AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR ASPEN'S WORKFORCE
WHEREAS, Aspen has the second highest 2025 median home price in the
nation, at $6.25 million and has a median per square foot sales price of $3,170; and
WHEREAS, despite APCHA being the largest per capita affordable housing
program in the nation, there is still not sufficient affordable housing in the Aspen-
Pitkin County area to meet the affordable housing needs of our community and
workforce; and
WHEREAS, the City of Aspen has prioritized affordable housing for many
decades; and
WHEREAS, the Asperi-Basalt Mobile Home Park and the Mountain Valley
Mobile Home Park are home to many people who work within the Aspen
community; and
ti'VHEREAS, the City of Aspen values its regional partners and has actively
participated in efforts outside of municipal boundaries that ultimately support the
Aspen community and the greater Roaring Fork Valleys and
WHEREAS, the Aspen -Basalt Mobile Home Park and the Mountain Valley
Mobile Home Park ("mobile home parks") are currently offered for sale and at risk
of being purchased as investor -owned manufactured home communities; and
WHEREAS, the City of Aspen has been asked to contribute funds to support
the purchase of these mobile home parks as resident -owned communities; and
WHEREAS, the purchase of these mobile home parks by the residents will
preserve these units as affordable work force housing for many people who work in
Aspen.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF
THE CITY OF ASPEN, COLORADO,
That the City Council of the City of Aspen hereby authorizes the City
Manager to sign a letter of support, attached hereto as Exhibit A, expressing City
Council's commitment to contribute funds to support the purchase of the Aspen
Basalt Mobile Home Park and the Mountain Valley Mobile Home Park properties
as resident -owned communities, and to negotiate the terms of said contribution,
including a deed restriction to preserve the property as affordable work force
housing.
RESOLVED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED FINALLY by the City Council
of the City of Aspen on the 1 Oth day of June, 2025.
/ f \
• `1
Richards, Vayor
I, Nicole Henning, duly appointed and acting City Clerk do certify that the
foregoing is a true and accurate copy of that resolution adopted by the City Council
of the City of Aspen, Colorado, at a meeting held, June 10, 2025.
Nicole Henning, Ci
k
I`
CITY OF ASPEN
June 11, 2025
Mr. Tim Townsend
Program Director
Thistle ROC
6000 Spine Rd #101
Boulder, CO 80301
atttownsendROC a),thistle.us,
Via e-mail
RE: Letter of Intent to Support Resident Purchase of Aspen Basalt and Mountain Valley Mobile
Home Parks
Dear Mr. Townsend:
With a keen understanding that the fabric of this community reflects the diversity of not only our
residents and visitors but also our workforce members, Aspen has routinely demonstrated an
intense commitment in tackling the affordable housing crisis. Be it though past public private
partnerships to develop 44 units across three different affordable housing sites, delivery of the
three phased affordable development of 258 units at Burlingame Ranch, or its most recent
endeavor to construct roughly 277 affordable units at the Lumberyard site, the City has
assumed a leadership role in this space and remains eager to advance diverse solutions that
can further address the housing challenges faced by our local and regional workforce
community.
As the City of Aspen has been made aware of Thistle ROC's ongoing efforts to support the
residents of the Aspen Basalt and Mountain Valley Mobile Horne Parks (Parks) in the purchase
of those Parks, pursuant to Colorado's Mobile Home Park Act, the City would like to express
interest in exploring options to assist Thistle ROC and park residents in this endeavor.
At this point in time, the City would like to express its desire and ability to assist Thistle ROC in
its efforts by making a financial contribution up to three million dollars ($3,000,000.00) towards
the purchase of the Parks by the residents, contingent upon:
(1 }commitments from other community agencies, organizations, or individuals to support your
efforts to purchase the Parks; and
(2) appropriation by the Aspen City Council of funds for this purpose; and
(3) any funds provided by the City of Aspen being subject to an agreement containing terms and
conditions approved by City Council, including but not limited to obligations to enter deed
restrictions that adequately protect the properties and the investment by the City of Aspen for
affordable housing purposes.
Please be advised that this letter does not constitute a formal offer, does not obligate any funds,
Al does not contemplate any in#ent or desire for acceptance on your part. Rather, it is to'
427 Rio Grande Place Aspen, CO 816111 Phone: 970-920-5000 I aspen.gov
serve as an initial indication of the City of Aspen's willingness to contemplate and evaluate
proposals regarding how it may apply eligible financial resources to preserving affordable
housing in the region consistent with its policies and goals.
Aspen values the role of mobile home parks in our housing affordability landscape and
appreciates the opportunity to support resident ownership of these unique and valuable
communities. My staff looks forward to discussing the details of this opportunity further,
We wish you success in your efforts.
Sincer����
fete Strecker
Interim City Manager
City of Aspen, Colorado
427 Rio Grande Place Aspen, CO 81611-1975 I Phone: 970-920-5000 I aspen.gov
1
Subsidy Needed for Thistle ROC model success
Summary
Aspen Basalt and Mountain Valley are mobile home communities providing 139 homes to
hundreds of residents, including children, seniors, those with disabilities, and veterans. The
se parks are home to the local workforce—educators, childcare providers, service
workers, tradespeople—who keep the Roaring Fork Valley running.
