HomeMy WebLinkAboutagenda.council.jointworksession.20230718AGENDA
JOINT CITY COUNCIL / BOCC
WORK SESSION
July 18, 2023
10:00 AM, Aspen Institute
Hudson Commons
Boettcher Building
I.Work Session
I.A Joint Meeting on Affordable Housing
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Jul18_Joint Meeting on Affordable Housing Packet.pdf
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1
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM:
Liz Axberg, Housing Policy Analyst, City of Aspen
Diane Foster, Assistant City Manager, City of Aspen
Ashley Perl, Community Resiliency Manager, Pitkin County
Kara Silbernagel, Deputy County Manager, Pitkin County
THROUGH:
Sara Ott, City Manager, City of Aspen
Jon Peacock, County Manager, Pitkin County
MEMO DATE: July 12, 2023
MEETING DATE: July 18, 2023
RE: BOCC & City Council Joint Meeting on Affordable Housing
MEETING INFORMATION:
Date: Tuesday, July 18, 2023
Time: 9:30am to 4:00pm
Location: Boettcher Hall, Aspen Institute
845 Meadows Rd, Aspen, CO 81611
Participation: Most attendees in person; one or two may participate via Zoom
Facilitator: Thanks to Stephanie Zaza for facilitating the joint meeting
Broadcast: This meeting will not be broadcast. The public are welcome to attend.
Zoom Link:
Join from a PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone or Android device:
Please click this URL to join.
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84862358497?pwd=OEhwamErdkx3NEVkb2FFWEVXdk9MUT09
Passcode: 81611
Or join by phone:
Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
US: +1 719 359 4580
Webinar ID: 848 6235 8497
Passcode: 81611
International numbers available: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kdbI2SZ5oa
2
REQUEST OF ELECTED OFFICIAL PARTICIPANTS:
Staff is requesting that the elected official meeting participants discuss areas where the
two elected bodies would like to collaborate in the future.
SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND:
Since the 1970s, and before every other ski town, local elected officials recognized the
importance of investing in affordable housing for the benefit of then current and future
generations.
The County and City have a long legacy of strong collaboration on affordable housing,
most notably as partners in the creation and ongoing investment in the Aspen Pitkin
County Housing Authority (APCHA). Through the development of individual affordable
housing development projects, the City of Aspen, Pitkin County and private sector
developers have created one of the highest concentrations of affordable housing in the
nation. By jointly funding and continuously investing in APCHA, over 3,100 affordable
housing units have been consistently protected over the past fifty years.
While the volume of affordable housing in Pitkin County and its proximity to downtown
Aspen is the envy of every ski town, it is not without it challenges. The pandemic-fueled
meteoric rise of home prices throughout the Roaring Fork Valley has exacerbated the
already short supply of affordable housing. Given the delta between tourism industry
wages and free market home prices, it is reasonable to expect the need for affordable
housing will always outstrip the supply. Adding to the pressure on the current deed
restricted housing stock is the increase in home prices throughout the Roaring Fork
Valley. No longer are residents able to use APCHA housing as a stepping stone to down
valley free market homes.
A second challenge involves the age of the area’s deed restricted properties. The capital
needs of many of the multifamily properties built thirty to fifty years ago are sometimes
beyond what the homeowner associations’ capital reserves can handle.
MEETING PURPOSE:
To understand if there are certain affordable housing topics and/or opportunities, outside
of APCHA’s scope of operational scope of work, that the Pitkin County Board of County
Commission and the Aspen City Council would like to jointly pursue.
MEETING AGENDA:
9:30am – 10:00am Coffee & Gathering Period
Start: 10:00am Opening Remarks and Framing
Meeting Purpose:
• Not losing what we have
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• How do we maintain community in the face of growth
pressure? How to we move forward?
• Are there places we could work together?
Agenda:
• Homeowner Association Capital Reserve Shortfalls
• Growth Committee’s Affordable Housing Recommendations
• Affordable Housing Tactics: Areas for Collaboration & Prioritization
APPENDIX:
• Pitkin County’s Growth Committee Recommendations
• City of Aspen July 10, 2023, Council Memo on HOA Capital Reserve Shortfalls
• 2022-2026 City of Aspen Affordable Housing Strategic Plan
• Pitkin County July 11, 2023, BOCC Staff Report on Affordable Housing
• Pitkin County Draft Community Housing Plan
• City of Aspen July 10, 2023, Council Memo on Housing Goal Work Plan
• Pitkin County Housing and Child Care Update Survey
• West Mountain Regional Housing Coalition July 5, 2023, Updates
• Growth Advisory Committee Recommendations:
https://pitkincounty.com/DocumentCenter/View/31143/Community-Growth-
Advisory-Committee--Final-Report-2023
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APPENDIX E: ADDITIONAL AFFORDABLE HOUSING RECOMMENDATIONS
At the April 26th CGAC committee, there was considerable interest in having a Housing Working
Group meeting to further develop possible recommendations related to Affordable Housing
Policies to be considered in the Table of Recommendations.
Objective:
Much of the Committee’s work has focused on minimizing the growth, and its impacts, that do
not reflect our community values. The growth we do want as a community, that meets our
community values, is more affordable and middle housing.
We want to grow the community that will participate in our community and create policies and a
Land Use Code that creates an environment to ensure we maintain the fabric of our community
and this “Middle Economy.” In addition to the recommendations below, the group strongly
believes Pitkin County needs to not continue “problem identification” of housing, but rather be
solution oriented and take action to address the housing needs of the community by all means
necessary.
Historically, Pitkin County’s Land Use Code has not allowed affordable housing outside the
UGB, unless it was the preservation of an pre-existing development. Many types of affordable
housing are currently needed for our community and in order to meet the values and goals,
Pitkin County should look at how the Land Use Code can be revised to enable and incentivize
different types of affordable housing outside of the UGBs.
Affordable Housing Strategies
Revising the Land Use Code
Reviewing and revising the Land Use Code is one of the easiest changes to ensure Pitkin
County is creating an environment in which affordable housing outside of UGB may be allowed
and incentivized to ensure the Land Use Code reflects the values of enabling smaller, affordable
housing, not restricting it.
● Review to ensure language is not prohibitive to only be within the UGBs (per the
recommendations set forth below).
● Review LUC for opportunities to create an environment that allows opportunities for
other creative housing, such as:
● Allow/enable onsite employee housing at large employment centers
● GMQS/SFQS exemption for affordable housing
● Floor area bonus w/ Caretaker Dwelling Unit (CDU)
● Incentivize CDU through voluntary participation (not requirement)
● Require new subdivisions to allow CDUs
● Require onsite mitigation before payment-in-lieu
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Affordable Housing with the UGBs
Work regionally with municipalities and private partners to explore the remaining opportunities
within the UGBs of Aspen,Snowmass and Basalt.Think of creative partnerships.A housing
strategic/master plan is an opportunity to explore what may still be available within the UGBs
and identify creative partnerships.
Allow Affordable Housing Beyond the UGB
While there are still a few opportunities within the UGBs of Aspen,Snowmass,and Basalt our
community will soon need to explore other options.Allow small scale multi-family developments
can easily be less than 5,750 sq ft and fit well into our rural landscape and community.
●Allow Two,three,four unit multifamily housing in rural Pitkin County,under the right
context of zoning,hazard mitigation and sufficient infrastructure.
●Allow larger affordable housing density within the Hwy 82 Corridor,IF it meets the
parameter below
○Parameters of larger density outside of UGBs
■Access to infrastructure (water and sewer)
■Low visibility/minimal visual impacts
■Close to transit and/or the main transportation corridor.
■Subject to performance/development standards
■Consider hazard mitigation (e.g.,wildfire,flooding,etc.)
●Look at expansion opportunities of existing affordable housing developments that are
outside the UGBs.These developments may have capacity and infrastructure for
additional density.Redevelopment should meet all performance standards criteria.
Preservation of Existing Stock
The County should continue to prioritize the preservation of existing stock and also look at
additional and creative ways to maintain the middle housing stock for the community.
●Community buy-down (mobile home parks)
●Individual units (rentals)
●Free-market/shared equity program
●Look at redevelopment of existing affordable housing outside the UGB to meet the
performance standard goals and redevelopment/expansion of existing affordable
housing stock
Affordable Housing Certificates System
The County should explore how the City of Aspen’s Affordable Housing Certificates System
could be expanded to unincorporated Pitkin County.The benefit of an Affordable Housing
Certificates system is that it provides another mechanism to capture the impacts of development
to ensure the development of affordable housing.Within the City,the “AH Certificates program
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has succeeded in motivating private sector development of non-mitigation AH units.The credits
created by those developments have provided flexibility to private sector development to meet
its mitigation requirements through the extinguishment of those credits”.COA Housing Strategic
Plan May 2022,pg 24
Options for expanding AH Certificates in unincorporated Pitkin County include:
●Affordable housing credits system integrated based on the tiered system
●Enable Pitkin County homeowners to participate in the program.We know there is a
desire for some homeowners to create a rental unit on site but do not have the means to
build the unit.AH Certificates provide a funding incentive for local homeowners to help
address the housing needs.
●Offers a means to be competitive with land for affordable housing beyond just public
funding
Funding and Incentives:Pitkin County needs to fund affordable housing.The biggest barriers
are finding the land and finding the funding.
●The committee encourages the County to explore all diverse mechanisms of funding
affordable housing.
●Incorporate affordable housing when negotiating conservation easements.
●Utilize innovative mechanisms for housing funds:
■Capture 100%of impacts through mitigation fees
■Encourage all taxing districts to ensure funding for affordable housing
●Engage with private developers on what it would take to incentivize them to add
affordable options.
Regional Coordination
●Partner with other jurisdictions’UGBs.
●Engage developers to determine what incentives are needed to create Public-private
partnerships (P3s).
●Lean into the regional partnerships and rethink long-held norms of how local
governments can partner together.
7
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Liz Axberg, Housing Policy Analyst
Chris Everson, Affordable Housing Development Senior Project
Manager
THROUGH: Diane Foster, Assistant City Manager
MEMO DATE: July 3rd, 2023
MEETING DATE: July 10th, 2023
RE: Homeowner Association Capital Reserve Shortfalls
REQUEST OF COUNCIL:
The work session’s purpose is to frame the issue of some HOAs underfunding their capital
reserves, the current actions staff have already been taking to address this issue and
discuss possible solutions that would prevent future HOA reserve shortfalls. The main
questions staff have for Council are:
1. Are there actions that you would like your APCHA board representatives to take to
the APCHA board for consideration?
2. Would you like staff to come back with further information on any of the items
discussed?
3. Are there any ideas that were not presented here that you would like staff to further
explore?
SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND:
The City of Aspen and APCHA recognize that the gap in capital reserves has existed for
some time and some HOAs have a problem catching up to their current capital needs.
The County, City, and APCHA have attempted to address this issue several times in the
past 10-years.
In 2011, the City, County, and APCHA recognized the issue and partially funded capital
reserve studies for 29 HOAs under the APCHA regulations. From these results, the
problem became clear: some HOAs were not properly funding their reserves. In the 2011
capital reserve studies, 26 out of 29 of the HOAs had capital reserves funded below 70%
(the industry recommendation). The table below provides a high-level summary of the
results from the 2011 capital reserve studies.
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2011 APCHA Capital Reserve Studies
# of participating HOAs 29
Average Deficit $254,422
Minimum Deficit $9,756
Maximum Deficit $2,800,715
Average Deficit per Unit $7,523
Average % Funded 29%
In 2016, the BOCC, City Council, and APCHA Board decided to act on the results from
the 2011 capital reserve studies and formed a Capital Reserve Policy Joint-Work Group
to propose policy options to address the capital reserve gap in APCHA HOA communities.
Through this work, the group recommended several proposals that included tactics to
address deficits such as: providing another capital reserve study, management
assistance, education programming, grants, and loans programs. None of the proposed
programs were approved or passed during this time.
In 2018, the issue rose to the attention of the APCHA Board again. APCHA staff proposed
a plan which included program and policy solutions to better support HOAs in addressing
capital reserve deficiencies and deferred maintenance. No large programs or policies
were passed during this time either, but it did result in APCHA passing several regulation
changes which included requirements for HOAs to have a capital reserve study and for
HOAs to be managed by a professional management company the first year.
In today’s work session, we will cover best practices that staff are already undertaking to
prevent HOA capital reserve shortfalls and potential solutions that would also prevent this
issue from occurring at future developments.
DISCUSSION:
New Developments vs Existing Developments:
Today we are focusing on tactical solutions to prevent future shortfalls for new HOAs
versus the already existing deficits and shortfalls. To address the already existing and
long-standing deficits and shortfalls requires a different approach that is not part of today’s
discussion.
The Issue and Solutions:
Staff identified several of the system realities and core issues as to why some HOAs are
not properly funding and maintaining their capital reserves. In recent years, staff have
already taken several actions to begin addressing the different facets of why the issue
exists. Each system reality and the current solution(s) the City and APCHA has in place
is below:
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Issue Current Solutions
Lack of education or
knowledge of how to properly
run an HOA
• APCHA requires new HOAs to have a
professional management company for 1
year minimum after incorporation.
• APCHA offers training for HOA
representatives.
• Starting an RFP for APCHA funded capital
reserve studies for HOAs.
• Proposed new APCHA outreach position.
• All Owners are required to take a
homebuyer education class.
No Requirements for
Maintaining Reserves
• Requirements are included in new HOA
governing documents.
• APCHA requires new HOAs to have a
preliminary capital reserve study.
Less resilient design choices
available in the past
• Actively choosing more durable materials
and architectural choices in new
developments.
Role of HOA dues in assessing
Affordability
• Avoid mixed free market and deed restricted
projects.
• Minimizing unnecessary amenities.
The City of Aspen includes the following industry best practice requirements in
homeowner associations governing documents for any homeowner associations which
the City incorporates:
• A capital reserve study by a qualified professional is required.
• The reserve study must include an inventory of common elements which the
Association is responsible for maintaining.
• The reserve study must include a financial analysis with
o Useful life of common elements which the Association is responsible for
maintaining, and
o Projected future reserve savings to meet future reserve needs.
• Every five (5) years the reserve study shall up updated.
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• Within seven (7) years from the date Declaration is recorded, reserve savings must
reach seventy percent (70%) of the recommended funds set forth in the reserve
study.
• Must maintain its reserve fund in an amount equaling at least 70 percent (70%) of
the funding recommended in its most recently updated reserve study.
• On a yearly basis, must submit to the Aspen Pitkin County Housing Authority the
most recent version of the reserve study.
• On a yearly basis, must submit to the Aspen Pitkin County Housing Authority the
balance of the reserve account and an accounting of whether the Association has
updated its reserve study and maintained its reserve account as required.
In addition to mandating accountability, staff has commission a capital reserve study. The
process of continuing to estimate operating costs is ongoing and will further inform the
2024 operating budget.
By providing the new association board with the requirements listed above and the
reserve study, the association board has a fiduciary duty to execute a capital reserve
savings plan, but also all the necessary information they need to successfully do so. Along
with this, as declarant, the City holds three of five association board seats during the
period of declarant control. This allows the City to support the HOA board in having a
successful start to their first year.
Possible Additional Tactics:
There is a plethora of tactics and solutions that could address and prevent HOA capital
reserve shortfalls down the road. Staff identified four categories that the tactics could be
categorized into. Within each category, there is a copious number of avenues and
options. The goal of this section is to give an idea of other possible tactics that could
prevent future HOA capital reserve shortfalls.
Solution Category Examples
Generate a revolving fund
• Taxing districts
• Collecting appreciation/price
adjustments
Mandating Accountability through
APCHA
• Mandatory reporting and training
• Mandatory capital reserve studies
and management plans
• Deed restriction requirements.
• New APCHA Staff member.
• Enforcement through land use
code
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Free Market Solutions • Mixed free-market development to
help fund repairs.
• Partnering with a local bank to help
HOAs access loans.
Incentives
• Allowing HOA Capital expenses to
be recouped upon resale.
Questions for Council:
1. Are there actions that you would like your APCHA board representatives to take to
the APCHA board for consideration?
2. Would you like staff to come back with further information on any of the items
discussed?
3. Are there any ideas that were not presented here that you would like staff to further
explore?
FINANCIAL IMPACTS:
No financial impacts at this time.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS:
No environmental impacts at this time.
ALTERNATIVES:
RECOMMENDATIONS:
CITY MANAGER COMMENTS:
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AFFORDABLE
HOUSING
STRATEGIC
PLAN
CITY OF ASPEN
2022-2026
13
CITY OF ASPEN
2022-2026 — Affordable Housing Strategic Plan
2
COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGIC PLAN OF ACTION
TO GENERATE & SUSTAIN AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS
POLICY
• APCHA Compliance Actions
• APCHA Policy Actions to
improve sustainability of existing
affordable housing
NEW
DEVELOPMENT
• Complete Burlingame
Phase 3 Project
• Complete Lumberyard Project
• Partnerships
• Regional Collaboration
• Land Banking
DEVELOPMENT
NEUTRAL
HOUSING
SUSTAINABILITY &
COMPLIANCE
FOUNDATION: 3,200 CURRENT UNITS IN THE APCHA HOUSING PROGRAM
• Replace Expiring Deed Restrictions with
Permanent Deed Restrictions
• Incentivize voluntary rightsizing
• Other future development
neutral items
• Community Development Policy Actions
• Affordable Housing Certificates Program
• Develop Financial Resources for Construction,
Expiring Deed Restrictions
& Land Banking
• APCHA Policy Actions to increase
numbers of available units
14
CITY OF ASPEN
2022-2026 — Affordable Housing Strategic Plan
5CITY OF ASPEN
2022-2026 — Affordable Housing Strategic Plan
4
INTRODUCTION
With approximately 3,200 deed restricted affordable homes in the Aspen/Pitkin County area, our affordable
housing programs are the envy of every ski town in the US.
The forethought of elected officials to begin investing in affordable housing in the 1970s and their tenacious
commitment to it since that time has resulted in a vibrant, lived-in community. Interspersed throughout the
community, these 3,200 homes have helped the Aspen community fight the adverse effects of a historic rise
in housing costs, yet we are struggling to now keep up with the market shift in utilization of many homes from
residential to commercial in the form of short term rentals.
The historic and current day support for affordable housing by Aspenites of all economic strata remains strong.
This high level of community support is evidenced by voter-supported funding of the affordable housing program
and the fierceness with which the community defends this valuable and essential asset.
