The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Ready to help with Redden project that should be done this fall
By Mark Reaman
An informal band of Crested Butte second homeowners that bonded during last fall’s town election over a proposed tax on second homes are returning to the valley for the summer and brainstorming ideas on how to help address the issue of affordable housing. Before any formal effort has started, a couple of families from the group have pledged $50,000 to be put toward the Valley Housing Fund’s Paul Redden Workforce Housing project in the Crested Butte mobile home park with plans to organize fundraisers to build on the initial donations.
One of the group’s organizers, Jim Watson, said this week that while the election last fall was sometimes unnecessarily contentious, it did help make more people aware of the housing situation who might otherwise not understand the dilemma and thus progress is being made by parttime residents to help address the issue.
“There is no one perfect solution and every avenue has some roadblocks but at the moment the Valley Housing Fund seems to have gained the confidence of many,” he said. “I personally like the Redden project since it is in my neighborhood and while it will initially help just three families it is something concrete that is happening that we can be a part of. The Valley Housing Fund is frankly a complex entity, but with the new board members and a new director, it feels good. It looks to be able to provide the most hopeful direction.”
The Redden project will deliver three new deed-restricted homes with eight bedrooms at 114 Butte Avenue by this fall. The VHF purchased the property two years ago for $525,000 and the board agreed to purchase the new manufactured homes this summer with a fall delivery. The entire project is expected to cost $1.3 million and the hope is to raise outside money to cover costs so the VHF can move forward on future affordable housing projects.
Longtime Crested Butte homeowners Haden and John Spencer were key participants in the 2021 tax discussion and they have continued to gather information on the workforce housing situation since November. Discussions have been held with town staff and councilmembers, with the Valley Housing Fund, with the Community Foundation and with a broad group of second homeowners. They are working with the VHF on a possible informational meeting to take place in early summer and hope it will create excitement about ways to be involved with the Redden Project.
“Summer in CB hasn’t really started but good things are starting to unfold,” emphasized Watson. “We will see where it goes. As Haden has said many times, it is an issue that the entire community, second homeowners, local residents, tourists, all need to help with. If we work as one community, we can achieve good success.”
Watson said people within the group are still calling for a broad, county-wide plan on how best to coordinate and address the housing issue. The individuals are open to helping but want to see a solid overall plan with specific cost analysis and anticipated outcomes. He said there has been discussion about possibly contributing to Crested Butte’s Sixth and Butte housing project so that residency restrictions can be more flexible than those required by the federal government as part of needed tax credits. The group is excited that the town hired a housing specialist and is watching as Crested Butte, Gunnison County and the town of Mt. Crested Butte continue to bring forward affordable housing concepts in the North Valley.
“Considering where it started last fall, good steps are in the works to help address the situation,” he said.
For people interested in learning more about the informal group of part-time homeowners hoping to make an impact with the local workforce housing situation, reach out to Watson via email at [email protected].
