2019 Greater Roaring Fork Regional Housing Study

Executive Summary

This is a housing needs analysis for a region that covers the Roaring Fork Valley and the Colorado River Valley; from Aspen and Snowmass Village to Glenwood Springs, and from Parachute to Edwards. It encompasses up- and down-valley locations, and is characterized by innumerable cross-commuting patterns. Although no formal designation exists for this large region, the team of municipalities and counties that led this effort call it the Greater Roaring Fork Region (GRFR) for the purpose of analysis.

Study after study has documented unaffordable housing prices, inventory shortages, and an ever-expanding commute shed for workers. Moreover, decades of implementing best practices in most of the region’s communities has helped many, but left still many more needs unmet. This study provides an understanding of the dynamics, interdependencies, and the “face” (with a regional workforce, resident, and employer survey) of regional housing needs. The purpose is to create a common language with uniformly-collected information and analysis from which regional solutions can finally address regional problems.