Compared to our peer ski town communities, we are fortunate to have this legacy of success with the development
of affordable housing. Yet, in the present context, several intersecting factors have created a scenario that
leaves the community challenged in sustaining important aspects of our economic and social fabric. In August of
2021, the Aspen City Council established three Priority Goals, with Affordable Housing being one of those. The
adopted Goal Resolution language set out five steps to accomplish this goal, with the first being the December
2021 Aspen City Council Housing Retreat and the second being this output of that retreat, the Affordable
Housing Strategic Plan.
The City Council made clear their intent for this Affordable Housing Strategic Plan to be more than an aspirational
document; they wanted a plan that is actionable. Accordingly, this plan prioritizes a series of actions to happen in
the next five years that can have a significant and positive impact on the quantity of units and overall sustainability
of our community’s affordable housing program.
The Aspen City Council has and will continue to be committed to addressing the need for more affordable
housing – and, as they have stated clearly, “We can’t do it alone.” To solve this challenge, we will need every tool
available to us and we’ll need every partner to do their part.
Thanks to the team who came together to develop this plan (in alphabetical order):
Ben Anderson
Chris Everson
Diane Foster
Matthew Gillen
Ron LeBlanc
Scott Miller
Sara Ott
Pete Strecker
Phillip Supino
ASPEN CITY COUNCIL’S DIRECTION & IDEAS ARE MEMORIALIZED IN THIS PLAN:
Mayor Torre — Rachel Richards — Ward Hauenstein — Skippy Mesirow — John Doyle
City Of Aspen Affordable Housing Strategic Plan _____________________________________________________________________6
What Is The Housing Strategic Plan Goal? .......................................................................................................................6
How Will The Goals Of The Plan Be Achieved? ..............................................................................................................6
A Focus On Action ......................................................................................................................................................................7
Pillars Of The Strategic Plan ...................................................................................................................................................8
Strategic Focus Areas ................................................................................................................................................................8
For Whom Is Affordable Housing Intended? ....................................................................................................................9
Where Will New Units Be Located? .....................................................................................................................................9
Livability Standards For Affordable Housing ....................................................................................................................9
Aspen Area Community Plan: Housing Policies & Policy Categories _________________________________________10
Looking Back, Moving Forward: Where Have We Been Successful ____________________________________________11
Looking Back, Moving Forward: What Can We Do Better In The Future ____________________________________12
Council’s Support Of Outcomes ..........................................................................................................................................12
Assessing The Need For Affordable Housing In Our Community ______________________________________________13
Summary Of Already-Completed Assessments .............................................................................................................13
Addition Of Updated Data That Informs The Needs ...................................................................................................13
Community Support Of The Need For Affordable Housing .....................................................................................14
Readiness Assessment ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________15
Staffing ............................................................................................................................................................................................15
Financial Capacity on Requested Timeline ......................................................................................................................16
Swot Analysis __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________17
Action Plan Decision Matrix _____________________________________________________________________________________________________18
City Council’s Affordable Housing Goal ___________________________________________________________________________________19
Actions __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________20
Replace Expiring Deed Restrictions With Permanent Deed Restrictions..... ....................................................20
Complete Lumberyard Project ..............................................................................................................................................21
Complete Burlingame Phase 3 Project .............................................................................................................................22
Community Development Policy Actions .........................................................................................................................23
Certificates Of Affordable Housing Program Enhancements .................................................................................24
Develop Financial Resources For Construction, Expiring Deed Restrictions & Land Banking .................25
Incentivize Voluntary Rightsizing.........................................................................................................................................26
Partnerships .................................................................................................................................................................................27
APCHA Compliance Actions ................................................................................................................................................28
APCHA Policy Actions To Increase Number Of Available Units ............................................................................29
APCHA Policy Actions To Improve The Sustainability Housing Inventory ........................................................30
Additional Development Neutral Program Elements...................................................................................................31
Land Banking ...............................................................................................................................................................................32
Regional Collaboration ............................................................................................................................................................33
Actions Not Currently Prioritized __________________________________________________________________________________________34
Review Process _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________35
Appendix _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________36
Appendix A: Housing Chapter Of Aspen Area Community Plan ..........................................................................36
Appendix B: Community Afordable Housing And Livability ....................................................................................42
TABLE OF CONTENTS
15
CITY OF ASPEN
2022-2026 — Affordable Housing Strategic Plan
7CITY OF ASPEN
2022-2026 — Affordable Housing Strategic Plan
6
The City Council will continue to evaluate, identify opportunities, plan, partner, facilitate, and leverage
existing and new resources to invest in the development and maintenance of affordable housing. This will be
accomplished through:
(City Council Goal Resolution August 2021)
CITY OF ASPEN
HOUSING STRATEGIC PLAN
WHAT IS THE HOUSING STRATEGIC PLAN GOAL?
To provide an action plan to support the continued availability of affordable housing that is high quality, sustainable,
and results in a lived-in community and a healthy workforce. City Council has set a goal of of 500 affordable housing
units within the next five years. Nearly 50% of this goal number will be achieved without new development.
HOW WILL THE GOALS OF THE PLAN BE ACHIEVED?
POLICY PROGRAMS PARTNERSHIPS
Aspen Area Community
Plan & Land Use Code
encourage, support &
require the creation of
affordable housing within
the urban growth boundary.
City Council’s policy
direction regarding land
acquisition is to consider
any and all acquisitions,
including partnerships.
The Affordable Housing Certificates Program has been
in place since 2010 – with the first project completed
in 2012. This program encourages developers to build
affordable housing by providing a credit for each
affordable housing unit built. That credit can then
be sold to another developer who can use it to fulfill
employee mitigation requirements on a separate project.
The program has included new projects, conversions
of freemarket units to deed-restricted, and historically
designated properties.
The Aspen Pitkin County Housing Authority manages
the sales, rental, management and sustainability of deed
restricted affordable housing.
Development of affordable
housing through private and
public partnerships has and
will continue to provide
an alternative to the
City-as-Developer approach.
With reduced availability of
freemarket housing in the
Roaring Fork Valley, the need
for regional affordable housing
partnerships increases.
Supporting
continuous
improvement with
the APCHA program,
including ensuring
adequate resources
Convening a
City Housing
Retreat
Creating an
affordable housing
strategic plan
Completing
Council directed
affordable housing
development
projects
Continuing to
seek additional
affordable housing
development
opportunities
Leveraging
and amending
regulations
and policies
in support of
affordable
housing
Every member of the Aspen City Council – both before and during the December 2021 City Council Housing Retreat
– identified the importance of a specific Action Plan within the Affordable Housing Strategic Plan.
Every one of the fourteen items within the Action Plan have been identified by City Council as a priority action items
for staff. Items that are not a priority are identified on page 33 or are not included in this plan.
PRIORITY
• APCHA Compliance Actions
• APCHA Policy Actions to Increase Number Of Available Units
• APCHA Policy Actions to Improve The Sustainability Housing Inventory
• Additional Development Neutral Program Elements
• Land Banking
• Regional Collaboration
HIGHEST PRIORITY
• Replace Expiring Deed Restrictions with Permanent Deed Restrictions
• Complete Lumberyard Project
• Complete Burlingame Phase 3 Project
TOP PRIORITY
• Community Development Policy Actions
• Certificates of Affordable Housing Program Enhancements
• Develop Financial Resources for Construction,
Expiring Deed Restrictions & Land Banking
• Incentivize voluntary rightsizing
• Partnerships
A FOCUS ON ACTION
Marolt
16
CITY OF ASPEN
2022-2026 — Affordable Housing Strategic Plan
9CITY OF ASPEN
2022-2026 — Affordable Housing Strategic Plan
8
PILLARS OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN
Increase the
quantity of
affordable
housing
Increase
quality of new
& existing
affordable
housing
Preserve
affordability
Provide
community
housing
Ensure the
sustainability
of the
program
Support the
policies
identified in the
Aspen Area
Community Plan
1 2 3 4 5 6
STRATEGIC FOCUS AREAS
SAFE & LIVED-IN COMMUNITY OF CHOICE: Ensure Aspen is an
attractive, diverse and safe city to live, work and visit year-round. This includes
opportunities to access childcare, healthcare, housing, transit, parks, recreation and
technological connectivity.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: Ensure a trusted dialogue and relationship
in the community that encourages participation, consensus building, and meaningful
engagement.
PROTECT OUR ENVIRONMENT: Ensure that policy decisions, programs and
projects manage impacts to the environment, climate, and public health and well-
being.
SMART CUSTOMER FOCUSED GOVERNMENT: Provide value to the
community by continuously improving services and processes based on feedback,
data, best practices, and innovation.
FISCAL HEALTH & ECONOMIC VITALITY: Promote economic
sustainability of the Aspen community by advancing a healthy, diverse local economy
while responsibly managing revenue streams, community investments, and financial
reserves.
LIVABILITY STANDARDS FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING
• environmental sustainability • accessibility
• quality of construction • parking & storage
• unit size • open space & trails
• natural light • public transportation
WHERE WILL NEW UNITS BE LOCATED?
Third Priority:
Outside of City limits
(This is a change from prior policy)
>> To allow for closer proximity to
major medical centers
>> Partnerships with Pitkin County
>> Other regional partnerships
FOR WHOM IS AFFORDABLE HOUSING INTENDED?
Affordable Housing in the Aspen area is both workforce housing and community housing.
The Housing Vision statement in the Aspen Area Community Plan (AACP) makes this clear:
We believe that a strong and diverse year-round community and a viable
and healthy local workforce are fundamental cornerstones for the
sustainability of the Aspen Area community.
The AACP cites the benefits of affordable housing to the Aspen community; it “helps to ensure a vital, demographically
diverse year-round community” made up of “a healthy mix of people, including singles, families and seniors.”
While affordable housing supports the community’s workforce, according to the Mission Statement in the Aspen Pitkin
County Housing Authority’s Regulations, affordable housing is also intended for retirees and people with disabilities who
have been actively employed within Pitkin County prior to retirement and/or disability.
1
2
3
Top Priority:
Within the roundabout,
including in the Core
Second Priority:
Within the
Urban Growth Boundary
Housing developments should endeavor to balance the principles of community, livability and quality against
impacts such as unreasonable levels of cost and construction activity intrusion. Housing structures should utilize
land as efficiently as possible and should seek construction efficiencies to levels that do not sacrifice livability
beyond levels that are not consistent with these goals. Architecture should be sensitive to neighborhood context
to the extent possible while achieving these goals. A myriad of design elements all combine to make a development
livable. As discussed further in Appendix B, these elements include, but are not limited to:
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ASPEN AREA COMMUNITY PLAN (AACP):
Housing Policies & Policy Categories
The policies outlined in the Housing chapter and related housing mitigation policies in the Managing Growth for
Community & Economic Sustainability chapter are intended to meet these challenges as the community continues to
provide affordable housing. A full copy of the Housing section of the Aspen Area Community Plan, pages 36-41, can be
found in Appendix A.
At the same time, the 2012 AACP calls for further research on the physical limits to development in the form of ultimate
build-out, projected future impacts related to job generation, demographic trends, the conversion of local free market
homes and other factors. This kind of statistical analysis will help inform future decision-making and goal-setting in a more
meaningful way.
This plan emphasizes the need to spread accountability and responsibility for providing affordable housing units beyond
the City and County governmental structures, and continuing to pursue affordable housing projects on available public
land through a transparent and accountable public process.
While past plans have supported "buy-down" alternatives, there has been little comprehensive effort in this regard. A
"buy-down" program may be an expensive proposition, but this plan calls for exploring it more thoroughly. The idea is to
finally determine if the community is willing to pay the price for providing long-term affordable housing by converting
existing free market homes, and/or affordable housing, rather than building new homes.
Little Ajax
(Source: 2012 Aspen Area Community Plan)
LOOKING BACK, MOVING FORWARD:
Where have we been successful?
With a total of approximately 3,200 deed restricted units within the Aspen/Pitkin County area, 72% (2,303) of which are
located within Aspen City limits, this area is home to what is likely the largest affordable housing program in the nation on
a per capita basis. In the early 1970s, responding to a loss of free-market employee housing, Pitkin County and the City of
Aspen started separate housing programs. Early recognition of the problem and immediate action and sustained investment
has created a housing program that is not only the envy of every ski town, it has been the key to maintaining the soul of the
community.
In 1982 Aspen and Pitkin County
joined together to form the Aspen
Pitkin County Housing Authority.
The City and County jointly fund this
program that is now operating under
the Sixth Amended and Restated
Intergovernmental Agreement,
signed in May 2019.
Importantly, and unlike some other
western ski resort communities, the
Aspen community has consistently
supported affordable housing
through both the 1% Housing Real
Estate Transfer Tax and 45% of the
.45% Housing and Day Care Sales
Tax. These funds have supported
the City in the role of developer —
although private sector companies
are hired to build the units— and
have also allowed the City to join
with private sector developers to
build new affordable housing units.
The aforementioned housing policies
implemented through the Land Use
Code, such as the Affordable Housing
Credits Program and the Growth
Management Quota System, have also
resulted in new affordable housing unit
generation.
COMPLETED PUBLIC PROJECTS: 2000 - 2021
YEAR FACILITY UNITS OWN/RENT
2000 Snyder 15 Own
2001 7th and Main 12 Own
2002 Truscott II 87 Rent
2005 Annie Mitchell 39 Own
2006 Little Ajax 14 Own
2007 Burlingame Ranch I 91 Own
2015 Burlingame Ranch II 86 Own
2020 802 West Main 10 Rent
2020 517 Park Circle 11 Rent
2021 488 Castle Creek 24 Rent
TOTAL COMPLETED 389 257 Own/ 132 Rent
TOTAL FTEs 840
FTEs: Number of full time employees housed
GENERAL RESIDENTIAL DATA (WITHIN THE CITY OF ASPEN)
YEAR 2000 2010 2020
TOTAL HOUSEHOLDS 4,354 5,929 6,197
% CHANGE 2000-2010 // 36.2% 2010-2020 // 4.5%
OCCUPIED HOUSEHOLDS 2,903 3,516 3,540
% CHANGE 2000-2010 // 21.1%% 2010-2020 // 0.7%
VACANT HOUSEHOLDS 1,451 2,413 2,657
% CHANGE 2000-2010 // 66.4% 2010-2020 // 10.1%
% OF VACANT UNITS
(free market and affordable combined)33%41%43%
Source: Colorado State
Demographer’s Office compiled
decennial US Census Data from
2000-2020; and APCHA data
derived from HomeTrek.
Deed Restricted APCHA
Units in COA (Source: APCHA)Total: 2,303
Free-Market Units Total from
Census less APCHA units Total: 3,894
% of Vacant Free-Market Units
(assuming 100% of APCHA units are occupied)68%
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2022-2026 — Affordable Housing Strategic Plan
12
LOOKING BACK, MOVING FORWARD:
What can we do better in the future
At its December 2021 City Council Housing Retreat, the Council identified what has been done well
and what could be done better in the future:
YEAR FACILITY UNITS OWN/RENT
*2022 Burlingame Ranch III 79 Own
**2024-2035 Lumberyard 310 2/3 Rent, 1/3 Own
TOTAL In Process 389 177 Own, 212 Rent
TOTAL FTEs 780
* Currently under construction
** Currently in planning, subject to change
COUNCIL’S SUPPORT OF OUTCOMES
When the City is the developer in an affordable housing project, the City Council has a significant role in the
design and development of that project. During the December 2021 City of Aspen Housing Retreat, the City
Council put forward the following statements in support of successful project outcomes:
PUBLIC PROJECTS CURRENTLY IN PROGRESS
Maintain the
quality of the
community through
sustainability and
have the courage
and political will
to preserve the
community
Ensure community
understanding of
why certain actions
are being taken and
help the community
to understand the
20-year outcomes.
Better
organize and
articulate
priorities
Make improvements
to existing programs,
including better use
of existing housing
stock and utilizing
unused bedrooms
already built
Preservation
and restoration
of existing
housing
Adding
housing
without
construction
when possible
Developing
voluntary
programming
around retirees
and seniors still in
housing by creating
a better situation
for them; provide
incentives to
rightsize
Staff will be supported with the resources when they are needed
City Council will take full ownership if we don’t succeed
City Council will not change direction
Council members commit to expressing concerns to staff ahead of time
Trust and have patience with staff
Lead with a public service heart
Burlingame
ASSESSING THE NEED FOR AFFORDABLE
HOUSING IN OUR COMMUNITY
SUMMARY OF ALREADY-COMPLETED ASSESSMENTS
2012 NEEDS ASSESSMENT: In 2012, staff prepared a strategic review of affordable housing document for a joint City/
County housing work session which occurred in September of 2012. The 2012 strategic review hypothesized that from 2012
to 2022, over 650 new housing units would be needed to overcome the forces of job growth, gentrification, and retirement.
2019 NEEDS ASSESSMENT: The 2019 Greater Roaring Fork Regional Housing Study suggested that the need for affordable
housing units in the Aspen-Snowmass area was greater than previously anticipated and growing. A copy of that report can
be found at: https://tinyurl.com/ycpx92hh
2021 EPS LUMBERYARD DEMOGRAPHIC AND MARKET ASSESSMENT: To prepare for the City’s Lumberyard affordable
housing development, in 2021 the City of Aspen commissioned the Lumberyard Demographic and Market Assessment
which found that the Roaring Fork Valley is losing households in APCHA income categories 1 (up to 50% AMI) and 2 (51-
85% AMI) and that most of the job growth in Aspen and Pitkin County is in APCHA income categories 2 (51-85% AMI) and
3 (86-130% AMI).
The 2021 Lumberyard Demographic and Market Assessment goes on to suggest that rental units should be created
primarily in APCHA income category 2 (38%), followed closely by category 3 (33%) and then category 1 (22%), and with
a few rental units in category 4 (7%). The 2021 study also suggests that ownership units should be created primarily in
APCHA income category 3 (34%), followed by categories 4 (26%) and 2 (23%) while providing some units in category 5
(17%).
A similar income mix should be considered for the 79 units at Burlingame Ranch Phase III which will be available for sale in
in the Fall of 2022.
2021 EMPLOYMENT DATA
The 2021 EPS study also showed 1,668 new jobs in
Pitkin County between 2010 and 2019. These jobs were
added primarily by the tourism-related job sectors of
Accommodations, Food Service, Arts and Recreation and
Retail Trade. 39% of job growth was under 80% of Pitkin
County Area Median Income (AMI) and an additional 35%
fell between between 80% and 120% of AMI.
EPS then applied an average of 1.6 earners per household
and then converted that job growth to APCHA's
Categories, which are based on Area Median Income. The
result showed the greatest job growth in Pitkin County
between 2010 and 2019 was in Category 3 and then in
Category 2 households.
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2022-2026 — Affordable Housing Strategic Plan
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COMMUNITY SUPPORT OF THE NEED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING
One needs only to read one of the two daily newspapers or listen to the local NPR broadcast to understand the need for
additional affordable housing in our community, as well as for its preservation. These observations are well supported by
longitudinal empirical data.
