HomeMy WebLinkAboutLetter to HPC from ACRA
January 12, 2021
Dear HPC Members,
As many of you know, the Aspen Chamber Resort Association (ACRA) is an active community organization
in Aspen for over 45 years, and during that time we’ve successfully supported the business community by
making Aspen more competitive in the resort marketplace. In recent years, we have represented our
members in public affairs by advocating for the development of affordable housing and transportation
upgrades/improvements, and we have taken an active role in convening community dialogue and
initiatives that we believe serve the community at-large.
As the competition tightens, one of the key challenges our local businesses face is the ability to attract
and retain qualified employees across a broad span of industries, due to the lack of affordable housing for
both individuals and families. This challenge is certainly not new, but it is proving more challenging to
solve.
We are proud to be a part of a community where both private and public sectors are working toward
addressing this deficit with the provision of affordable housing developments in and around town. We
also applaud the development of affordable housing throughout the valley. All housing for our workforce
helps, as we have seen local rental units converted into short-term rentals for visitors.
As demand continues to increase for the quality of life that our mountain towns offer, so does the
complexity of the solutions. There are no easy answers as we weigh the tensions between stakeholders.
One constant will prevail: ACRA will support the development of employee housing in Aspen and the
opportunities it creates for our businesses and community members to thrive.
Thank you for your service to Aspen.
All the best,
Debbie Braun
President and CEO
Aspen Chamber Resort Association