RTA moves forward to build housing

“A real game changer…”

[ By Mark Reaman ]

In an effort to provide a place for the people driving the buses up and down the valley, the board of the Gunnison Valley Rural Transportation Authority (RTA) agreed last week to pursue a $1.7 million contract for five deed-restricted townhomes in Gunnison. The rental townhomes would be part of the Lazy K subdivision and be restricted to occupants who work for the RTA and make 120-percent Area Median Income (AMI) or less. According to the Gunnison Valley Regional Housing Authority website, that translates to $66,480 for a single person or $94,920 for a family of four in Gunnison County.

During the June 11 board meeting RTA executive director Scott Truex said a contract between the RTA and developer John Stock was in the works. The board approved the idea that RTA chairperson Janet Farmer could sign the contract that met certain standards including the 120-percent AMI threshold, a total price expected to be $1,768,790 but not to exceed $1,850,000, the potential for the RTA to set up a “deposit fund” that the developer could use to draw on to pay for materials and labor so he wouldn’t have carrying costs for the units, and that the project would be completed by the end of summer 2022.

Each townhome would be approximately 1,185 square feet and have two bedrooms and one-and-a-half baths. The cost is anticipated to be $353,758 per unit. The money for the project will come out of the RTA’s Capital Reserve Fund.
Board member and Crested Butte councilman Chris Haver said there could be available lots coming up in the town and asked whether it would be beneficial to have RTA housing in the north end of the valley as well.

“We would definitely support looking at that,” responded Truex. “But our focus now is the south valley because that is where our drivers start and end their shifts.”

The RTA would provide a master lease agreement to Alpine Express that currently runs the RTA bus service. He said they would fill the units at no profit to RTA-related employees. Truex said the master lease would coincide with Alpine’s operational contract.

The board had little discussion over the idea but voted unanimously to pursue the contract.

“We’re on our way to having some housing for our drivers. It’s exciting,” said Farmer.

“I think this will be a real game changer for the RTA,” concluded Truex.