The recently published results of the 2021 Pitkin County Community Survey also highlighted the community
interest in affordable housing: “Respondents were asked to identify County services and initiatives provided
by the County that they thought should receive the most emphasis, from County leaders, over the next two
years. Forty-nine percent (49.4%) of respondents selected the County’s efforts to address affordable housing,
including quality and quantity, as one of the most important services for the County to provide.”
>>> https://tinyurl.com/3tdze9z4
The 2018 City of Aspen Resident Survey cited “Ensuring the availability of adequate workforce housing at a
reasonable cost to rent/purchase” as an essential area for the City government to take action, falling just behind
protecting the quality and quantity of water in the Roaring Fork River.
>>> https://tinyurl.com/bddzm337
Similar results are seen in the 2016 Resident Survey, where “Ensuring the availability of adequate workforce
housing at a reasonable cost to rent/purchase” again fell just behind Roaring Fork River water quality and
quantity concerns, but tied with “Managing traffic in town more effectively” for third place.
>>> https://tinyurl.com/yucw4wru
The 2015 Resident Survey did not include a Roaring Fork River question. In this survey, “Ensuring the availability
of adequate workforce housing at a reasonable cost to rent/purchase.” was the top response.
>>> https://tinyurl.com/493ny3yr
Burlingame Ranch
2021 Pitkin
County
Community
Survey
2018 City
of Aspen
Resident
Survey
2016
Resident
Survey
2015
Resident
Survey
READINESS ASSESSMENT
STAFFING
Department & City’s Affordable Housing Development Fund
Currently, the City of Aspen has one full time employee in the Capital Asset Department dedicated to the planning
process for new affordable housing developments. Other full-time staff members from the Capital Asset Department
provide construction management support during City-developed projects.
Collaboration with staff from other departments is often leveraged during the planning process and may include
staff from the City Manager’s and City Attorney’s offices, Finance, Community Development, Engineering, Building,
Transportation, Parks, Utilities, Environmental Health and the Aspen Pitkin County Housing Authority.
Funds from the City’s Affordable Housing Development Fund are otherwise typically used to staff projects as needed with
third party professional and/or technical consultants on a project-by-project basis.
Community Development
Community Development has several staff members who focus on the development, implementation, and refinement of
policies that support affordable housing development. During the 2022 Moratorium, Community Development staff will
be working directly on new policies to support City Council’s affordable housing goals. As part of this work, significant
analysis will be conducted that will support improvements to affordable housing efforts beyond the period of the
Moratorium.
APCHA
Compliance: APCHA has two primary staff members who work part time on compliance, namely the Compliance, Policy
& Systems Manager and APCHA’s outside attorney. APCHA’s Executive Director and Deputy Director also participate in
compliance efforts.
Qualifications: Two Qualification Specialists at APCHA ensure that the people who rent or purchase APCHA deed
restricted property meet the requirements as defined in APCHA Regulations.
APCHA Housing Sustainability: General upkeep of rental and ownership properties.
• Rental housing sustainability for city-owned properties (Truscott, Aspen County Inn and Marolt), is managed by
APCHA’s two-member Property Management Team and four-member Maintenance Team.
• Housing sustainability for individual ownership units is a topic the APCHA Board began to address in April 2021,
supported by the Assistant City Manager, APCHA Executive Director, Deputy Director and the Compliance,
Systems and Policy Manager.
• Housing sustainability by Home Owners Associations of condominium and other multi-family developments is a
topic the APCHA Board would like to address in the future. APCHA staff will propose hiring a HOA Specialist
in the future to support this effort as well as to help HOAs of APCHA deed restricted properties with capital
reserve planning.
City Manager’s Office
The City Manager’s Office will be hiring a full time Housing Policy Analyst in the spring of 2022. Additionally, the City’s
Assistant City Manager works part-time on housing topics.
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2022-2026 — Affordable Housing Strategic Plan
16
A SWOT Analysis tool helps an organization to identify, at a high level, major internal and external Strengths,
Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats.
•Strengths and Weaknesses are focused internally: What do we do well and where could we improve?
What resources do we have and what resources do we need.
•Opportunities and Threats are externally focused: Outside of our organization, what
opportunities exist? What threats could harm our efforts? What is happening in the market
that could help or hurt us?
STRENGTHS
• Community Support
• City Council Commitment
• Financial Resources
• Knowledgeable Staff
• 3 ,200 Affordable Housing Units
• Pitkin County Partnership
• Ability to hire outside private-sector
resources
WEAKNESSES
• Maintenance Costs
• Ability to access financial resources quickly
• No one solution will solve the problem
• Staff workload limits ability to take on new
projects
• Buying-down existing free-market
residential and converting to affordable
housing is prohibitively expensive
• Highly dependent on outside expertise/
staffing
OPPORTUNITIES
• Land Acquisitions
• Partnerships with
private & public entities
• Pitkin County potential for county-wide tax
• Regional partnerships
• Re-balance the cost to create affordable
housing with the current drivers of demand
for additional affordable housing
THREATS
• Scarcity of land
• Cost of Construction
• City of Aspen is sole source of funding
• Increased housing costs in entire
Roaring Fork Valley
• Deferred maintenance and escalating cost of
capital repairs in privately-owned affordable
housing HOAs
• Inability of affordable housing residents to
move into free market units in the future
• Politically motivated attempts to undermine
program/redefine need
HELPFUL
SWOT ANALYSIS
HARMFUL
EXTERNALINTERNALFINANCIAL CAPACITY ON REQUESTED TIMELINE
Since 2000, over $240 million in dedicated revenues has been invested into the
ongoing operation and expansion of the Aspen Pitkin County Housing Authority
affordable housing inventory. This includes the development of the completed
projects listed above as well as funds invested in upkeep and operation of existing
City-owned facilities.
Funds from this revenue stream are also budgeted annually toward the operation
of the Aspen Pitkin County Housing Authority (APCHA), and those funds are also
matched by Pitkin County. (The table to the right does not include such Pitkin County
funds.)
Funds have also been invested in land banking opportunities for future housing
developments.
Year Housing Fund
Revenues
2000 $5,302,335
2001 $4,845,133
2002 $4,751,964
2003 $8,543,109
2004 $8,090,180
2005 $12,773,154
2006 $14,000,177
2007 $14,075,761
2008 $12,001,447
2009 $8,373,748
2010 $8,321,575
2011 $9,752,953
2012 $8,986,581
2013 $9,584,101
2014 $11,590,103
2015 $13,039,396
2016 $10,084,871
2017 $13,422,231
2018 $13,042,701
2019 $13,784,319
2020 $21,009,309
2021 EST $38,147,667
2000-2021 $243,808,166
Truscott
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2022-2026 — Affordable Housing Strategic Plan
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2022-2026 — Affordable Housing Strategic Plan
18
City Council has established a goal of 500 affordable housing units. This goal will be achieved:
• During the 2022-2026 timeframe;
• Within the City of Aspen’s Urban Growth Boundary;
• Can be an affordable housing unit achieved through either through development neutral means or
through new development; and
• Includes units created by private sector, other public sector organizations or City of Aspen.
CITY COUNCIL’S
AFFORDABLE HOUSING GOAL 2022-2026
GOAL OF 500 AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS
WITHIN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
Approximately 50% of this goal will be achieved without new development.
Category Action Item Units within 5 Years
Development Neutral Replace Expiring Deed Restrictions with
Permanent Deed Restrictions 200
New Development Complete Lumberyard Project 100
New Development Complete Burlingame Phase 3 Project 79
New Development Partnerships 35
Development Neutral APCHA Incentivize voluntary rightsizing or
voluntary buyout 30
Policy Certificates of Affordable Housing
Program Enhancements 40
Compliance &
Sustainability APCHA Compliance Actions 15
The average of City Council member goal numbers by tactic totaled 499.
That number was rounded up to establish the affordable housing goal:
GOAL OF 500 AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS WITHIN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
Approximately half of the goal will be achieved without new development.
ACTION PLAN
DECISION MATRIX
Ajax Apartments
Weight on a scale from 1 to 5, where 5 is high 5 3 4 4 5
Category Action Item
Development Neutral Replace Expiring Deed Restrictions with
Permanent Deed Restrictions 4 5 4 5 5 23 96 1
New Development Complete Lumberyard Project 5 4 3 4 3 19 80 2
New Development Complete Burlingame Phase 3 Project 4 3 2 4 5 18 78 3
Policy Community Development Policy Actions 3 4 5 5 2 19 77 4
Policy Certificates of Affordable Housing
Program Enhancements 3 4 5 5 2 19 77 5
Policy Develop Financial Resources for Construction,
Expiring Deed Restrictions & Land Banking 3 4 5 5 2 19 77 6
Development Neutral APCHA Incentivized voluntary
rightsizing or voluntary buyout 3 5 4 5 2 19 76 7
New Development Partnerships 2 4 4 5 3 18 73 8
Compliance & Sustainability APCHA Compliance Actions 1 4 5 5 2 17 67 9
Policy APCHA Policy Actions to increase
number of available units 1 4 5 5 1 16 62 10
Compliance & Sustainability APCHA Policy Actions to improve the
sustainability housing inventory 1 4 5 5 1 16 62 11
Development Neutral Additional Development Neutral Program Elements 3 4 1 5 2 15 61 12
New Development Land Banking 5 2 1 5 1 14 60 13
New Development Regional Collaboration 2 1 3 4 2 12 51 14Quantity of Affordable Housing UnitsProximity to Services Lower Cost: Most efficient use of land & dollarsSupports AACPHow quickly AF units will be realizedRaw ScoreWeighted Score Rank22
CITY OF ASPEN
2022-2026 — Affordable Housing Strategic Plan
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2022-2026 — Affordable Housing Strategic Plan
20
ACTION:
Complete Lumberyard Project
ACTION ITEM OWNERS
Scott Miller & Chris Everson
OVERVIEW
The City of Aspen’s Lumberyard affordable housing project site is located just south
of the Aspen airport business center on the east side of Colorado state highway 82.
The City anticipated the development of affordable housing in the area of the current
project site and purchased part of the site in 2007. Later in 2020, the City purchased
the 3-acre Aspen Mini Storage property, bringing the total project site area to about
10.5 acres.
In 2019, Aspen City Council directed the start of a community outreach and conceptual
design process which included a process of community engagement and feedback
to help inform the design process. The 2019 outreach and conceptual design effort
helped to establish that the City should provide a variety of unit types, serving a mix
of demographics, and that the site is appropriate for larger buildings and potentially
higher density than may be appropriate elsewhere. Since parking is challenging at the
airport business center, there was a sentiment that the development should be careful
not to make the parking challenge worse by under-parking any development at the
Lumberyard site. It was also decided that childcare is needed in the community and may
be appropriate at this site
The conceptual design effort studied unit counts ranging from 140 units up to 500+
units, and given the affordable housing crisis in Aspen, City Council set their aim at 310
units of affordable housing to be designed for the site. In order to accommodate the
higher-than-usual density for the site, and to mitigate the impacts of the development
to create a livable neighborhood, it was necessary to explore the use of underground
parking and 4-story building massing. In late 2020, the project team presented a
conceptual master plan with 310 units and 100% underground parking.
Prior to beginning a schematic design process, Aspen City Council had concerns
about impacts of 100% underground parking, building spacing, height, orientation and
highway and airport noise. These concerns and much more are currently being reviewed
through a process of community engagement and City Council feedback, with Aspen
City Council weighing in on the evaluation of four potential site arrangements.
The project aims to create 200+ rental units and 100+ ownership units for the purpose
of housing local community workforce, qualified based on the Aspen Pitkin County
Housing Authority regulations.
To be successful, the project effort will bring together necessary funding to begin
construction of access and infrastructure at the project site in 2024, with phases
of housing development to follow thereafter. With the continued schematic design
process ongoing, a development application is anticipated in mid-2022 and the land use
approval process will be pursued at that time.
In early April 2022, the Aspen City Council decided to make the Lumberyard a more
livable community by reducing the unit number to 266, however that rightsizing will only
reduce the bedroom count by twelve.
ESTIMATED TIMELINE
2022:
Complete Schematic Design, Submit
Development Application for Approval
Process
2023:
PD Recording, Construction Documents,
Building Permit Application Process
2024:
Target for Access & Infrastructure
Construction Start
2025:
Target for First Phase of Housing
Construction to Start
2027:
Target for Occupancy of First Phase of
Affordable Housing
2028+:
Remaining Phases of Housing
Construction and Occupancy TBD
HOW THIS ACTION
INCREASES THE NUMBER
The Lumberyard Project is anticipated to yield
approximately 310 affordable housing units
CONNECTION TO AACP
The creation of affordable housing in the Aspen
area reduces pressures on the valley-wide
transportation system by providing housing
opportunities for local workforce nearer to where
they work and reduces the amount of time spent
commuting for workforce, significantly improving
quality of life. This effort similarly reduces air
quality impacts associated by reducing total
commuter miles.
New Development
ACTION:
Replace Expiring Deed Restrictions
with Permanent Deed Restrictions
ACTION ITEM OWNERS
Scott Miller, Chris Everson, Pete Strecker, Matthew Gillen
OVERVIEW
There are hundreds of deed restrictions with a sunset clause based on some
triggering event in the future. When those deed restrictions expire, they will be
gone forever. The goal should be to preserve the deed restriction permanently
and provide for the preservation of the integrity of the housing unit associated
with that deed restriction.
After identifying all known expiring deed restrictions, several tools for
preservation of those deed restrictions should be identified and the pros and
cons of each one explored.
Those tools include:
• Purchase the deed restriction and re-write the terms.
• Negotiate a trade with the owner of that deed restriction for
something of value.
• Enforce existing land use code, requiring replacement of
some deed restrictions.
• Legislate new land use code, requiring replacement of
some or all deed restrictions.
• Council and staff then need to actively pursue a strategy for
implementing these tools on an as-needed basis as
opportunities present themselves.
ESTIMATED TIMELINE
Spring 2022:
Update the inventory expiring deed
restrictions.
Summer 2022:
Council worksession to discuss recent
attempts to preserve deed restrictions
& explore the list of possible tools.
Summer 2022:
Include the identified tools into the
Housing Strategic Plan.
Fall/Winter 2022:
Land Use Code (LUC) updates, in
coordination with other potential
amendments to the LUC. There is a
high likelihood that other actions will be
necessary beyond changes to LUC.
HOW THIS ACTION
INCREASES THE NUMBER
By preserving existing deed-restriction now, no
ground will be lost. We will not need to replace
these units with new units simply to get back to the
status quo.
CONNECTION TO AACP
The AACP states that “The provision of affordable
housing remains important” but, “we cannot build
our way out of this challenge.” Preserving existing
deed-restricted housing stock eliminates the need
for entitling and building new deed-restricted
housing on a one-to-one ratio. To the extent that
this can be accomplished, this saves the community
development dollars and the environmental
impacts of construction.
Development Neutral
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2022-2026 — Affordable Housing Strategic Plan
23CITY OF ASPEN
2022-2026 — Affordable Housing Strategic Plan
22
Community Development works continually to better coordinate the AACP and the
LUC in the creation of affordable housing development opportunities. During the 2022
Moratorium, staff will work directly on several affordable housing- related improvements
to the LUC. The overview below identifies potential policy changes to be evaluated and
proposed during the Moratorium and beyond.
Additionally, Community Development and APCHA will work collaboratively on a number
of these items.
OVERVIEW
• The Land Use Code (LUC) is the mechanism for exacting housing mitigation (units,
fees, credits) from residential, lodge, and commercial development activities. In the
GMQS standards, the creation of FTEs from development activities is the basis for
the system of private sector affordable housing (AH) development.
• There are numerous tools available to ComDev to alter the regulatory, development,
and finance landscape to deliver additional affordable housing to the community,
including:
• Alter zoning standards to permit more density, intensity, and available land for
AH development within the City Limits.
• Create an AH overlay zone over appropriate zone districts that allows for AH
development where applied and with specific standards.
• Increase employee generation and mitigation amounts to require more AH
from private development.
• Require or incentivize on-site AH development for certain project
and use types.
• Restructure the GMQS to decouple AH FTE generation, unit creation, and fee
extraction from development. Assess a fee or tax or certain uses to generate
revenue for AH development, buy-down programs, land acquisition, and AH
development subsidies.
• Alter development review processes to streamline AH development reviews
that meet specific standards.
• Revise development fees to lower costs to AH development.
• Create an impact fee for certain uses or development types which creates a
revenue stream to offer financial subsidies for private sector AH development.
• Affordable Housing by Right in Every Zone
• In addition to the LUC, the AACP is another key tool for encouraging more AH
development over time. The next AACP update could include the following to ensure
more AH is developed:
• Identify, annex (as necessary), and zone specific lands within the UGB for AH
development.
• Tie utilities extension policies outside the City Limits and existing service area
to AH development standards.
• Create policies for the UGB which preclude development of lands within the
UGB for uses other than or prioritizing AH.
• Create policies tying transit MMLOS and transportation network service
extensions to AH development standards.
• Create policies identifying lands in the UGB for AH-focused TOD
developments.
• Adopt clearly articulated land banking policies targeting specific properties in
the UGB appropriate for acquisition and AH development.
ACTION:
Summary of Community Development Policy
Recommendations
ACTION ITEM OWNERS
Phillip Supino & Ben Anderson
ESTIMATED TIMELINE
Once work on the moratorium is
complete, Community Development
staff will revisit this Action Item to
provide a more robust plan.
HOW THIS ACTION
INCREASES THE NUMBER
By ensuring the City’s regulations, policies, and
development and impact fees extract AH units
and revenue commensurate with the employment
generation and community housing impacts.
Further, by leveraging regulatory processes and
police powers to ensure the community gets the
development needed to achieve adopted City
policy.
CONNECTION TO AACP
The following AACP statements (among others)
support this action item.
I.1. Achieve sustainable growth practices to
ensure the long-term viability and stability of our
community and diverse visitor-based economy.
VII.1. Study and quantify all impacts that are
directly related to all types of development.
VII.2. Ensure that all new development and
redevelopment mitigates all reasonable, directly
related impacts.
VIII.1. Restore public confidence in the
development process.
VIII.2. Create certainty in zoning and the land
use process.
II.5. Redefine and improve our buy-down policy
of re-using existing housing inventory.
III.2. Promote broader support and involvement
in the creation of non-mitigation Affordable
housing, including public-private partnerships.
IV.2. All affordable housing must be located
within the Urban Growth Boundary.
IV.3. On-site housing mitigation is preferred.