These homes are naturally occurring aIordable housing (NOAH) and are under imminent
threat of private market acquisition and displacement. A $20 million subsidy will enable a
resident-led purchase and transition to permanent aIordability, preserving this housing a
t a fraction of the cost of new construction.
Why This Matters
•Cost E’iciency: At ~$144,000/unit in subsidy, this preservation strategy is drama
tically more cost-eIective than new builds, which cost $600,000–$1.5 million/unit.
•Health & Stability: Research shows stable housing improves children’s mental
health, school performance, and adult health outcomes.
•Regional Equity: Many of the jurisdictions within the region have invested heavily in
the development of affordable housing for decades. But many of the people who power
the jurisdictions' economies still live outside of those boundaries (in unincorporated
portions of the the county) and outside of those opportunities. The boundaries on a map
should not determine the scope of investment in housing solutions. These mobile home
parks are directly tied to the region's labor market and economic resilience. Preserving
them is essential to the continued functioning of the broader Roaring Fork Valley.
2
Project Snapshot
Park Name Units Acquisition Cost Cost per Unit Subsidy per Unit
Aspen Basalt 75 $29.59M $411,000
Mountain Valley 64 $16.98M $253,400
Total 139 $46.57M $335,000 $144,000
The Approach
We will use the proven Resident-Owned Community (ROC) model:
•Residents form a cooperative and purchase the parks
•Each household owns a share and participates in governance
•Public/philanthropic subsidy covers a portion; residents finance the rest—building
equity and leveraging public dollars
•Thistle Community Housing provides technical assistance; it has supported 300+
communities in 21 states
This approach ensures stability, builds community control, and avoids the delay and cost
of new construction.
Next Steps
•Resident engagement and cooperative readiness are underway
•Local government and philanthropic partnerships are in progress
•Target close: Q3 2025, contingent on subsidy commitments
Call to Action
This is an urgent opportunity to preserve irreplaceable housing, stabilize rent, and secure
a foundation for health, equity, and economic resilience across the Roaring Fork Valley.
Subsidy Impact Mapping
NOTE: These are active projects that continue to evolve as we gather new information and engage with key
stakeholders, including residents, property owners, and partners. Ongoing refinement is a natural and
necessary part of the process. For instance, the recent increase in capital expenditures at Aspen appears to be
driven by resident feedback related to day-to-day infrastructure concerns, and we’ve responded with a
conservative budgeting approach.
We anticipate that some figures may change—ideally for the better—as more data becomes available. Our
conservative estimates are intended to provide a buffer, ensuring that any future adjustments trend in a
positive direction.
June 10, 2025
Mr. Tim Townsend
Program Director
Thistle ROC
6000 Spine Rd #101
Boulder, CO 80301
atttownsendROC@thistle.us
Via e-mail
RE: Letter of Intent to Support Resident Purchase of Aspen Basalt and Mountain Valley Mobile
Home Parks
Dear Mr. Townsend:
With a keen understanding that the fabric of this community reflects the diversity of not only our
residents and visitors but also our workforce members, Aspen has routinely demonstrated an
intense commitment in tackling the affordable housing crisis. Be it though past public private
partnerships to develop 44 units across three different affordable housing sites, delivery of the
three-phased affordable development of 258 units at Burlingame Ranch, or its most recent
endeavor to construct roughly 277 affordable units at the Lumberyard site, the City has
assumed a leadership role in this space and remains eager to advance diverse solutions that
can further address the housing challenges faced by our local and regional workforce
community.
As the City of Aspen has been made aware of Thistle ROC’s ongoing efforts to support the
residents of the Aspen Basalt and Mountain Valley Mobile Home Parks (Parks) in the purchase
of those Parks, pursuant to Colorado’s Mobile Home Park Act, the City would like to express
interest in exploring options to assist Thistle ROC and park residents in this endeavor.
At this point in time, the City would like to express its desire and ability to assist Thistle ROC in
its efforts by making a financial contribution up to __________ ($__________) towards the
purchase of the Parks by the residents, contingent upon:
(1) commitments from other community agencies, organizations, or individuals to support your
efforts to purchase the Parks; and
(2) appropriation by the Aspen City Council of funds for this purpose; and
(3) any funds provided by the City of Aspen being subject to an agreement containing terms and
conditions approved by City Council, including but not limited to obligations to enter deed
restrictions that adequately protect the properties and the investment by the City of Aspen for
affordable housing purposes.
Please be advised that this letter does not constitute a formal offer, does not obligate any funds,
and/or does not contemplate any intent or desire for acceptance on your part. Rather, it is to
427 Rio Grande Place Aspen, CO 81611-1975 | Phone: 970-920-5000 | aspen.gov
serve as an initial indication of the City of Aspen’s willingness to contemplate and evaluate
proposals regarding how it may apply eligible financial resources to preserving affordable
housing in the region consistent with its policies and goals.
Aspen values the role of mobile home parks in our housing affordability landscape and
appreciates the opportunity to support resident ownership of these unique and valuable
communities. My staff looks forward to discussing the details of this opportunity further.
We wish you success in your efforts.
Sincerely,
Pete Strecker
Interim City Manager
City of Aspen, Colorado