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Regional housing needs assessment finds net need of roughly 2,500 units; county to pursue Prop 1/2/3 waiver
Summary
Consultants told the board the phase‑1 regional assessment shows a gross need of about 2,800 housing units over 10 years and a net need of roughly 2,500 after pipeline projects; staff said Aspen and Snowmass will pursue a Prop 1/2/3 AMI waiver and phase 2 will add statutory report elements.
Pitkin County staff and consultants from Economic & Planning Systems (EPS) presented phase‑1 results of a regional housing needs assessment at the Dec. 9 meeting, showing a gross 10‑year need of about 2,800 units across the region and a net need of roughly 2,500 units after subtracting pipeline projects (principally the lumberyard development).
The assessment divides need into a catch‑up component (existing overcrowding, temporary housing and unfilled jobs) and a keep‑up component (projected employment growth and replacement hiring over the next decade). EPS estimated that roughly 60% of the need is catch‑up and 40% is future need; regional distribution allocates need by share of employment: Aspen about 49% of net need, Snowmass Village 20%, Basalt 12%, and the unincorporated county about 19% (approximately 500 units).
EPS staff stressed that the assessment is a needs analysis — not a binding development quota — and that pipeline projects and capacity constraints (water, infrastructure) must be accounted for in later planning. The phase‑1 product will support an application for a Prop 1/2/3 AMI waiver (which allows counting higher‑AMI units toward state program targets); staff said they have been coordinating with DOLA and that Summit, Frisco and Lake counties had obtained waivers previously.
Commissioners asked about how much of the need could be met by projects already in progress and whether other non‑development responses (rental assistance, buy‑downs, rightsizing incentives) might meet parts of the need. EPS said the study intentionally reports a "gross" need and then a "net" need after subtracting known pipeline units; it also noted the study will be expanded in phase 2 to address statutory requirements and development constraints.
No formal county action was taken at the meeting; staff said they will support the Prop 1/2/3 petition process and bring the full phase‑2 report in the spring.