IV.5. The design of new affordable housing
should optimize density while demonstrating
compatibility with the massing, scale, and
character of the neighborhood.
Policy
ACTION:
Complete Burlingame Phase 3
ACTION ITEM OWNERS
Scott Miller & Chris Everson
OVERVIEW
Two prior phases have been completed, with a total of 177 affordable units at Burlingame
Ranch. This thriving neighborhood is home to a diverse working population including
many families and children. The third phase of building is currently in process as
of March 2021. The current construction effort will create 79 additional affordable
condominium units in 8 buildings, along with associated landscape and infrastructure.
There are also two remaining single-family units to be constructed before the
subdivision is complete.
The current construction effort utilizes factory-built modular building construction
to shorten the construction timeline and to minimize on-site construction impacts to
the surrounding neighborhood. Foundations are constructed on the site, and modular
buildings are trucked in, lifted and carefully placed, and assembled to completion on the
site. Site retaining, roadway infrastructure, and landscape work is also part of the effort.
The Burlingame Ranch Phase 3 project effort will deliver 79 new affordable ownership
condominiums to Aspen and Pitkin County’s inventory of affordable housing, and sales
are expected to begin September 2022. The architectural character, unit sizes and
interior configurations are consistent with the previous phase
Phase 3 includes carport structures which allow each unit to have one assigned, covered
carport parking space with attached storage closet. There will also be an equal number
of uncovered surface parking spaces to reach an overall parking capacity of 2 parking
spaces per unit. Terms of use for all parking spaces is expected to be governed by the
new phase 3 condominium homeowner’s association, which will be set up in the same
manner as the two existing condominium associations which exist at Burlingame Ranch
already.
Adjacent to public parks and Open Space, the landscape for phase 3 will be integrated
with the prior phases and includes numerous open lawn areas, hundreds of trees and
shrubs, and walkway connections to create a highly accessible community. Those internal
walkway connections are also integrated into the larger trail connection plan, and the
facility will utilize an irrigation system equipped with a raw water source to avoid the use
of potable water for the purpose of watering.
The phase 3 residential program consists of approximately 84,000 square feet of livable
area within a total of 79 condominium units. The condominium units are a mix of flats
and multi-level townhomes with (25) 1-bedroom flat units, (12) 2-bedroom flat units, (5)
2-bedroom townhome units, (23) 3-bedroom flat units, and (14) 3-bedroom townhome
units.
Unit sales for these 79 new affordable homeownership units beginning September
2022 are anticipated to be facilitated by the Aspen / Pitkin County Housing Authority
(APCHA) and are expected to be done via a lottery process. The income levels to be
served by these units is expected to be APCHA income categories 2 through 5, although
the specific details of the number of units in each category and further details of the
sales process will be more closely defined throughout the remainder of 2021 and in the
coming months.
ESTIMATED TIMELINE
Burlingame Phase 3 units
scheduled for sale fall 2022.
HOW THIS ACTION
INCREASES THE NUMBER
Burlingame Phase 3 will result in 79 new ownership
units.
CONNECTION TO AACP
The first phase of Burlingame Ranch affordable
housing was built in 2006.
While land banking is not specifically called out
in the AACP as a strategy, the primary outcome
of the 2007 Housing Summit was to encourage
additional “land banking,” which ultimately resulted
in the purchase of the BMC West property, a
parcel at 488 Castle Creek Road and others.
The 2008 Affordable Housing Plan evaluated
15 potential sites for affordable housing units,
identifying a range of up to 685 possible housing
units.”
New Development
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2022-2026 — Affordable Housing Strategic Plan
24
OVERVIEW
The current cost to develop an affordable housing unit in Aspen is approximately $1
million. Having the right portfolio of funding sources and funding partners is critical
to gain affordable housing units through development neutral means as well as new
development.
Taxes
• Current tax collections dedicated to affordable housing (1.0% RETT and 45%
of 0.45% sales tax) sunset 12/31/2040 (Resolution #81, 2008).
• Sales tax collections have been relatively stable, with annual escalation of
about 4-5% per year. RETT collections are extremely volatile & after the recent
two years of record transaction and price appreciation, it is anticipated that
there will be softness in the coming year(s) that will affect collections.
Debt Obligation
Types of debt issuances possible depend on project:
• General Obligation debt – full faith and credit of the City would back this
issuance, but then would require voter approval. Will ensure best borrowing
rate possible. This could allow for an ownership type product to be produced
and sold, and would allow for some immediate payback into the fund when
units are sold.
• Tax Revenue Bonds – This would again require voter approval and would be
limited in the size of the issuance to the pledged resources (tax collections
generated by the sales or RETT taxes) to meet annual repayment terms. Best
leveraged in conjunction with extension of existing taxes noted above, to
maximize the duration for the payback term.
• Certificates of Participation (COPs) can be issued if willing to pledge a city-
owned asset of equal value (either can be the project itself or another asset(s))
– if it were the project, it would then mean the project would be rental units.
This would likely yield a borrowing rate that is one notch below the best rate
the City could achieve under a General Obligation type issuance.
• Does not create new resources but rather just changes the availability of
resources to achieve goals sooner (pledges future resources today and
therefore not available in the future)
• Debt is best for creating or acquiring new assets. It is not as good an option for
preservation of deed restrictions (but is possible).
Establishment of New Sources
• Exploration of new fees to supplement existing tax revenues and other
affordable housing mitigation collections (also under review).
• Collaborate with other jurisdictions to further a regional tax to support greater
housing preservation and development.
ACTION:
Develop Financial Resources for New Construction,
Expiring Deed Restrictions & Land Banking
ACTION ITEM OWNER
Pete Strecker
ESTIMATED TIMELINE
HOW THIS ACTION
INCREASES THE NUMBER
Specifics around any projects are needed to
best match debt issuance options for the desired
outcomes and to maximize the City’s credit rating
wherever possible. Until this is developed, any
debt issuance discussion is premature.
New fee creation will be explored during
the current land use moratorium period and
options will be brought forward to Council for
consideration.
CONNECTION TO AACP
Financing is a required component of any new
affordable housing acquisition or development.
Tax extensions and voter approval for debt
issuance authority are subject to regular
election cycles and would need to be
coordinated with that in mind, plus any
voter outreach effort prior to those voting
periods.
Fees can be adopted at any time, via the
City ordinance process. This will require
two readings and public review period.
Policy
OVERVIEW
The AH Certificates program is more than a decade old. The program has included
new projects, conversions of freemarket units to deed-restricted, and the use of
historically designated properties – all completed by developers in the private
sector. Other than the land use reviews, the City of Aspen did not have to expend
any resources in the development of these units. The FTEs generated by a project
are typically determined by the number of bedrooms in each unit in the project.
Categories of the units are assigned in the deed-restrictions. For the completed
projects, all have been created in Categories 2, 3, and 4. There have been 109
FTEs generated by completed projects to date, with another 43 – either with Land
Use approval or in Land Use Review.
A number of program enhancements have been identified as necessary to improve
program effectiveness, respond to market dynamics, ease program administration,
and ensure the maximization of the benefits to the community and developers
provided by the program. Those program enhancements include:
• permitting program participants to leverage outside tax benefits and
financing to develop AH units for credits;
• aligning the value of a credit with the real-world occupancy of an AH unit;
• ensuring alignment between the value of a credit and the cost to build an
AH unit;
• offering City financial incentives to credits developers to lower barriers to
credits projects;
• improved tracking of credit market dynamics including sale price and
supply and demand.
• Evaluate the potential for the City to purchase credits.
More detailed program analysis is needed to determine the full list of possible
program enhancements which could include queue priority for building permit
reviews as the potential for developer assistance or partnering. As it is included
in the Land Use Code, the normal LUC
amendment process is required to alter the
program.
Since its inception, the AH Certificates
program has succeeded in motivating private
sector development of non-mitigation
AH units. The credits created by those
developments has provided flexibility
to private sector development to meet
its mitigation requirements through the
extinguishment of those credits. This
symbiotic relationship has provided benefits
to both sides of the credits equation.
However, analysis is needed to determine if
the credits program has resulted in more AH
units that would have been required of the
same private sector development activities
over the same period of time.
ACTION:
Certificates of Affordable Housing Program Enhancements
ACTION ITEM OWNERS
Phillip Supino & Ben Anderson
ESTIMATED TIMELINE
2022-2023:
program analysis, stakeholder outreach,
ordinance development, Council action
HOW THIS ACTION
INCREASES THE NUMBER
Maximizing the effectiveness of the program will
incentivize private sector AH developers to build
new units, or convert free-market into deed-
restricted affordable units.
CONNECTION TO AACP
The following AACP statements (among others)
support this action item.
I.1. Achieve sustainable growth practices to
ensure the long-term viability and stability of our
community and diverse visitor-based economy.
I.5. Through good land use planning and sound
decision-making, ensure that the ultimate
population density of the Aspen Area does not
degrade the quality of life for residents and the
enjoyment of visitors.
V.2. Facilitate the sustainability of essential
businesses that provide basic community needs.
VII.2. Ensure that all new development and
redevelopment mitigates all reasonable, directly
related impacts.
II.1. The housing inventory should bolster our
socioeconomic diversity.
II.2. Affordable housing should be prepared for
the growing number of retiring Aspenites.
III.2. Promote broader support and involvement
in the creation of non-mitigation Affordable
housing, including public-private partnerships
TABLE 7. AH CERTIFICATES
PROJECTS SINCE 2012
Completed Projects FTEs Generated
301 W. Hyman 14
313/317 AABC 24
210 W. Main 18
518 W. Main 29.66
834 W. Hallam 18.75
815 Vine 3
829 W. Bleeker 1.25
TOTAL 109 FTEs
Projects with approval
or in review
FTEs Proposed
611 W. Main 15.9
1020 E. Cooper 14.1
1235 E. Cooper 12.7
TOTAL 42.7 FTEs
Policy
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ACTION:
Partnerships
ACTION ITEM OWNERS
Chris Everson & Scott Miller
ESTIMATED TIMELINE
HOW THIS ACTION
INCREASES THE NUMBER
Under the right conditions, partnerships
can increase the pace of affordable housing
development or redevelopment.
CONNECTION TO AACP
2012 AACP appendix
III.2 Promote broader support and involvement
in the creation of non-mitigation Affordable
housing, including public-private partnerships.
(Collaborative Initiative, Incentive Program)
II.2.a Establish a working group of people who
represent the City, County, public agencies,
and the private sector to implement the policy.
Explore models of producing affordable housing
units, including quasi-public housing development
corporations. (I - APCHA, Housing Frontiers,
City and County Managers, private sector, taxing
districts)
II.2.b Explore the creation of a program where
the City or County would provide a tax benefit,
payment or life-estate planning or other financial
incentive to a free-market homeowner to include
their property in the City/County’s land banking
for future affordable housing. (I - City Manager,
County Manager)
II.2.c Explore creating a program for deed
restrictions for a defined duration. (I - APCHA)
II.2.d Explore the benefits of expediting specific
affordable housing projects through the
development and construction phase.
OVERVIEW
Partnerships for Affordable Housing typically fall into three categories, (1) between
one or more governmental jurisdictions, (2) between a government and a non-profit,
and (3) between a government and private sector organizations.
The most common type of partnerships between one or more governmental
jurisdictions involves a city partnering with other cities to create an entity similar
to a housing authority. Some housing authorities have taxing authority, others do
not (APCHA). Local governments frequently form partnerships with non-profit
organizations to operate a housing program or manage a public housing project.
Sometimes the non-profit organization is eligible for grants that a governmental
jurisdiction is not. Non-profits also appeal to philanthropic organizations and
individuals who can claim tax deductions for making contributions.
Public–private partnerships (P3s or PPPs) often involve agreements among one or
more government entities and one or more private sector companies to design,
build, finance, operate, and/or maintain projects, facilities or operations which may be
funded and operated through a partnership of government and one or more private
sector companies. PPPs can be effective, but also bring challenges such as land cost,
funding, connections to the free market, expiring deed restrictions, and misalignment
of values.
Agreements to design, build, operate and maintain can be complex and can be effort-
intense to put in place and may incur significant legal fees due to the need to hire
attorneys to write complex, binding legal agreements which include arrangements
and terms that require certain obligations and guarantee and secure the cash flows
and involve outside funding mechanisms as well as management terms.
But PPPs can bring some benefits to the development process. Project risks can
be transferred to private partners, and greater price and schedule certainty can be
achieved. There can be opportunity for innovative design and construction techniques,
and public funds can be freed up for other projects or purposes. These potential
benefits come with limitations such as increased financing costs, limited flexibility and
often few bidders to partner with on such projects.
The amount of effort and/or risk taken on by a government or quasi-government entity
may be modified by including more or less of a role in the service or facility being
created. A PPP may be created so that the government or private sector partners
take on more or less of the work to create the service or facility sought.
Risks and/or activities transferred in PPP Agreements may include design,
construction, financing, operations, maintenance and may even include reversionary
rights. Financing risks may include financing costs, inflation, design/construction risks,
unforeseen project site conditions, permitting, and more. Operation and maintenance
risks may include facility maintenance and operations, future unforeseen conditions,
underutilization of assets, rent risks, and more.
In considering where to place itself on the spectrum, public agencies need to consider
questions about benefits of private sector innovation, benefits to accessing private
financing, private-sector performance incentives, and other private-sector tools which
public agencies may have difficulty managing.
New Development
No specific timeline can be
established for partnerships
at this point.
ACTION:
Incentivize voluntary rightsizing to recapture & utilize
unused bedrooms in the existing inventory
ACTION ITEM OWNERS
Chris Everson & Matthew Gillen
OVERVIEW
There are potentially 400+ underutilized bedrooms within the existing inventory.
Subsidies for the creation of each new bedroom can be some $150,000+ per
bedroom for new development. If incentives can be provided for owners/tenants
with unused bedrooms to move to a smaller unit and free up the unused bedrooms
so that they may be utilized to house people, and if this can be done at a lower cost
than developing new bedrooms, then this can save resources such as development
dollars, staff time and the environmental impact of construction.
Actions/tools needed may include:
• Incentive calculation which multiplies the fee in lieu at the category of the
bedroom being traded in by the number of FTE slots being freed up and
adjusting for depreciation. The amount of the incentive should be less than
the subsidy of developing a new bedroom.
• The household which is rightsizing may apply their incentive, which is
provided from the 150 Fund, to the purchase or rental of an existing or new
unit, when available, and will receive lottery priority to do so.
• Research and inventory specific units with vacant bedrooms and
communicate incentive to owners/tenants
Draft policy for implementation may include:
• Allow priority in lottery for re-location of target households, target
households should be able to use their priority to move to an existing or
new smaller unit as those come available.
• Implement policy with approval from APCHA board and City Council (for
use of 150 funds)
• Prepare incentive offers and agreements, target specific households for
solicitation of incentive
• Possibly of offering the rightsizing household the ability to qualify using
their original category or current category, whichever is lower
• Evaluate the potential use of the Affordable Housing Certificates program
ESTIMATED TIMELINE
Spring/Summer 2022:
Research and inventory specific units
with unutilized bedrooms
Spring/Summer 2022:
Draft policy for implementation - Include
incentive calculation methodology
and priority in lottery for re-sales and
available rentals for re-location of
target households, target households
should be able to utilize their rightsizing
incentive for a move to an available
existing (smaller) unit or a newly
developed (smaller) unit as those come
available
Summer/Fall 2022:
Discussions with APCHA Board &
Aspen City Council
Winter 2022/2023:
Implement policy with approval from
APCHA board and City Council (for use
of 150 funds)
Winter/Spring 2023:
Prepare incentive offers and target
those specific households for solicitation
of incentive
HOW THIS ACTION
INCREASES THE NUMBER
By incentivizing rightsizing to recapture and utilize
unused bedrooms in the existing inventory, we can
maximize the utilization of the existing housing
stock.
CONNECTION TO AACP
The AACP states, “Deed-restricted housing
units should be utilized to the maximum degree
possible.” For every unused bedroom that
can be recaptured and utilized, this saves the
community development dollars, staff time and the
environmental impact of construction.
Development Neutral
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OVERVIEW
APCHA has a responsibility to maximize value to the community and efficiency
and impact of APCHA housing. A simple measure of that impact is ensuring that
APCHA houses the maximum number of individuals possible in the available
housing units. Such a simple measure however, does not take into account
the wishes, goals and needs of APCHA residents, for whose benefit APCHA
properties were constructed. People’s needs and desires change over the years,
thus APCHA must seek voluntary, flexible, incentivized programs to maximize
occupancy in APCHA units.
• Maximum age of Dependent: In November 2021 APCHA lowered the
maximum age of a dependent from 24 to 19 in the employee housing
regulations, to free up space previously used by adult dependents.
• Monitoring “Excess” Units: Through the new HomeTrek system APCHA
can now better monitor and assess unit usage.
• “Buy-Down/Right Sizing”: The APCHA board will examine possible
programs to incentivize people, voluntarily, to move to small units, after, for
example retirement.
• In Complex Bidding: Currently bidders in the same housing complex have
a priority over outside bidders. This policy is an effort to sustain community
ties.
ACTION:
Potential APCHA Policy Actions to
increase number of available units
ACTION ITEM OWNER
Matthew Gillen
ESTIMATED TIMELINE
HOW THIS ACTION
INCREASES THE NUMBER
By providing residents who have outgrown their
properties an incentive – and importantly no
disincentives -- those residents may voluntarily
want to move to another unit.
CONNECTION TO AACP
The plan clearly says: “All deed-restricted housing
units should be utilized to the maximum degree
possible.”
These are ongoing policy actions,
some of which have recently been
implemented – such as the Dependent
Age – and others are still under
development or under consideration
by the APCHA Board.
Policy
OVERVIEW
APCHA has a compliance program to ensure affordable housing units are housing
people who qualify with APCHA’s rules and regulations, as created by APCHA’s
Board of Director. Concurrently, APCHA fully supports keeping qualified people
in their units.
APCHA’s compliance process starts with qualifications. APCHA is continually
seeking to improve performance to ensure that qualified buyers and renters
receive all due consideration during the qualification process, and that unqualified
applicants do not proceed in the process and are clearly and transparently
informed. Similarly, APCHA residents must comply with APCHA regulations,
including but not limited to, residency and work qualifications. It is APCHA’s
responsibility to the Aspen community to resolve noncompliance fairly and swiftly.
• Automated identification of violations: APCHA cross references the list
of all APCHA property with the City’s short term rental database.
• Investigations: While the qualification process is rigorous and requires
income and asset documentation similar to what is required when applying
for a home mortgage, there are rare instances where a renter or owner
has violated the terms of their deed restriction, such as posting their unit
on a Short Term Rental website or putting their APCHA unit into a Trust.
