The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Hundreds of units under deed restrictions at both ends of the valley
[ By Mark Reaman ]
While a general community vibe should not be ascertained strictly by social media comments, the social media vibe around local affordable housing and what local governments have or haven’t done has recently been pretty aggressive and negative. So we asked officials from the local municipalities and county what has been done recently and what is expected to come online in terms of tangible affordable housing. While there may never be enough to “solve” the housing problem, it is nevertheless significant and more units will be coming online very soon.
Town of Crested Butte
The town of Crested Butte, which seems to get the most heat in the online rants, has probably done the most over the years in terms of supplying housing for workers and locals. It started addressing the issue 32 years ago when it required that accessory dwelling units had to be long-term rentals.
Town planner Mel Yemma said the town currently has 305 deed-restricted units in town accounting for 25 percent of the town’s total housing stock being deed restricted for locals. The goal was to have 25 percent of the housing in Crested Butte be deed restricted by 2023.
“Most recently, in July of last year, the Town finished constructing and selling more than 30 new affordable units in Paradise Park to local residents and employers that rent units to their employees,” said Yemma. “The Town is currently planning to build out the remaining lots in Paradise Park (about 15 units) in 2022-2023.
Yemma said this June, the town is launching the Slate River Housing Study for Town Parcels 3 and 5 in the new Slate River subdivision near the new sledding hill. “There is potential for between 60-70 affordable housing units in this area. The study will help determine important development factors including the type of development, density, mass and scale, housing targets and more,” she explained. “The result of the housing study will be a master plan for the site, as well as a request for proposals that will be released to developers to develop the site, where portions of the site could begin construction as early as 2022.
“Additionally in 2021, the Town of Crested Butte is partnering with the Town of Mt. Crested Butte, Gunnison County, the Gunnison Valley Regional Housing Authority and the Valley Housing Fund to develop a deed restriction purchase program to ensure that more of our existing housing stock is lived in by local workers,” Yemma continued. “The program will be developed during 2021, with an anticipated launch in the fall of 2021.”
Gunnison County
Gunnison County has prioritized affordable housing in the last few years and several projects spearheaded by the county are ready to come online this summer. Gunnison County Community and Economic Development director Cathie Pagano said planning for an affordable housing project on a big parcel just south of Crested Butte is kicking off this week. Located near Riverland, the so-called Whetstone Parcel was purchased by the county in 2019 for $1.8 million with the intention to locate workforce housing on the 13-acre property. Public input is being solicited to determine how many and what kind of units would work best on the site.
“We currently have eight townhomes located in the Stallion Park-Buckhorn subdivision that were completed in 2020 and they are completely occupied,” Pagano said. “Gardenwalk is a 36-unit LIHTC (Low Income Housing Tax Credit) project located in the city of Gunnison that is now open. The Paintbrush housing project near the Gunnison Rec Center contains 76 units and is currently under construction. Sixty of the units are expected to be online and ready for occupancy by this July with the remaining 16 anticipated to be available in the fall. Our staff spent a year working with the neighbors and city staff to develop a plan that fit with the neighborhood and mitigated infrastructure challenges within the city. The county contributed $150,000 to the project in addition to staff time. I believe the county purchased the land in the early 2000s and contributed the land as part of the deal to reduce costs of housing at the development.”
Pagano also pointed out the Corner at Brush Creek parcel is still available for housing. That lot south of Crested Butte was approved by the county planning commission for 180 units but the original developer, Gatesco Inc., was not able to obtain consent from the Towns of Crested Butte and Mt. Crested Butte to move forward to the Preliminary Plan application.
City of Gunnison
Gunnison city planner Anton Sinkewich also noted the several housing projects like Paintbrush and Gardenwalk located within the city boundaries and pointed to the potential for Gunnison Rising annexation property east of the city along Highway 50. Gunnison Rising is a major subdivision of the city that this summer will begin to install infrastructure. Sinkewich said that, “the annexation area has the potential for 1,700 units of housing. Land dedications exist within this annexation for 200 units of affordable housing,” he explained.
Sinkewich also noted the Lazy K project that has 44 affordable units and 21 market rate units. He said that project would be constructed in phases, beginning this summer.
Mt. CB
The Mt. Crested Butte planning department did not have time to compile the most recent data requested but based on conversations last week concerning the Homestead affordable housing project, it appears the town is currently constructing 22 units in that project that will include solar panels. Community development director Carlos Velado noted that the town has another 75 deed-restricted units in town. The town voters also recently approved a tax on short-term rentals that is dedicated to affordable housing.
So while there is definitely a housing shortage that is impacting local businesses that can’t find employees, local government officials are all working on the issue. Monthly meetings between the planners are taking place and coordination for grants and priorities are being determined. An affordable housing forum is scheduled for June 9. The public is encouraged to come with their stories and ideas on the topic. It will take place at the Crested Butte Center for the Arts between 6 and 8 p.m.
