CB Council focus turns to housing issue

From camping to micro-housing to letters from lawyers

by Mark Reaman

The Crested Butte Town Council is showing a frenetic sense of urgency with the current housing crunch. This week they set in motion a number of ideas to explore the situation, which have both immediate and long-term ramifications.
At the Monday, June 1 meeting, the council gave direction to the town staff to look into the possibility of relaxing municipal camping regulations so people with jobs but no housing can find a place to live this summer.
They gave the go-ahead to town manager Todd Crossett to begin the process of hiring a new employee on at least a temporary basis to compile up-to-the-minute information on the Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) rental situation. They will have town attorney John Belkin meet with staff and draft a letter that could go out to owners of ADUs making clear that those units were meant to be rented in the long-term market and a break on tap fees was given so they would be used as such.
The council almost did not award a $632,000 contract to install infrastructure on blocks 79 and 80 that will be used for deed-restricted housing, thinking it might be wiser to look again at the densities and type of housing the infrastructure could serve.
In the end, they approved the contract but asked the staff to look at the possibility of smaller lots that could accommodate “micro housing” on block 76, the undeveloped area immediately north of Rainbow Park and the high school soccer field.
They also directed the staff to look at the hillside on the far west end of Big Mine Park to see if it could accommodate micro lots or shipping container–type structures for small dwellings.

It’s getting critical
“The affordable housing meeting last week went well and we heard that it is critical,” said Crossett. “We are looking at short-term solutions as well as big projects.”
Crossett said the staff had discussed the idea of allowing more car camping in town but chief marshal Tom Martin had raised some concerns with the idea. The gravel pit might work as a place for temporary workforce housing in a campground setting but there is no water to the area. “The bathroom at Tommy V field would not survive a campground. We would have to put porta-potties out there and figure out water,” Crossett said.

“It is important for the town to be ahead of the issue and look for solutions,” said councilman Shaun Matusewicz. “I am hearing there is a movement out there for a tent village in the Town Park as almost a protest of the situation. We should be pro-active.”
“We do so much and we have some big things coming and they want to protest?” asked a frustrated councilman Skip Berkshire. “This town of ten square blocks can’t do it all. We need to be cautious jumping into half-baked solutions.”
The staff will look at ways to perhaps allow some workforce camping in town to address the coming summer housing shortage. Immediate concerns with the idea included what to charge those using the area, traffic congestion, the impact on the town’s character and how to make sure workers are given the spots. Staff will report back their findings to the council at the next meeting.

Accessory dwelling focus
Matusewicz also pushed Crossett to shore up enforcement of the ADU situation. While town staff has consistently said there is an 85 percent compliance rate with long-term ADU rentals, the council wants to increase that number. And they had little solid faith that even 85 percent of the ADUs were really being rented long-term. But at 15 percent of the deed-restricted ADUs sitting empty, the council figured that amounted to about 15-20 empty units. If they could get even a few of those actively rented, the council members felt it would relieve some housing pressure.
“If we can get two or three or four more of those units active, it is an immediate help,” said councilman Glenn Michel.
“Under Colorado law we can’t control the rents,” explained Crossett. “It used to be homeowners saw the ADUs as a way to help pay their mortgage. But more and more people don’t need that extra few hundred dollars a month. So they don’t worry about renting it or they can say they’ll charge $5,000 a month and it sits empty.”
Crossett said the town could try to increase enforcement measures but his staff has no time to put in additional effort on that front.
Matusewicz argued that spending a few thousand dollars out of the affordable housing fund to pay a new person to survey every ADU unit and see if a few more can be put into the market would be town money well spent. The rest of the council agreed.
Belkin said he could draft a letter to be sent to the homeowners not renting their deed-restricted ADUs and inform them they are out of compliance with the town rule set and intention of the tap fee break.
“I would like to investigate some incentive tactics as well,” said councilman Chris Ladoulis. “I’d like to see both carrots and sticks.”
The council gave the go-ahead to Crossett to start looking at hiring someone to focus on ADU compliance and enforcement.
Micro housing options
Acting mayor Roland Mason said he has seen small “storage container housing” popping up all over the place. He wanted more information on how it could work in Crested Butte. He said that it appeared that a good place for some such units would be the far west end of Big Mine Park by the disc golf course.
“The hillside there looks like it could accommodate that,” he said.
Crossett said he had spent time in such units. “They might throw BOZAR for a curve but they can be pretty cool,” he said.

Poverty Gulch model
Town planner Michael Yerman said units similar to those in Poverty Gulch might be appropriate for the block by Rainbow Park. The problem with some micro-housing and deed restrictions is that lenders don’t want to finance such properties. He said it might be easier to build and then rent the small units as opposed to selling them.
“Part of the problem with micro-houses is long-term viability,” he said. “They could work great for a single guy but when he gets married and has a kid, he’ll want more than 400 square feet.”
“It is part of the housing ladder and the problem right now is that the locals can’t even reach the first rung of the ladder,” responded Matusewicz.
The staff will compile all the housing information and give a report to the council within the next month.