APCHA staff work with an outside attorney to conduct investigations of
possible deed restriction violations.
• Voluntary reporting of violations: “Report a Concern” is a button on
APCHA’s website homepage. This allows members of the community to
notify APCHA of violations. Importantly, it can be difficult for APCHA to
investigate some compliance cases if the reporting individual is anonymous.
• Hearing Officer: APCHA has hired and outside hearing officer to resolve
compliance cases where needed.
• Outreach and Communication: The best way to maintain compliance
is education. APCHA is revamping its communication and outreach
strategies with an emphasis on interactive, accessible forums and
education.
ACTION:
APCHA Compliance Actions
ACTION ITEM OWNER
Matthew Gillen
ESTIMATED TIMELINE
HOW THIS ACTION
INCREASES THE NUMBER
Compliance actions are important because
they ensure that affordable housing units
are being occupied by individuals who meet
the qualifications as outlined in the APCHA
Regulations. Because Compliance is a handled on
a case by case basis and it time intensive, it does
not result in a significant increase in available units.
CONNECTION TO AACP
The plan says, “all deed-restricted housing
units should be utilized to the maximum degree
possible”, which includes ensuring that units are
used by qualified residents.
This is an ongoing effort.
Compliance &
Sustainability
27
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2022-2026 — Affordable Housing Strategic Plan
30
OVERVIEW
This program has not yet been fully fleshed out. Staff from multiple departments,
including and importantly, Community Development, will need to work on this post
moratorium.
The development neutral program will pursue two different paths. First, policies
and investments will be explored that would lead to the conversion of existing
free-market units into deed-restricted affordable units. Second, the potential of
new streams of revenue form currently unmitigated economic activities and the
high value of real estate will be evaluated.
The revenue would mitigate impacts to the community from real estate
speculation, development, and resulting demands for services. The development
neutral program supports of number of complimentary policies, including
promoting appropriate residential density, re-using and sustaining existing
buildings, mixing free-market and AH units within neighborhoods, and requiring
development to mitigate for its impacts.
Specifically on the topic of “buy-downs”/ purchase of free market property for
the purpose of converting to affordable housing: While past plans have supported
“buy-down” alternatives, there has been little comprehensive effort in this regard.
A “buy-down” program may be an expensive proposition, but this plan calls for
exploring it more thoroughly. The idea is to finally determine if the community is
willing to pay the price for providing long-term affordable housing by converting
existing free market homes, and or affordable housing, rather than building new
homes. This type of program has two significant cost-related challenges:
1. Purchase of free market residential property is typically 1.5X the cost of
developing new residential property, and
2. Converting purchased free market residential property to practical, usable
affordable housing will add additional cost to this effort and could cause
the purchase/conversion process to cost 3X to 4X that of developing new
affordable housing.
It is unlikely that this could be accomplished at any meaningful scale without a 3-
to 5-fold increase to the current affordable housing tax revenues.
ACTION:
Additional Development Neutral Program Elements
ACTION ITEM OWNERS
Phillip Supino &
Pete Strecker
HOW THIS ACTION
INCREASES THE NUMBER
By exacting taxes to generate new revenue, the
City will increase funds available to purchase free
market units to bring into the AH system.
CONNECTION TO AACP
The following AACP statements (among others) support
this action item.
I.1. Achieve sustainable growth practices to ensure the
long-term viability and stability of our community and
diverse visitor-based economy.
I.5. Through good land use planning and sound
decision-making, ensure that the ultimate population
density of the Aspen Area does not degrade the
quality of life for residents and the enjoyment of
visitors.
II.1. The housing inventory should bolster our
socioeconomic diversity.
II.5. Redefine and improve our buy-down policy of re-
using existing housing inventory.
III.2. Promote broader support and involvement in
the creation of non-mitigation Affordable housing,
including public-private partnerships.
IV.2. All affordable housing must be located within the
Urban Growth Boundary.
IV.3. On-site housing mitigation is preferred.
IV.5. The design of new affordable housing should
optimize density while demonstrating compatibility
with the massing, scale, and character of the
neighborhood.
The current buy-down policy permits development with
an AH mitigation requirement to fulfill that requirement
through the purchase and deed-restriction of a free-
market housing unit, adding it to the APCHA system. In
the years since the creation of this policy, free market
housing has increased exponentially in value. Therefore,
individual buy-down units are a far less financially viable
option for development with a mitigation requirement
versus the purchase of AH credits or paying cash-in-lieu.
Simultaneously, the community has seen a significant
decrease in commercial development and, therefore,
the creation of new FTEs requiring housing units as
mitigation. This and other trends have reduced the
prevalence of the development of on-site AH units.
These dynamics have combined to decrease the number
of AH units brought into the system by the private sector,
relying instead on AH credits and City-built projects
to deliver the bulk of new AH units in recent years. It
has also increased the rate of population decline in
residential neighborhoods, undermining city policies
related to a healthy lived-in community, a diversity of
housing types and occupants in neighborhoods, and the
maximum utilization of residential housing units in town.
ESTIMATED TIMELINE
2022: City Council discussion, economic
analysis, case studies and legal analysis,
legislative development
2023: legislative process, TABOR vote
Ongoing: program development and
management
Development Neutral
OVERVIEW
With affordable housing in the Aspen area in such short supply, APCHA has a
responsibility to obtain maximum impact and value from existing APCHA housing
stock, while also protecting residents’ rights and benefit under APCHA regulations.
Part of this effort is maintaining the sustainability and lifespan of APCHA housing
stock. Each APCHA housing unit that has lifespan extended reduces the need for
a new unit.
Owners of APCHA deed-restricted housing units are responsible for upkeep
and maintenance of their homes, but, unlike the free-market housing cannot
recoup the full value (generally restricted to 10 percent), of home improvements
upon sale. Coupled with the fact that, due to the scarcity of housing in the Valley,
sellers find buyers willing to buy less than adequately maintained homes, there are
disincentives for APCHA deed-restricted homeowners to invest and maintain their
homes. Further, some APCHA units, such as mobile homes have a limited lifespan,
and must be periodically replaced.
Some of these actions may require public money for implementation.
Actions:
• Home Inspection Program prior to Resale: APCHA has difficult role while
facilitating the sale of APCHA deed-restricted units, representing both the
seller (and preserving equity gained during the home’s ownership period),
and the buyer (ensuring the home is in acceptable or good condition to buy).
In January 2022, APCHA fully implemented a home inspection program to
improve transparency as buyers and sellers negotiate.
• Mobile Home Pilot Program: APCHA is exploring a pilot program to assist
owners of mobile homes in replacing their homes.
• Sellers Standards/Capital Repairs: APCHA will continue to monitor
and seek ways to maintain the standard of units sold by APCHA owners,
balanced with the equity of the seller.
• Additional Ten Percent Capital Improvement Cap: The APCHA Board
recently voted to allow homeowners to update their deed restriction to
receive an additional ten percent capital improvement allowance to support
the maintenance of homes. This updated deed restriction also allows for
capital improvements above the ten percent cap for approved energy and
water efficiency and life/safety improvements.
• Encourage HOAs to Prepare Capital Reserve Studies: Homeowner
associations should be aware of their potential needs for capital improvement.
APCHA will be looking at the issue of HOA Capital Reserves in the future.
• Hire Contract Grant Writer: APCHA has funding and will hire a grant
writer for funding sources to support individuals who want to make repairs
to their APCHA Deed Restricted Property
ACTION:
APCHA Policy Actions to improve the sustainability of
the APCHA deed restricted housing
ACTION ITEM OWNERS
Matthew Gillen & Diane Foster
ESTIMATED TIMELINE
HOW THIS ACTION
INCREASES THE NUMBER
Maintaining existing housing units is minimizes the
need to replace or perform extensive repairs on
units.
CONNECTION TO AACP
The Aspen Area Community plan calls for
deed-restricted housing units to “be used
and maintained for as long as possible, while
considering functionality and obsolescence.”
These are ongoing policy actions,
some of which have recently been
implemented – such as the Home
Inspection Program – and others are
still under development or under
consideration by the APCHA Board.
Compliance &
Sustainability
28
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2022-2026 — Affordable Housing Strategic Plan
32
OVERVIEW
At the direction of the City Manager, City and APCHA staff have been active
participants in the Roaring Fork Valley Roadmap process, facilitated by Pitkin
County. The group has embraced the concept of collaboratively address the topic
of workforce sustainability. In October approximated fifty stakeholders participated
in a series of focus groups that included representatives from Roaring Fork Valley
nonprofits, local governments and agencies and the private sector. This group
recommended a specific focus on a regional affordable housing project, there was
also strong support for addressing issues related to diversity, equity and inclusion
as well as mental wellness.
While this project is still in its early stages, there has been active and consistent
participation from all of the Roaring Fork Valley local government staff, along with
DOLA staff. The collective and overwhelming consensus of stakeholders that more
affordable housing is needed in the Valley aligns well with City Council’s critical goal
of increasing the number of affordable housing units.
Concurrently, the Roaring Fork Roadmap team has been in discussions with a
Housing Coalition group that initiated discussions about forming some type of more
formal regional housing group. While that group had a temporary hiatus during the
early part of the pandemic, the group has been meeting again to develop a plan for
better regional collaboration around affordable housing.
These two groups have discussed how working together and in collaboration with
DOLA could yield results. Staff will keep Council updated as this project moves
forward.
In February and March 2022 the Aspen City Council, along with a number of other
local governments in the Roaring Fork Valley, adopted an MOU in support of the
creation of a Regional Housing Non-Profit. It is likely local governments from the
Colorado River Basin will also join this effort
Unrelated to the item above, during the December 2021 City Council Housing
Retreat, the City Council expressed support for Pitkin County considering a county-
wide tax to support affordable housing. The City Council has not taken, nor have
they been asked for a formal position on this topic.
ACTION:
Regional Collaboration
ACTION ITEM OWNER
Diane Foster
ESTIMATED TIMELINE
HOW THIS ACTION
INCREASES THE NUMBER
Affordable housing is an issue facing all
communities in the Roaring Fork Valley and
beyond. Where state and federal funding for
affordable housing will likely be available, a
regional effort is more likely to be successful than
individual localities seeking funding.
CONNECTION TO AACP
While the AACP encourages partnerships, the
AACP is generally silent on regional collaboration
Staff will provide City Council an
update on progress later in 2022
New Development
OVERVIEW
By definition, land banking is the process of acquiring and holding land for future
development, re-development, or land trade.
Success requires cohesive partnerships among a variety of stakeholders, funding
partners, and all levels of government, as well as confidentially. As land is a finite
resource, acquiring sites for future use as affordable housing preserves future
opportunities for the City to act typically in partnership with a private contractor.
The investment in the land can serve as a way to secure more financing options
and at more favorable terms. Land banking positions the City to take advantage of
favorable market conditions.
One of the challenges inherent in land banking is that it takes money away from
today’s projects. Nonetheless, land banking can offer a significant benefit to future
development, in the land costs are nearly always lower now than in the future.
Due to the nature of property acquisition in the public sector, specific properties
cannot be mentioned. Infill development alone cannot address mounting
affordable housing demands. City Council’s policy direction regarding land
acquisition is to consider any and all acquisitions, including partnerships.
Actions:
1. Continue to seek appropriate land for land-banking.
2. Consider an incentive program for sellers ??? Dedicate housing to family
name, other family incentives of value? Consider a tongue in cheek “cash
for homes” marketing effort, which would probably make national news.
3. Consider creating or enabling fast-track for Council approval of potential
contract to buy when needed. For example, 1.22 acres at 688 Spruce
Street was purchased by a private buyer before staff could bring it to
Council’s attention. Land purchase price was in range of other City
projects, ended up a missed opportunity for potentially around 20 new
units.
4. Consider purchase of parcels discussed with Council in executive session.
Consider a means of public discussion for potential conversion of other
City assets.
5. AACP Appendix
III.2.b Explore the creation of a program where the City or County would
provide a tax benefit, payment or life-estate planning or other financial
incentive to a free-market homeowner to include their property in
the City/County’s land banking for future affordable housing. (I - City
Manager, County Manager)
ACTION:
Land Banking
ACTION ITEM OWNERS
Scott Miller & Chris Everson
ESTIMATED TIMELINE
HOW THIS ACTION
INCREASES THE NUMBER
The availability of additional land creates more
housing opportunities, quantifying the number
is very difficult. The increase of AH units is
dependent on several factors: zoning, mass and
scale, NIMBYism, the useful amenities available
to the community, good design, incorporation of
smart growth principles.
CONNECTION TO AACP
The AACP provides guidance with respect to:
• Continuation of the Aspen Idea
• Environmental Stewardship
• Sustainable development
• Emphasis on quality and livability
• Addresses Housing and Daycare needs
While land banking must be an ongoing
action item, the benefits of land banking
actions are not realized until the future.
New Development
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An outcome of the July 2021 City Council Retreat, City Council adopted three Critical Goals in August 2021.
The Housing Critical Goal reads as follows:
Increase number of Affordable Housing Units: In order to deliver an affordable housing
system that is high quality, sustainable, and results in a lived-in community, Council will continue
to evaluate, identify opportunities, plan, partner, facilitate, and leverage existing and new
resources to invest in the development and maintenance of affordable housing.
This will be accomplished through:
• Convening a City Housing Retreat;
• Creating an affordable housing strategic plan;
• Completing Council directed affordable housing development projects;
• Continuing to seek additional affordable housing development opportunities;
• Leveraging and amending regulations and policies in support of affordable housing; and
• Supporting continuous improvement with the APCHA program, including ensuring adequate resources.
Since August 2021 Council has been presented with updates to the Housing Critical Goal and specific actions to further
that goal on a regular basis at Regular Meetings where Council has approved policy, work sessions to provide staff
direction on various affordable housing projects and program and through Information Only Memos.
The three departments primarily responsible for delivering on the Housing Critical Goal – the Capital Asset Department,
Community Development and Housing/APCHA – have all already scheduled appearances before City Council and
Information Only Memos for the entire 2022 calendar year. Rather than a wholesale review of this Housing Strategic Plan,
this Plan is a living document whose contents will be updated throughout the year.
That being said, staff does plan to do an annual review of overall progress and make whatever modifications are necessary
to the plan at that time.
REVIEW PROCESS
In any strategic plan that contains action items, it is also important to identify what action will not be pursued. Below
is a list of action we will not undertake at this point due to one or more of the following reasons
• Council asked staff NOT to pursue this strategy; and/or
• Lower chance of success than other strategies
These items could be pursued at a later date should Council’s policy direction change or is market conditions
change.
• Encourage new free market development in order to receive required affordable housing mitigation results
• Vail InDeed Model – Not pursing this model because
• It creates additional RO units; not the Category of units we need the most
• No rental caps
• No appreciation cap
• Buy-Downs: Buying down existing free-market single family residential and converting to affordable housing
is prohibitively expensive, given available resources and compared to the actions which have herein been
prioritized. Even though Buy-Downs are not a prioritized strategy, this does not preclude entertaining offers
such as a below market-rate offer to the City to buy or create a reverse mortgage for a home.
ACTIONS NOT CURRENTLY PRIORITIZED
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2012 Aspen Area Community Plan
HousingHousing
Vision
We believe that a strong and diverse year-round community and a
viable and healthy local workforce are fundamental cornerstones for
the sustainability of the Aspen Area community.
Philosophy
We are committed to providing affordable housing because it supports:
• A stable community that is invested in the present and future of
the Aspen Area.
• A reliable workforce, also resulting in greater economic
sustainability.
• Opportunities for people to live in close proximity to where they
work.
• A reduction in adverse transportation impacts.
• Improved environmental sustainability.
• A reduction in downvalley growth pressures.
• Increased citizen participation in civic affairs, non-profit activities
and recreation programs.
• A better visitor experience, including an appreciation of our
genuine, lights-on community.
• A healthy mix of people, including singles, families and seniors.
Many of the philosophical statements in the 2000 AACP still ring true
today:
“We believe it is important for Aspen to maintain a sense of
opportunity and hope (not a guarantee) for our workforce to
become vested members of the community. ... (We seek) to
preserve and enhance those qualities that has made Aspen a
special place by investing in our most valuable asset – people.”
“Our housing policy should bolster our economic and social
diversity, reinforce variety, and enhance our sense of community
by integrating affordable housing into the fabric of our town. A
healthy social balance includes all income ranges and types of
people. Each project should endeavor to further that mix and to
avoid segregation of economic and social classes ...”
Living in affordable housing is not a right or a guarantee, but a
privilege, carrying with it responsibilities to future generations, such as
long-term maintenance and regulatory compliance.
The creation of affordable housing is the responsibility of our entire
community, not just government. We should continue to explore
methods that spread accountability and responsibility to the private
sector, local taxing districts and others.
We continue to support the following statements from the 1993
and 2000 AACP: “Housing should be compatible with the scale and
character of the community and should emphasize quality construction
and design even if that emphasis increases [initial] costs and lessens
production, [within reason].” At the same time, new construction
should emphasize the use of durable and renewable materials in order
to improve our environmental stewardship.
We should demonstrate our commitment to future generations by
providing educational outreach regarding long-term maintenance
and regulatory compliance by adopting a strategic plan for long-term
maintenance of publicly-owned rental properties, and for handling
“unique” properties, such as those with a sunset on deed restrictions.
APPENDIX A:
HOUSING CHAPTER OF
ASPEN AREA COMMUNITY PLAN
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2012 Aspen Area Community Plan
Housing
What’s New in the 2012 AACP
Linkages
The creation of Affordable housing can help reduce pressures on the
valley-wide transportation system by providing housing opportunities
for our local workforce in the Aspen Area, while reducing air quality
impacts associated with a commuting workforce. Affordable housing
is also critical to a viable economy, and helps to ensure a vital,
demographically diverse year-round community. At the same time,
limited opportunities and funds mean we cannot build our way
out of the housing problem, and we recognize that new affordable
housing includes infrastructure costs ranging from transportation
to government services, schools and other basic needs. Controlling
growth and job generation can reduce the pressure to provide
affordable housing.
Housing
Growth &
Economy
Transportation
Community
Character
The re-use of philosophical language from past community plans is
due largely to the long-term support in the Aspen Area for affordable
housing as a critical tool to maintain a strong year-round community.
Some shifts in policy direction for the 2012 AACP can be attributed to
the long-term growth and maturation of the housing program, bringing
greater awareness of the need for long-term capital reserves and
maintenance for individually-owned and rental properties, as well as
publicly-owned rental properties.
Another difference in the 2012 AACP is the decision not to establish a
specific number of housing units to be developed during the 10-year
life of the plan. This should not be perceived as a wavering of support
for affordable housing units. The plan calls for exploring the potential
of a new housing unit goal, but specific research on this topic was not
conducted as part of this plan.
