The Aspen City Council has decided that one of its programs to make housing affordable to locals, while well intentioned, isn't doing enough to warrant keeping it as an option. Currently, some developers can choose to build what's called an accessory dwelling unit, basically a guest house, instead of paying into Aspen's housing program some other way. The idea is that all these guest houses scattered throughout Aspen neighborhoods can be rented out to locals who might otherwise be trying to find units in apartments or the city's affordable housing stock. But in reality, of the 150 to 200 of these units that have been built, it's estimated that less than 30 percent are occupied. What was meant to incentivize mixed, affordable housing becomes another amenity for luxury homes.
Loading comments...