Regional housing needs assessment finds 7,686‑unit 10‑year gap; Basalt allocated 360 units (299 net)

Liz Zaksberg, housing policy analyst for the City of Aspen, delivered the final regional housing needs assessment and walked the council through the data, methodology and implications for the Mid Valley. Zaksberg said the study follows state guidance and combines catch‑up and keep‑up categories to estimate need across the two counties.

"So, this is Pickin County and Garfield County combined over the next 10 years is 7,686 units," Zaksberg said, citing census and vacancy data. She told the council that Pickin County's 10‑year need is 2,853 units and that Basalt's share — allocated by job distribution — is 13%, which yields a gross Basalt need of 360 units and a net need of about 299 units after accounting for pipeline projects.

Zaksberg emphasized that the assessment is an informational tool for compliance and funding applications rather than a construction target: "It's not a construction goal. It's not a need to build goal," she said, and described how the methodology apportions need by job growth, commuting patterns and household characteristics. The presentation included affordability charts showing Mid‑Valley median single‑family prices near $1.4 million and that many sales in 2024 were affordable only to households above 300–400% AMI.

Councilmembers pressed on data caveats — vacancy rates, commuting capture assumptions, and how the study treats deed‑restricted units. Zaksberg said some data limitations exist and recommended a future local survey to improve estimates. She also outlined phase‑2 qualitative work on overcrowding, displacement risk and cost burden, noting Basalt’s high percentage of elderly and disability rates that shape program needs.

The town will use the assessment as part of state submissions and to inform local housing action planning; staff indicated they will submit the combined report to the state after final edits.