This plan focuses on the ongoing challenges of establishing and
maintaining a “critical mass” of working residents. The policies outlined
in the Housing chapter and related housing mitigation policies in the
Managing Growth for Community & Economic Sustainability chapter
are intended to meet these challenges as the community continues to
provide affordable housing.
At the same time, the 2012 AACP calls for further research on the
physical limits to development in the form of ultimate build-out,
projected future impacts related to job generation, demographic
trends, the conversion of local free market homes and other factors.
This kind of statistical analysis will help inform future decision-making
and goal-setting in a more meaningful way.
Instead, this plan emphasizes the need to spread accountability
and responsibility for providing affordable housing units beyond
the City and County governmental structures, and continuing to
pursue affordable housing projects on available public land through a
transparent and accountable public process.
While past plans have supported “buy-down” alternatives, there has
been little comprehensive effort in this regard. A “buy-down” program
may be an expensive proposition, but this plan calls for exploring it
more thoroughly. The idea is to finally determine if the community is
willing to pay the price for providing long-term affordable housing by
converting existing free market homes, and or affordable housing,
rather than building new homes.
On the Horizon
As the community continues
to provide affordable housing,
it is important to recognize
and understand future
challenges.
We must continue to track
changes to the Colorado
Common Interest Ownership
Act (CCIOA) and update our
housing policies on a timely
basis.
APCHA should vigorously
promote adoption of CCIOA
by existing associations, and
require new associations to
adopt CCIOA.
Lending practices are
changing, resulting in new and
potentially difficult financing.
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2012 Aspen Area Community Plan
Housing
At the same time, we need a new focus on the issues surrounding
retirement in affordable housing, as we are on the brink of a rising
retiree demographic. In addition, we should continue to provide
housing that accommodates the needs of people with disabilities.
The provision of affordable housing remains important due to several
factors, including the continued conversion of locally-owned homes to
second homes, a trend of a more costly down-valley housing market
and the upcoming trend towards retirement in affordable housing.
With limited vacant land in the Aspen Area and limited public funds, we
cannot build our way out of this challenge.
Our affordable housing program is continually encountering new
crossroads that demand creative thinking, understanding and
thoughtful action.
What’s Changed Since 2000
Since the adoption of the 2000 AACP, a total of 652 new affordable
housing units have been constructed, with another 181 approved but
not yet built. By any measure, these are impressive accomplishments,
but various relevant trends have continued to challenge the goal of
establishing and maintaining a “critical mass” of working residents, as
stated in the 2000 AACP.
While the ratio of local workers living in affordable housing units
increased from 25% to 32% from 2000 to 2008, the ratio of local
workers living in free market homes dropped from 22% to 13%, the
result of continued conversion of locally-owned free market homes to
second homes.
At the same time, the economic boom period of 2004 to 2007 saw a
dramatic increase in the cost of downvalley land and homes, reducing
opportunities for Aspen workers to find free market ownership options
in the valley. While the recession has rolled back prices, this plan must
assume that the economy will experience another period of prosperity
during the life of the plan. In addition, the number of retirees in deed-
restricted housing is estimated to jump from approximately 310 today
to more than 800 in 2021.
The 2007 Housing Summit considered all these factors and more. The
primary outcome of the Summit was to encourage additional “land-
banking,” which ultimately resulted in the purchase of the BMC West
property, a parcel at 488 Castle Creek Road and others. The 2008
Affordable Housing Plan evaluated 15 potential sites for affordable
housing units, identifying a range of up to 685 possible housing units.
Aspen Area Housing
History
In the early 1970’s free-
market housing that had
primarily housed local
employees was being
demolished and redeveloped
as second homes. By
1974, the City and County
began addressing this trend
by establishing separate
affordable housing programs
and 14 years later formed
the joint Aspen/Pitkin County
Housing Authority (APCHA).
APCHA is currently funded
through a City of Aspen sales
tax and a Real Estate Transfer
Tax (RETT).
The State enacted legislation
in 2001 granting Housing
Authorities across the state
specific powers to raise
revenue through sales taxes,
use taxes, an ad valorem
(property) tax, and/or a
development impact fee. To
date, APCHA has not pursued
these revenue sources. The
City of Aspen has a housing
sales tax, and both the City of
Aspen and Pitkin County have
Housing Mitigation fees.
APCHA operates under the 4th
Amended Intergovernmental
Agreement between the
City of Aspen and Pitkin
County. This agreement has
eliminated APCHA’s role as an
active developer of workforce
housing; that role has been
assumed by the City of Aspen.
Currently, APCHA is principally
involved in the qualification,
sales, and enforcement of
the housing program and is
involved in the oversight of
over 2,800 units of deed-
restricted housing. The
APCHA Board of Directors
alone, or in concert with
other entities, suggests new
policy, programmatic changes,
and legislation, or makes
recommendations, as required
by the City, County or State.
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2012 Aspen Area Community Plan
Housing
Policy
Categories
Housing Policies
IV. LAND USE & ZONING
IV.1. Affordable housing should be designed for the highest practical
energy efficiency and livability.
IV.2. All affordable housing must be located within the Urban Growth
Boundary.
IV.3. On-site housing mitigation is preferred.
IV.4. Track trends in housing inventory and job generation to better
inform public policy discussions.
IV.5. The design of new affordable housing should optimize density
while demonstrating compatibility with the massing, scale and
character of the neighborhood.
IV.6. The residents of affordable housing and free-market housing
in the same neighborhood should be treated fairly, equally and
consistently with regard to any restrictions or conditions on
development such as parking, pet ownership, etc.
V. HOUSING RULES AND REGULATIONS
V.1. The rules, regulations and penalties of affordable housing should
be clear, understandable and enforceable.
V.2. Ensure effective management of affordable housing assets.
Incentive Program, Proposed
Code Amendment
Proposed Code Amendment
Work Program for Planning
Department & APCHA,
Proposed Amendment
Data Needs
Proposed Code Amendment
Proposed Code Amendment
Work Program for APCHA
Work Program for APCHA
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2012 Aspen Area Community Plan
Housing
Policy
Categories
Collaborative Initiative
Collaborative Initiative, Work
Program for APCHA
Collaborative Initiative, Work
Program for APCHA
Collaborative Initiative
Incentive Program, Proposed
Code Amendment
Housing Policies
I. SUSTAINABILITY AND MAINTENANCE
I.1. Affordable housing should have adequate capital reserves for
major repairs and significant capital projects.
I.2. Deed-restricted housing units should be utilized to the maximum
degree possible.
I.3. Deed-restricted housing units should be used and maintained for
as long as possible, while considering functionality and obsolescence.
I.4. Provide educational opportunities to potential and current
homeowners regarding the rights, obligations and responsibilities of
home ownership.
I.5. Emphasize the use of durable and environmentally responsible
materials, while recognizing the realistic lifecycle of the buildings.
II. PROGRAM IMPROVEMENTS
II.1. The housing inventory should bolster our socioeconomic diversity.
II.2. Affordable housing should be prepared for the growing number of
retiring Aspenites.
II.3. Employers should participate in the creation of seasonal rental
housing.
II.4. Employers who provide housing for their workers through
publicly-owned seasonal rental housing should assume proportionate
responsibility for the maintenance and management of the facility.
II.5. Redefine and improve our buy-down policy of re-using existing
housing inventory.
II.6. Eliminate the Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) program, unless
mandatory occupancy is required.
III. FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY
III.1. Ensure fiscal responsibility regarding the development of
publicly-funded housing.
III.2. Promote broader support and involvement in the creation of non-
mitigation Affordable housing, including public-private partnerships.
Community Goal
Community Goal, Work
Program for APCHA
Collaborative Initiative,
Incentive Program
Collaborative Initiative,
Incentive Program
Work Program for APCHA
Proposed Code Amendment
Collaborative Initiative
Collaborative Initiative,
Incentive Program
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CONNECTION TO AACP
Within the introduction of the 2012 Aspen Area Community Plan, two of the stated central themes are “Emphasize the quality and
livability of affordable housing.” and “Provide for a critical mass of year-round residents.”
Within the housing implementation portion of the appendix of the AACP is an implementation step that, in part, states, “Amend the
Housing Guidelines to establish livability standards that promote pride of living in affordable housing.”
And although the AACP also encourages area employers to participate in the creation and maintenance of seasonal rental housing,
the sections shown above, along with many other such statements in the AACP, support the Housing Philosophy stated within the
AACP, which aims to nurture a stable, year-round community, with a reliable workforce with an opportunity to live near where they
work, and with a healthy mix of people, including singles, families and seniors.
LIVABILITY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
For public affordable housing developments, the City of Aspen performs typically performs rigorous community engagement, seeking
input from the community at large and neighborhood stakeholder groups. A significant portion of such community engagement is
typically devoted to affordable housing elements related to livability.
At each stage of the design development process, input received from the community engagement process is typically filtered
through Aspen City Council. This often results in a careful balance of various priorities such as livability, quality, neighborhood
impacts and project cost. And there are many more detailed project elements that require balancing as well, such as environmental
sustainability, accessibility, total cost of ownership or tenancy, constructability and more. These topics are interconnected with the
meaning of livability among the Aspen affordable housing community.
LIVABILITY – GENERAL PRINCIPLES
Goals: Housing developments should endeavor to balance the principles of community, livability and quality against impacts such as
unreasonable levels of cost and construction activity intrusion. Housing structures should utilize land as efficiently as possible and
should seek construction efficiencies to levels that do not sacrifice livability beyond levels that are not consistent with these goals.
Architecture should be sensitive to neighborhood context to the extent possible while achieving these goals.
Density: Density should be considered as more than just a number and should consider neighborhood context, available open space,
amenities and other considerations related to community character. Successful housing developments have been created in Aspen
with density ranging from around 7 units per acre up to nearly 80 units per acre.
Quality: Quality construction should be employed to mitigate sound and vibration transmission and to promote energy efficiency. It
is important to people not to feel as densely housed as they actually are, and it is possible to invest in construction quality, up to a
point short of diminishing returns, to make a densely populated facility feel as livable as possible given available resources.
Environmental Sustainability: Environmental sustainability standards which are consistent with community goals should be integral
to the construction quality program. Investments in sustainability measures should be carefully prioritized to be consistent with
housing development goals.
Housing Unit Sizes: Housing for a diverse population of income levels should not discriminate livable space based on incomes.
Creating equitably sized housing units of standardized sizes can create construction efficiencies and increases flexibility to transfer
units among households of different income levels. The Colorado Division of Housing has established “indicators of modest but
decent housing” with suggested sizes of 500 square feet for studio or efficiency units, 700 square feet for one-bedroom units, 900
square feet for two-bedroom units and 1,200 square feet for three-bedroom units.
necessary and where a high level of livability is otherwise demonstrated, with reduction criteria such as significant storage space,
above average natural light, efficient/flexible unit layout, site amenities including parks and open space, and above ground unit
versus below ground units.
APPENDIX B:
COMMUNITY AFFORDABLE HOUSING
AND LIVABILITY
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facilities should meet local codes and guidelines related to “wildlife-proof” requirements and recommendations and should otherwise
be consistent with wildlife management practices. Mail and transit stop facilities should attempt to keep people separated from
areas which could potentially attract bears or other wildlife.
Site Lighting & Facilities: Site lighting should provide safety while remaining contextually sensitive and where possible should
employ the use of timers and/or sensors to be as energy efficient as possible. Guide-on principles can be equally safe and less
intrusive than flooding large areas with light. External availability of water and electrical sources are amenities that tenants and/or
homeowners highly appreciate. “Dark skies” and other code-related requirements and recommendations should be rigorously met.
Public Transportation: Access to public transportation is a must. Reduction of daily automobile trips should be encouraged through
availability of convenient, multi-modal transportation alternatives.
LIVABILITY – CHECKLIST
The outline below is a useful inventory of decision points for considering characteristics which affect livability.
Density, Environmental Sustainability, Accessibility
Family oriented vs. non-family oriented
Working vs. retirement orientation
Flats versus multi-level townhomes & accessibility
On-grade access, stairs to get to unit, below-grade, partial below grade units
Ceiling heights greater than 8 feet, 8’-6” to 9’-0 where possible
Minimum bedroom size, 10 feet
Storage
Internal to the unit, Kitchen cabinets, Laundry, Foyer/mud – front and rear, linen closets, oversize bedroom closets (upper
shelves for seasonal storage), Additional unfinished areas, storage closets under stairways
Lockable external storage, enclosed preferred to cages, proximity to unit, outdoor gear storage, bikes, kayaks, skis,
snowboards, fishing, etc.
Trash/recycling/compost & mail facilities
Proximity to units, aesthetics, durability, parcel boxes, wildlife-proofing, separating trash from mail due to wildlife safety,
lighting
Outdoor living
Private outdoor space is preferred by most people, grill, patio, enlarged covered balconies, avoid drip through, snow
barriers/trellis
Parking
Location on site and relationship to pedestrians, streets/alleys
Quantity per unit, per bedroom
Above grade uncovered, above grade covered, lots, street, head-in, parallel, angle, on-site, offsite
Guest / visitor / service usage, loading zone
Accessible parking
Proximity to unit
Dimensions of spaces / access, geometry of getting in and out
Integrated storage with parking
Snow removal, snow storage, haul-off, street clearing, secondary clearing
Public space/recreation
Location, trail, pedestrian access, on-site open site areas, landscape
Flexible use spaces, fencing, demarcation, open
Child safety, dog parks, community gardens, programmed spaces
Access to public transportation
Secure, covered bike storage at transportation nodes
The APCHA Affordable Housing Development Policy includes the following Minimum Unit Sizes and defines an “occupancy standard”
based on 400 square feet per “employee”.
Unit Minimum Net Sq Ft Occupancy Standard
Studio 500 1.25
1-Bedroom 700 1.75
2-Bedroom 900 2.25
3-Bedroom 1,200 3.00
In practice, the occupancy standard is less of an actual counting mechanism for occupancy and more of a conversion tool and
general benchmark related to the 400 square feet per “employee” standard.
The APCHA Affordable Housing Development Policy allows for the reduction of unit sizes by up to 20% in cases where both
necessary and where a high level of livability is otherwise demonstrated, with reduction criteria such as significant storage space,
above average natural light, efficient/flexible unit layout, site amenities including parks and open space, and above ground unit
versus below ground units.
Accessibility: Affordable housing facilities should be accessible above and beyond code requirements where possible. Varying
levels of accessible dwelling units include Type A Full Accessibility, Type B Adaptable and Type C Visitable. Type A Full Accessibility
units should be included at or above code minimums, and all other unit should be Type B Adaptable where possible. Townhome units
or units which otherwise include a stairway internal to the unit should be Type C Visitable, and Universal Design should be used in
common area facilities.
Noise and Air Quality: Locations for affordable housing should be sought which have favorable noise and air quality characteristics.
For locations where noise and air quality characteristics are not without flaws, mitigation techniques should be implemented to
reduce adverse impacts to reasonable levels.
Pedestrian Safety and Automobile Circulation: Whenever possible, housing developments should prioritize pedestrian movement
over automobile movement and pedestrian safety over automobile circulation.
Community Open Space: Community open space should be created to maximize the use of available land and should be landscaped
to facilitate peaceful, playful and socially interactive enjoyment with turf or low-grow grasses as well as strategically placed shrubs
and trees to facilitate demarcation of areas and/or privacy where needed. A mix of non-programmed and lightly programmed areas
are encouraged.
Parks and Trails: Parks and trails provide community benefits and should be connected to housing developments where possible.
The use of boulder retaining walls can create material cost efficiencies and can be a contextually sensitive means of retaining earth
as opposed to engineered alternatives.
Parking and Storage: Parking and storage are key attributes that relate to day-to-day interaction with a housing facility. Local
workers may not use their cars every day, but they have a right like everyone else to keep a car in their possession, particularly
because Aspen is a remotely located City. Affordable housing units do not generally afford the amount of space that suburban
living in America generally affords so convenient access to a reasonable amount of storage space is a key attribute to any housing
unit. Parking and storage should be located within reasonable distance to one’s housing. The use of carport structures can be an
equitable means of providing covered parking without a high level of expense and can be used where needed to retain earth or
serve as sound barriers from nearby sources of noise.
Total Cost of Ownership: Total cost of ownership or total rent should be considered in affordable housing designs. The use of
durable assemblies and materials as well as low-maintenance mechanical systems along with operational efficiency considerations
such as ease of snow removal and landscaping can help keep long-term costs down. Thoughtful design for management of snow,
ice, moisture and freeze/thaw conditions can eliminate the need for gutters and downspouts and can help keep maintenance costs
down.
Wildlife: Sensitivity to wildlife and surrounding open areas is extremely important. Trash, recycling and compost staging
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Noise
Unit-to-unit transmission, wall/wall, floor/ceiling, STC, IIC
Outdoor noise, mitigation, berms, trees, façade
Lighting
Natural light
Indoor lighting
Exterior lighting
Ventilation / heating / cooling
Low voltage & electric - controls, network outlets, electric outlets, cable/satellite, utility usage, lighting, etc.
Laundry in unit versus common, size & fit, maintenance, availability
Heating – type
Heat pumps (cooling?), mini splits, ducted, radiant, baseboard, cove
100% electric where possible
Common vs. in-unit
Hot water heating – common versus in-unit, tank, tankless, efficiency, accessible location, floor drain
Solar and PV accessibility/orientation, roof space for p/v, rooftop decks
Pets, service animals, emotional support animals, cleanup, bags, dna testing
Landscaping
Turf, native grasses, low-grow, low water
Upkeep, Irrigation
Hose bibs
Community gardens
Stormwater, raingardens
Kitchen
Single, double sinks
Electric appliances, refrigerator, dishwasher, disposal, range type, microwave, range hood externally vented
Solid countertops, island or space for dining table
Trash, recycling, compost
Storage, cabinets, soffits, natural light/windows
Bathrooms
Quantity per unit
Lighting
Tubs, showers, toilets
Storage
Ventilation
Finishes, durability, aesthetics
Sinks, single vs. double, fixture counts, types
Maintenance
Access to HVAC equipment, accessible filter locations, spare filters
Appliances, Floor coverings
NOTES
36
www.aspen.gov // 427 Rio Grande Place, Aspen, CO 81611
37
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY
WORK SESSION DATE: July 11, 2023
AGENDA ITEM TITLE: Community Housing Update
STAFF RESPONSIBLE: Ashley Perl, Community Resiliency Manager
ISSUE STATEMENT: During the 2023 budget, the BOCC appropriated $5M from the General
Fund to be dedicated towards community housing. Over the past six months, staff have been
working on multiple different housing opportunities and will be presenting an update to the Board on
all-things-housing and seeking direction of how the Board would like to appropriate the remaining
funding for housing this year.
