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Trustees briefed on Mountain Valley and Aspen Basalt mobile-home cooperative efforts; town weighs potential financial role
Summary
Trustees heard updates on resident-led efforts to form cooperatives at Mountain Valley and Aspen Basalt mobile-home parks, including a possible financing ask and implications for the town's two employee units. Staff said the parks border Carbondale but the owners have no obligation to accept resident offers.
Trustees heard an update April 22 on efforts by residents of Mountain Valley and Aspen Basalt mobile-home parks to form resident-owned communities, a structure commonly called a cooperative, and on possible municipal involvement to protect existing employee housing.
Trustee Colin said residents and the nonprofit Thistle Rock are working to form cooperatives; the cooperative must secure 80% resident approval to proceed. "Thistle Rock is working on the package, and I expect at some point they'll be in front of us for a discussion," Colin said. Town staff explained the cooperatives aim to shield residents from market-rate increases and investor profit motives by shifting ownership to a resident-controlled entity.
Town Manager Lauren said Mountain Valley is outside Carbondale limits but borders the town and that 65 children who live in the park attend Carbondale schools. "Our interest in that Mountain Valley Park particularly is because we have two units of employee housing there," Lauren said. She told trustees the town received the same owner notice as other residents and that the town was allowed to remain as a non-resident member in the cooperative because it holds units for employees.
Staff described potential financing options under discussion. "There will probably be a financial ask of the jurisdictions," Lauren said, adding that the structure of any municipal contribution (grant versus investment with repayment protections) had not been finalized. She said the residency requirement for the cooperative means most participants must be resident-owners; municipal-held units are an exception.
Trustees sought clarity about governance and the town's role. Colin asked whether town employees living in municipally held units could participate directly in the cooperative; staff replied they could not hold individual membership beyond the town's ownership interest. "No. They don't have any direct interest except through us," Lauren said.
No formal motion or funding decision was made; staff said Thistle Rock and resident leaders will likely present a formal proposal to the board in the future and that trustees should expect a request to discuss potential financial participation and terms.
ENDING: Trustees requested advance notice and documentation when a formal proposal is forthcoming so that they can consider legal, fiscal and tenure protections for any municipal contribution.