BACKGROUND:
The Board, the community, and the state have all recognized that Pitkin County is experiencing a
housing crisis and there is a need to dedicate resources in order to lessen the current housing gap. To
that end, the Board created the Resiliency Manager position in 2022 to help understand the current
housing landscape and resources available. Additionally, the State and the federal government,
through both policy and the legislature, have enacted several new funding sources and opportunities
to support housing. On the heels of the COVID pandemic, eight local jurisdictions, including Pitkin
County, came together to create the West Mountain Regional Housing Coalition to address housing
on a regional scale. Even with this recent influx of resources into the housing space, the availability,
accessibility and affordability of housing remains a significant, if not the single largest, challenge for
businesses, families, individuals, and the community. Housing continues to be a priority for the
community and Pitkin County.
Since the 2023 budget process, when the BOCC dedicated $5 million towards housing, the housing
landscape has evolved; new resources are now available and numerous efforts have evolved. The
West Mountain Regional Housing Coalition officially formed, approved a strategic plan and is in the
process of hiring their first staff member; Pitkin County now has .5 of a staff person dedicated
towards community housing, and the Pitkin County Growth Advisory Committee completed their
10-month long process which included recommendations specific on addressing housing and
growth;
“The growth we do want as a community, that meets our community
values, is more affordable and middle housing. We want to grow the
community that will participate in our community and create policies
and a Land Use Code that creates an environment to ensure we
maintain the fabric of our community and this “Middle Economy.” In
addition…the [Growth Committee] strongly believes Pitkin County
needs to not continue “problem identification” of housing, but rather
be solution oriented and take action to address the housing needs of the
community by all means necessary.” - Growth Committee
Recommendations
38
All of these changes, and others not listed, have created new opportunities for the County to address
the housing gap and enabled the County to think more strategically about housing for the
community.
Another addition to the housing landscape is that the BOCC reviewed and edited their housing
policy during the 2023 retreat and recommitted to addressing housing challenges across the full
spectrum of the housing continuum. This continuum, included below, includes emergency shelters,
transitional and supportive housing, social/community housing, subsidized rental and ownership
units, and free market rental and ownership housing.
Following the guidance of both the BOCC housing policy and the work of the Growth Committee,
County staff created a working draft of a Pitkin County Community Housing Plan (Attachment A).
The plan reframes the housing continuum through a lens of available opportunities and offers a wide
variety of tactical approaches, leveraging the resources and opportunities that are available today, to
improve community housing availability, affordability and accessibility. The Plan is organized into
three buckets: conserve, convert and construct/codes.
● Conservation refers to any actions or programs that support existing affordable housing,
including naturally occuring affordability, employer controlled units or deed restricted units.
● Conversion focuses on efforts that convert free market residential or commercial spaces into
community housing, either through the addition of deed restrictions or through public
ownership and master leases. This is also the space that Pitkin County has seen the most
success with, including the buy down of mobile home parks into workforce housing, as well
as individual unit buy-downs.
● Construct and Codes includes more traditional strategies such as land banking and new
construction, as well as the incorporation of land use codes that supports the development of
community housing. Per the growth committee recommendations, this does not necessarily
mean large multi-family development, but rather creating an environment in which the
private sector can more easily participate in the development of deed restricted housing to
meet the community’s needs.
39
This framework also helps to identify where local governments, nonprofit partners and the private
sector can lead and/or partner to address the housing gaps in our community.
Attachment A, the draft Pitkin County Community Housing Plan, was created by County staff as a
way to showcase the wide variety of approaches and tactics that are available to the County as the
BOCC considers how and where to apply funds. The different buckets are based on best practices
from other communities and on the Regional Housing Toolkit, created by the West Mountain
Regional Housing Coalition. In addition to presenting the full breadth of housing opportunities, the
draft plan also denotes those areas where the County is actively working (green), areas where Pitkin
County is considering working or currently assessing (orange), and those areas which the County has
yet to participate, but are opportunities in which the County could participate (red). Definitions of
each approach are provided on page two of the attachment.
Included in the working draft Plan are goals staff created based on rough estimates of what is
possible, given the County’s existing partnerships and land and unit availability, but does not take
into account the staff and financial resources that would be required to achieve these goals and
therefore the timeline to achieve the goals is dependent on the resources available. Staff estimates
that if the County were to contribute towards 175 new affordable units, approximately 420 people
would be served with housing, assuming an average of 2.4 occupants per unit.
Pitkin County Community Housing Plan - Working Draft
For those items in orange or red in the draft Plan, there are a number of barriers that have historically
prevented the County from pursuing action in these areas including: staff resources, limited funding,
and competing priorities. However, with the evolving landscape - updates on BOCC housing policy,
an .5 FTE dedicated to community housing, a regional housing coalition, guidance from the Growth
Committee on the type of affordable housing the community wants to see, and the BOCC dedicating
$5M for housing, some of the items in orange or red may be closer than before.
The BOCC set aside $5 million from the general fund for housing in 2023. To date, the County has
spent $585,469 for an employee unit, which leaves $4,414,531 remaining. These funds can be used
however the BOCC sees fit, on either community housing or housing to serve County employees.
The other buckets of funding that can be used for housing are the ARPA and LATCF funds, of
which around $2 million remains unencumbered. ARPA dollars are more constrained in their usage
and must be tied to an identified impact from the COVID-19 pandemic, and the funds must be
encumbered by the end of 2024 and fully expended by the end of 2026. LATCF is more fluid and
has so far been used to support the new Response shelter and the overnight shelter.
Other Housing Updates:
West Mountain Regional Housing Coalition. The new regional Coalition is in the process of
hiring a part time Program Director and is waiting to hear from the state regarding grant
applications. More details and updates are included in Attachment B.
Prop 123 and Technical Assistance Grant. Proposition 123 was passed by Colorado voters in 2022
and created the State Affordable Housing Fund (SAHF) and dedicated one-tenth of one percent
(0.1%) of state income tax revenue to fund affordable housing programs and projects. These funds
40
will then be granted and loaned to non-profits, private developers and local governments for use
towards creating more housing. Organizations are only eligible for this funding if their project or
program takes place in cities or counties that have committed to increasing their affordable housing
stock above a baseline amount. The requirements and calculations of the baseline number have
changed multiple times over the last year and after changes during the legislative session, program
guidelines are now understood to be final. One of the outstanding concerns regarding Prop 123,
especially in resort communities, is the commitment required and the income eligibility.
Pitkin County, in partnership with the City of Aspen, Town of Snowmass Village, and Town of
Basalt applied for a technical assistance grant from DOLA that will help Pitkin County and its
municipalities further understand the requirements and commitments of Prop 123. If awarded, this
grant will provide analysis and calculation tools and expert staff time to assist the BOCC in making
an informed decision if Prop 123 is a fit for the community, or if it is more appropriate to skip
participation in this program.
APCHA’s Home Repair Program. Staff from APCHA presented to the BOCC on May 23, 2023
and the BOCC showed support for APCHA’s new Essential Home Repair Pilot Grant Program and
committed $100,000 worth of funding. However, the BOCC expressed interest in funding the
program at a higher amount if the City of Aspen would also agree to double their contribution. At a
City Council meeting on June 12, 2023, the City of Aspen agreed to contribute $200,000 towards the
program, with the expectation that the County would contribute the same amount. At this point,
County staff requests final support from the BOCC for a $200,000 contribution to this program.
USFS El Jebel Partnership. Pitkin County and Eagle County have exercised their first right of
refusal to purchase or lease the 28 acres of mostly vacant land west of Crown Mountain Park. The
USFS recently finalized the environmental assessment and the counties are currently in discussion
with the Forest Service regarding certain aspects of the land transfer and potential future uses. If it is
determined that there is a pathway forward, the next step will be to request an appraisal on the land.
LINK TO STRATEGIC PLAN: By working on community housing, the BOCC is progressing in
the core focus area of Livable and Supportive Community.
KEY DISCUSSION ITEMS:
Staff will walk the Board through the Housing Plan and discuss what areas the BOCC may choose to
prioritize for the remaining $4.4M funding available this year and any ARPA funding.
Of all the program areas listed in Attachment A, staff recommends the following as most appropriate
for County funding in the near term:
○ West Mountain Regional Housing Coalition’s Deed Restriction Program
○ New and Converted Transitional Housing
○ Horizontal Subsidies on new construction projects
○ Community Rental Assistance Programs
41
1. Does the BOCC support the goals and framework of the Pitkin County Community Housing
Plan working draft?
2. What areas of the Community Housing Plan does the BOCC support using existing funds to
support or advance further?
BUDGETARY IMPACT:
None at this time.
RECOMMENDED BOCC ACTION:
Direct staff to bring forward specific funding opportunities that will help to lessen the existing
community housing gap.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A: DRAFT Pitkin County Community Housing Plan
Attachment B: West Mountain Regional Housing Coalition Update Memo
42
Pitkin County Community Housing Plan
“The growth we do want as a community, that meets our
community values, is more affordable and middle housing”
Conservation Conversion Construction & Codes
Goal: Maintain existing livable housing
stock
● Preserve expiring deed restrictions
● Improve capital reserves
● Capital maintenance
● Mobile home preservation
Goal: Convert 25 units/50 bedrooms of
existing free market into deed restricted
or otherwise controlled
● County employee deed restriction
program
● County single unit buy down for rental
● WMRHC Deed Restriction Program
● Multi-family buy downs to affordable
rentals
● Non-congregate emergency shelter
● Permanent supportive housing
● Housing credits and vouchers
● Transitional housing
● Rental subsidies and emergency
assistance
Goal: Create 150 new housing units/300-
350 new bedrooms
● Land banking
● Horizontal infrastructure subsidy
● Vertical infrastructure
● Purchase master leases
● CDU/ADU deed restriction
● Transitional housing
● Specialized transitional housing
● Permanent supportive housing
● Non-congregate emergency shelter
43
The plan denotes those areas where the County is actively working (green), areas where Pitkin County is considering working or currently
assessing (orange), and those areas which the County has yet to participate in, but are opportunities in which the County could participate
(red).
Definitions:
Preserve expiring deed restrictions: A program that would encourage homeowners of existing deed restricted housing to voluntarily
sign an updated, non-expiring deed restriction for their property in exchange for financial incentives.
Improve capital reserves: Programs that increase the resiliency of HOA budgets to address current and future capital improvements.
Capital maintenance: Programs that provide funding to homeowners and landlords to upkeep their existing units to ensure
long term livability and affordability of the units.
Mobile home preservation: Programs that protect the affordability of mobile homes as ‘naturally occurring’ affordable housing. One
example of this is the County’s purchase of the Philips Mobile Home Park.
County employee deed restriction program: An existing program whereby Pitkin County contributes up to 40%/$400,000 towards
the purchase of a free market home in partnership with an employee in exchange for placing a deed restriction on the property. The
County retains the first right of refusal on the property.
WMRHC deed restriction purchase program: A new program administered by the regional coalition where the Coalition
contributes a set amount at closing in exchange for a permanent deed restriction on the property.
County single unit buy down for rental: An existing program where Pitkin County buys a single free market unit for the purpose of
renting to an employee or community member, managed by the County.
Multi-family buy downs to affordable rentals: An organization, such as a local government or housing trust, purchases an entire
multi-family complex and then rents units back to the community at affordable rates.
Land banking: The purchase of land with the intention of building future housing.
44
Horizontal infrastructure subsidy: Funding the horizontal or in-the-ground infrastructure for a housing construction project in
exchange for access to future housing units. This approach relies on partnerships to complete the remainder of the development.
Vertical infrastructure: Funding the construction of new housing units.
Purchase master leases: A separate entity constructs housing and then the County leases a set number of units in the complex back
from the developer or owner for either community or County use.
CDU/ADU Deed restriction: Programs that incentivize existing homeowners to construct and rent accessory dwelling units to
community members at an affordable price.
Permanent supportive housing: Permanent or long term housing in which housing assistance (e.g., long-term leasing or rental
assistance) and supportive services are provided to assist households with at least one member (adult or child) with a disability in
achieving housing stability.
Rental subsidies: Programs that provide either monthly rent subsidies to qualifying renters or that provide first and last month’s rent
to enable a renter to secure a new rental.
Housing credits and vouchers: Government run programs for low income families, individuals, the elderly, and the disabled
to afford decent, safe, and sanitary housing in the private market. Since housing assistance is provided on behalf of the family
or individual, participants are able to find their own housing, including single-family homes, townhouses and apartments.
Transitional/Specialized housing: Temporary housing with supportive services to individuals and families experiencing or at risk of
homelessness with the goal of interim stability and support to successfully move to and maintain permanent housing. An example of
this is the RESPONSE shelter build.
Non-congregate emergency shelter: Provides immediate shelter that is short and limited (often hotel rooms) and acts as the first step
in a long term housing plan.
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
Pitkin County Housing and Child Care
Survey Update
WR COMMUNICATIONS INC. | JUNE 20, 2023
55
Pitkin County Housing and Child Care
Survey Update | June 20, 2023
Key
Takeaways
1.Housing is a clear priority: Respondents identified availability/affordability of housing as both the top issue (38% of respondents) facing the county and the top priority (49.9%) for the BOCC to address in the next two years.
2.Alignment on top priority: Community’s top priority and the BOCC’s priority are in alignment. However, respondents are not sure that the proposed policies (ballot questions) are the right approach.
•Childcare did not rank as high of a concern or priority for respondents. Ballot proposal may receive increased support if it is solely focused on housing.
•Cost message of $12 per month for a $1 million home was well received by respondents. Any changes to the ballot proposal need to include information about the impact to property taxes so voters can make an informed value judgment on the proposal.
3.Concern over property taxes: Responses throughout the survey showed a high level of concern about property taxes and the timing of the proposals with the assessment process.
•General opposition to taxes and concern over level of taxes were the top reasons to oppose the ballot measures, as well as being the primary issue addressed in the open-ended comments.
•With the “Right direction” measure below 50%, those positive answers primarily “Mostly the right direction,” this measure could tip toward wrong directions if concerns about taxes and cost of living are not discussed and addressed in county.
4.Support for action on housing: Open-ended responses showed a high level of desire to address housing and the need to get moving/take action on solutions. This combines well with the top messages of the importance of housing for future generations and essential workers like nurses and teachers.
5.Additional community ready outreach on housing: Survey supports continuing community dialogue given support for priorities and messaging around workforce housing and the alignment between the respondents and BOCC.56
Pitkin County Housing and Child Care
Survey Update | June 20, 2023
Survey
Details
Survey conducted May 31 to June 1, 2023
300 respondents with margin of error of ±5.51%
Mixed mode methodology using live calls to
landlines and mobile & text and email invites
Survey results modeled on November 2023
likely election turnout
57
Pitkin County Housing and Child Care
Survey Update | June 20, 2023
Satisfaction
with Pitkin
County
Generally speaking, would you say things in Pitkin County are headed in the right direction or off on the wrong track?
58
Pitkin County Housing and Child Care
Survey Update | June 20, 2023
Top
Priorities
in Pitkin
County
Of the following options, what would you say is the top issue facing Pitkin County or the area you live right now?
59
Pitkin County Housing and Child Care
Survey Update | June 20, 2023
Top
Priorities
for BOCC
And if you had to choose, which one of the following issues should be the most important priority for the County Commissioners to address in the next year or two?
60
Pitkin County Housing and Child Care
Survey Update | June 20, 2023
Property
Tax Ballot
Question
61
Pitkin County Housing and Child Care
Survey Update | June 20, 2023
Sales Tax
Option
The county may also consider an alternative to the property tax proposal that would INSTEAD increase the county’s sales tax by 0.76 percent to raise $12 million to support housing and childcare programs. This proposal would add 76 cents to a $100 purchase in the county and the county’s three towns. Using sal es tax would ensure that visitors to Pitkin County help pay to address our county’s housing and childcare programs. However, increasing the county’s sales tax would also increase sales tax in Aspen, S now mass Village and portions of Basalt, making their rates higher than other mountain communities. Knowing this information, would you be more or less likely to support a sales tax over a property tax f or the county’s housing and childcare programs?
62
Pitkin County Housing and Child Care
Survey Update | June 20, 2023
Bonding
Ballot
Question
63
Pitkin County Housing and Child Care
Survey Update | June 20, 2023
Property
Tax Impact
The mill levy proposal to address affordable housing and childcare in the county would raise taxes by approximately $140 per year or just under $12 per month for every $1 million in actual home value. Knowing this, would you be more or less likely to support the proposal?
64
Pitkin County Housing and Child Care
Survey Update | June 20, 2023
Reasons
for No or
Unsure
Thinking about
your response to
the previous
questions on the
two proposals,
what is the main
reason you would
vote that way?
65
Pitkin County Housing and Child Care Survey Update | June 20, 2023
Rating Proposal’s Priorities
Increasing the supply and access to housing through land
and housing acquisition opportunities, partnerships with
the private and nonprofit sectors and other jurisdictions,
and redevelopments for affordable housing.
Supporting access to housing through programs such as
deed restrictions and down-payment assistance to
ensure that the community’s workforce, individuals, and
families can own or rent homes in their communities.
Improving the quality and availability of childcare for
the community’s working families to ensure available
care and safe learning environments.
Training and retaining childcare professionals to
provide and expand the quality and availability of
childcare in Pitkin County.
66
Pitkin County Housing and Child Care Survey Update | June 20, 2023
Heatmap for “Very Important” Priorities
Increasing the supply and access to housing through land
and housing acquisition opportunities, partnerships with
the private and nonprofit sectors and other jurisdictions,
and redevelopments for affordable housing.
Supporting access to housing through programs such as
deed restrictions and down-payment assistance to
ensure that the community’s workforce, individuals, and
families can own or rent homes in their communities.
Improving the quality and availability of childcare for
the community’s working families to ensure available
care and safe learning environments.
Training and retaining childcare professionals to
provide and expand the quality and availability of
childcare in Pitkin County.
67
Pitkin County Housing and Child Care Survey Update | June 20, 2023
Top 3 Messages
Essential Workers: Even before the pandemic, there was a shortage of at least 3,000 housing units in Aspen and Snowmass, and that was for people at a variety of income
levels like essential workers and professionals. By not addressing this housing shortage, some of our most important employees like nurses and teachers will leave our
community to work in places they can also afford to live.
Maintain Character: Many individuals and families in Pitkin County are simply not able to make ends meet due to escalating housing prices and the cost of living, including
the cost of childcare. We need to maintain the character of our community by ensuring local families can live and work here.
Future Generations: We want Pitkin County to be a thriving community for families, workers, and our neighbors, and NOT just for tourists and second homeowners.
Investing in access to housing and childcare helps us retain a viable workforce now and for future generations.
68
Pitkin County Housing and Child Care
Survey Update | June 20, 2023
Property
Tax
Informed
Initial Property Tax Ballot Informed Property Tax Ballot
3.1 point drop
in support
69
Pitkin County Housing and Child Care
Survey Update | June 20, 2023
Bonding
Informed
Initial Bonding Ballot Informed Bonding Ballot
3.9 point drop
in support
70
Pitkin County Housing and Child Care
Survey Update | June 20, 2023
Open
Ended
Responses
More than 240
verbatim
responses
provide by
survey takers
“I do feel like the heart of the community has been lost. Priorities
have been directed toward second homes, expensive restaurants and
stores, and development. The focus needs to be redirected to the
locals and preserving this town, its character, and the full-time
residents who work and reside here.”
—Female Democrat, 30 to 44 years old
“Housing is needed, and long-
time employees of Aspen should
have first access to it. Maintaining
our sense of community is what
housing will provide and that is
why I support the proposals.”
—Female Democrat, 45 to 54
years old
“This is what we need to do in Aspen to make sure it is a
good place for locals and tourist industry workers going
forward. We need the tourism, but it’s gone too far. We need
to find the balance that makes this place special and not feel
like a town catered to tourism. Let’s find the middle ground.”
—Male Democrat, 18 to 29 years old
Support for housing,
workforce proposal
“Something needs to
be done to address
this crisis. Hopefully,
this is a step in the
right direction.”
—Female Unaffiliated,
65 or older “These are important
priorities if Aspen and
Pitkin County will continue
to thrive and attract people
to live in the area. It can
not be allowed to become
just a tourist destination
and a place where wealthy
people own property.”
—Male Unaffiliated,
65 or older
71
Pitkin County Housing and Child Care Survey Update | June 20, 2023
“I do not believe the way to raise money for child
care and housing is through an increased sales tax.
Everyone should contribute to these costs not just
property owners. You do realize that raising
property taxes will result in higher rental costs
making it less affordable to live in existing housing in
Pitkin County?”
—Female Republican, 65 or older
“There is a serious need for much more employee housing, but
this is not the best time to ask for tax increases until after we
see what our actual taxes will be next year.”
—Male Unaffiliated, 65 or older
“Stop raising taxes or
you will drive away
people who already
live here without
solving any problems.”
—Male Unaffiliated,
45 to 54 years old
“Government
should stay out of
people’s housing
and child care.
Focus on
infrastructure,
public safety and
fiscal responsibility.”
—Male Unaffiliated,
45 to 54 years old
“Raising property taxes is just wrong
as the increased housing costs to the
homeowners will force many to leave
the Valley as well.”
—Female Democrat, 65 or older Concerns about taxes,
assessments, priorities
“Proposed property tax
increases are a powder
keg. Wealthy second
homeowners can afford
them. Locals will be
crushed.”
—Male Republican, 55 to
64 years old
“Spending more money won't solve our problems.
Taxiness won't solve our problems. The private
sector needs to come up solutions for the needs of
their workforce. Funding for schools and hospitals
already exceed the amounts necessary to improve
their operations. A new tax is just not necessary.”
—Male Unaffiliated, 55 to 64 years old
72
Pitkin County Housing and Child Care
Survey Update | June 20, 2023
Key
Takeaways
1.Housing is a clear priority: Respondents identified availability/affordability of housing as both the top issue (38% of respondents) facing the county and the top priority (49.9%) for the BOCC to address in the next two years.
2.Alignment on top priority: Community’s top priority and the BOCC’s priority are in alignment. However, respondents are not sure that the proposed policies (ballot questions) are the right approach.
•Childcare did not rank as high of a concern or priority for respondents. Ballot proposal may receive increased support if it is solely focused on housing.
•Cost message of $12 per month for a $1 million home was well received by respondents. Any changes to the ballot proposal need to include information about the impact to property taxes so voters can make an informed value judgment on the proposal.
3.Concern over property taxes: Responses throughout the survey showed a high level of concern about property taxes and the timing of the proposals with the assessment process.
•General opposition to taxes and concern over level of taxes were the top reasons to oppose the ballot measures, as well as being the primary issue addressed in the open-ended comments.
•With the “Right direction” measure below 50%, those positive answers primarily “Mostly the right direction,” this measure could tip toward wrong directions if concerns about taxes and cost of living are not discussed and addressed in county.
4.Support for action on housing: Open-ended responses showed a high level of desire to address housing and the need to get moving/take action on solutions. This combines well with the top messages of the importance of housing for future generations and essential workers like nurses and teachers.
5.Additional community ready outreach on housing: Survey supports continuing community dialogue given support for priorities and messaging around workforce housing and the alignment between the respondents and BOCC.73
Questions?
74
Pitkin County Housing and Child Care Survey Update | June 20, 2023
Property Tax Ballot Language
Shall Pitkin County taxes be increased $12,000,000 annually beginning January 1,
2024 and by such amounts are raised annually thereafter from a 2 mill levy on
taxable real and personal property within Pitkin County to be used for programs
that address workforce retention, access to housing and childcare including, but
not limited to:
•increasing the supply and access to housing through land and housing
acquisition opportunities, partnerships with the private and nonprofit
sectors and other jurisdictions, and redevelopments for affordable housing;
•supporting access to housing through programs such as deed restrictions and
down-payment assistance to ensure that the community’s workforce,
individuals, and families can own or rent homes within their communities;
•improving the quality and availability of childcare for the community’s
working families to ensure available care and safe learning environments;
and
•training and retaining childcare professionals to provide and expand the
quality and availability of child care in Pitkin County; and
shall all expenditures be made by the board of county commissioners with the
requirement that the funds will be subject to an annual independent audit
published on the county’s web site, and shall the resulting proceeds be allowed
to be collected and spent by the county notwithstanding any other limitations
provided by law?
Bonding Ballot Language
Shall Pitkin County debt be increased $50 million, with
a maximum total repayment cost of not more than
$78 million for the purposes of increasing the overall
supply of affordable housing for residents of Pitkin
County, including:
•Acquiring land, water and other property to
facilitate the development of affordable housing;
•Partnering with private and nonprofit housing
providers to increase the overall supply of
housing;
•Purchasing existing units and properties for
conversion to affordable housing units; and
•Constructing roads, sidewalks, water and sewer
lines and other infrastructure to support the
development of affordable housing;
And for acquiring, constructing or improving any
capital assets that the county is authorized by law to
own; and shall the county be subject to an annual
independent audit published on the county’s website
that reviews such expenditures of this bond?
75
Pitkin County Housing and Child Care Survey Update | June 20, 2023 76
Pitkin County Housing and Child Care
Survey Update | June 20, 2023
Turnout:67.05%Turnout:41.49%
2021 turnout: 39.87%
Democrat 4,538 33.82%36.88%3.06 39.70%5.88
Unaffilated 6,907 51.47%49.08%-2.39 46.09%-5.38
Republican 1,732 12.91%12.85%-0.06 13.47%0.56
Female 6,406 47.74%49.37%1.63 50.98%3.24
Male 7,008 52.22%50.62%-1.60 49.02%-3.20
Age
18-24 877 6.54%4.16%-2.38 0.81%-5.73
25-34 2,109 15.72%10.34%-5.38 5.16%-10.56
35-44 2,415 18.00%15.78%-2.22 13.08%-4.92
45-54 2,164 16.13%16.72%0.59 15.43%-0.70
55-64 2,280 16.99%19.60%2.61 21.27%4.28
65-74 2,146 15.99%20.16%4.17 25.33%9.34
75+1,428 10.64%13.25%2.61 18.93%8.29
Town/ZIP
Aspen/81611 7,767 57.88%57.02%-0.86 58.00%0.12
Aspen/81612 70 0.52%0.50%-0.02 0.54%0.02
SMV/81615 2,299 17.13%16.24%-0.89 15.16%-1.97
Basalt/81621 1,266 9.43%9.67%0.24 9.63%0.20
81623 790 5.89%6.61%0.72 7.01%1.12
81642 41 0.31%0.32%0.01 0.23%-0.08
SMV/81654 890 6.63%7.30%0.67 7.20%0.57
Woody Creek/81656 295 2.20%2.32%0.12 2.23%0.03
Pitkin County Active Voter Data / November 2023 Likely Voter Estimate
November 2022
Voters
8,997
November 2023
Likely Voters
5,56713,419
Active Voters
Likely
Voter
Estimate
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MEMO
From: West Mountain Regional Housing Coalition
To: Coalition Members
Re: Update and Next Steps
Date: July 5, 2023
This memo provides an overview of items the West Mountain Regional Housing Coalition has
been working on during the first five months of 2023.
Items in this update include:
• DOLA Proposal for Regional Buy Down Program
• WMRHC Strategic Plan
• IHOP Research Project
• Outreach to potential coalition members
• WMRHC Program Director Job Description
DOLA PROPOSAL
On March 1, the West Mountain Regional Housing Coalition (WMRHC) submitted a proposal to
the Department of Local Affairs requesting $3M to create a regional buy down pilot program to
help residents purchase homes and convert them into permanent deed restricted affordable
housing units. This development neutral approach borrows heavily from a successful buy down
program implemented by Eagle County. While the Coalition waits to hear back from DOLA, the
Coalition is considering approaching local governments with a request to fund a pilot program
locally. Program guidelines are attached.
WMRHC STRATEGIC PLAN (2023 – 2026)
The first strategic plan has been finalized and is designed to provide guidance to the Board and
new staff as the organization becomes more functional. The full plan can be found on the
Coalition’s website wmrhousing.org.
OUR PURPOSE:
We believe a regional approach that leverages the skills and resources of our communities is the
foundation for increasing affordable housing.
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OUR VALUES:
• Equity – we advance impactful solutions designed to remove obstacles to affordable housing
access.
• Regionalism – we demonstrate benefit to all communities in the region.
• Innovation – we bring new and creative solutions to meeting the need.
• Collaboration – we value and include complimentary initiatives to advance shared goals.
• Integrity – we are transparent in our goals, strategies and outcomes.
OUR REGION:
• WMRHC serves those in Pitkin County, Garfield County and South Western Eagle County.
OUR TARGET POPULATION:
• WMRHC serves those working for or retired from local employment, who are unable to afford
free market housing and where housing costs represent 30% or more of their household
income.
OUR GOVERNANCE:
• WMRHC is a membership-based organization that strives to support members’ regional
affordable housing community interests and priorities.
OUR APPROACH:
• WMRHC is a regional program and service provider with awareness of complimentary
solutions/initiatives.
• WMRHC is a support to existing affordable housing projects and initiatives (Local Government,
Quasi-Governmental, Nonprofits, Private Sector)
• WMRHC is committed to developing a process for intentionally partnering with
complimentary solutions and initiatives (Local Government, Quasi-Governmental, Nonprofits,
Private Sector, Sustainability Organizations)
IHOP RESEARCH PROJECT
Thanks to a DOLA Innovative Housing Opportunities Program grant, the Coalition hired a
consultant team that has been developing several items that each member governments
should benefit from. The full report should be complete by the end of the summer. It will
include:
• Code Analysis and Recommendations – This section looks at how local codes potentially
hinder affordable housing development and offers specific recommendations.
• Rental Analysis – This section provides a picture of the rental market in each
community and the region.
• Vacant Land Analysis – This section identifies vacant land controlled by local
governments or quasi-governmental entities in the Roaring Fork Valley.
• Future Affordable Housing buildout – This section includes information on the current
and potential affordable housing development pipeline.
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The consultant team will meet with each coalition member government to present the findings
of the report and discuss possible policy actions in late summer/early fall.
OUTREACH TO POTENTIAL COALITION MEMBERS
The Coalition has been reaching out to several groups, funders, and organizations about the
work of the Coalition. The Roaring Fork School District and Roaring Fork Transportation
Authority are two public entities that have taken significant action to create housing for their
respective workforces, but both realize the magnitude of the housing challenges in the region.
Consequently, the Coalition is in discussion with both RFTA and RFSD about how best to
support and benefit from the Coalition’s efforts.
WMRHC PROGRAM DIRECTOR JOB DESCRIPTION
The Coalition is hiring for a part time Program Director and received a large amount of interest
from candidates. Staffing is a critical component for the ongoing success of the Coalition and
the Board is developing a 2024-2026 budget that incorporates staffing and organizational
development. The Coalition will likely need to revise its funding formula (currently each
member pays the same amount - $10K) to one that reflects the organizational goals and the
critical importance of affordable housing.
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Regional Deed Restriction Purchase Program
Program Guidelines
The West Mountain Regional Housing Coalition’s (WMRHC) Deed Restriction Purchase program
provides a mechanism for communities to bridge the gap between what is available on the
open market and what is affordable by providing up-front funds towards the purchase of a free
market home. The program buys down a market rate home to a more affordable or attainable
price for a qualified buyer in exchange for a permanent deed restriction being added to the
property.
The Program will allow the West Mountain Regional Housing Coalition to make a payment
toward an Eligible Household’s purchase price of a free market (not deed restricted) property.
The payment will be a lump sum payment made at closing to reduce the principle of the first
mortgage loan. In exchange for the payment, a price capped, non-expiring deed restriction will
be recorded against the property. The Program will support growing the local deed restricted
inventory of for sale homes available to Eligible Households who make the West Mountain
Region their permanent residence and work location. By converting an existing open market
home into a deed restricted home, that home will be preserved for a local Eligible Household
for the future. The Good Deeds Program will be administered by the West Mountain Regional
Housing Coalition pursuant to the guidelines set forth below.
Purpose of Program This program is intended to allow the WMRHC to make a
payment towards the purchase price of a residential property in
exchange for the recording of a price capped deed restriction on
the property in perpetuity. The payment will be applied at closing
to reduce the principal on the first mortgage loan.
Eligible Households Applicants must show proof of employment within the WMRHC
service area for an average of 1400 hours per year. Employment
requirements will be consistent with those of regional housing
authorities currently operating in the region. Employees must show
at least 75% of these hours are worked for a business that has a
brick-and-mortar location in Pitkin, West Eagle, or Garfield
Counties. Those working more than 25% of time remotely for out-
of-region employers are not eligible. Self-employed applicants must
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also show proof of a business license attached to a principal
business location that is within the service area and that a majority
of clients are located in the service area.
*Individual funding agencies may dictate a more specific work area
for applicants, at the funding agency’s discretion.
Service Area The WMRHC program is available for use on properties located
anywhere in Pitkin and Garfield Counties. Those located in West
Eagle County can participate in the similar program offered by Eagle
County Housing Authority.
Eligible Properties Single family homes, condominiums, townhomes, duplexes,
modular homes or manufactured homes on a permanent
foundation taxed as real property within the jurisdictional
boundaries of Pitkin County, Garfield County and western Eagle
County that are not currently encumbered by a deed restriction,
right of first refusal, occupancy requirement, Land Use
Regulatory Agreement, or similar program.
Maximum
Purchase Price of
Property
$1,000,000
* Individual funding agencies may dictate a different maximum
purchase price for properties.
Maximum
Contribution
Amount
The WMRHC will contribute a flat 20% subsidy, capped at $200,000
in exchange for a signed price capped deed restriction on the
property.
*Individual funding agencies may dictate a different maximum
contribution amount to be applied to that agency’s funds.
Primary Residence Buyer is required to use the property as a primary residence,
as defined by overnight occupancy no less than 8 months out
of the year. There shall be no short-term rentals allowed.
Buyer Down Payment In the case of a property purchase, a minimum down payment of
3% contributed by the Buyer towards the purchase price of the
property is required. Buyers are permitted to access down
payment assistance programs from other entities or sources.
Deed Restriction In exchange for the payment set forth above, a Price
Capped deed restriction will be recorded against the
property at the time of closing with the County Clerk and
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Recorder's office. The deed restriction shall govern the
future use and transfer of the property to an Eligible
Household in perpetuity.
Program
Compatibility
This Program is designed to be compatible and adaptable to all other
regional and state down payment assistance programs or similar.
Other Real
Estate
Buyer may not own any other residential real estate or residential
property at the time of purchase or for the period the Buyer owns the
deed restricted property, regardless of the location of the other
property.
Term The deed restriction is perpetual and runs with the property and any/all
future resale transactions. The property must remain the primary
residence of any Buyer and Buyer agrees to recertify their eligibility as
an Eligible Household no less than every other year.
Recertification Buyers must certify their eligibility as an Eligible Household no less
than bi annually.
Application Buyer shall find and locate the property available for sale and
complete an application. Applications are received on a first come,
first serve basis to be time and date stamped in order of completed
applications. Applications will be approved at the discretion of the
Program Administrator, subject to program guidelines and available
funds. With property purchase, a complete application may include: a
fully executed Contract to Buy and Sell Real Estate, proof of current
employment at a business located in Pitkin, Garfield or Western Eagle
County, photo id, tax return, loan application, other income and asset
documentation, pre-qualification letter from a lender, and/or other
financial documents as listed on the application at time of applying.
Pre-approval Potential buyers may receive a pre-approval letter from WMRHC prior
to finding and locating the property. The letter will be valid for 6
months.
Price Capped Appreciation is capped at the lesser of 3% simple interest annually or
the CPI.
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Future Resale Neither the Program Administrator or WMRHC shall facilitate the
resale of any Price Capped deed restricted units, but shall approve all
future buyers. No transactional brokerage sales fee will be due to
WMRHC. Customary closing costs will be borne by each party. WMRHC
reserves the right to first refusal to purchase the property.
Applicability All aspects of the Program eligibility and approval are at the
sole exclusive discretion of the WMRHC Board of Directors and subject
to these Guidelines and availability of funds. These Guidelines may be
amended from time to time to effectuate the intent and goals of the
Program, and all changes are binding upon program participants.
Applications may be denied based on the physical condition of the
proposed property, concerns with the purchase agreement or a
determination that the deed restriction purchase is not in the best
interest of the WMRHC. Program is subject to market conditions.
Other In the event of policy conflict between this Program and other Pitkin
County, Garfield County or Western Eagle County Affordable Housing
Guidelines and Administrative Procedures, the more restrictive
Program Guidelines shall control.
Program
Administrator
The WMRHC and/or the IDF or other as assigned by WMRHC.
More
information
www.wmrhousing.org or call (970) 948-4250
These Guidelines are subject to change based on availability of funds, conditions of
property and market conditions. WMRHC does not discriminate based on race, color, sex,
religion, handicap, familial status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin.
211 Midland Avenue, Suite 201 Basalt, CO 81621 970.948.4150 WMRHousing.org
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