The Yampa Valley Housing Authority has reason to celebrate this month. The organization, which advocates and provides affordable housing and support to low-and moderate-income residents in Routt County will break ground this month on Alpenglow Village. The 72 unit development is on Pine Grove Rd. near Steamboat Ski Resort. 

48 of the units are earmarked for Routt County residents who earn 30-60% of the county’s median income, and the other 24 units will accommodate those making 61-120% of the area median income. Area median income for a single person household is $60,700 and $86,700 for a household of four. 

Alpenglow Village is due to be completed by spring 2020 and will fill a growing gap in the affordable housing market. The demand for low cost housing in Routt County continues to rise along with the price of land, building and infrastructure costs. 

In 2017, when the Authority opened The Reserves, a 48 unit apartment complex on the west side of town, they were inundated with applications. Funding for the project, which was the first of its kind in Steamboat, was generated through federal tax credits and a public/private development team. Fresh off their successful build of The Reserves, Kansas-based Overland Property Group, is leading the development of Alpenglow Village. 

In 2013, City Council officials suspended Inclusionary Zoning, which stipulated that 15% of units in new residential developments must meet affordability thresholds, or developers would pay a fee of up to $144,497 per unit. The suspension still stands. 

Rather than challenge the decision, the Housing Authority continues to seek solutions. In 2017 voters passed Referendum 5A a 10-year, one-mill (0.1%) property tax which the authority collects. A 2017 study showed that Steamboat needs between 218-340 new affordable or entry level units each year just to keep up with demand. “We’ve created an active approach to housing,” said Jason Peasley, YVHA executive director. “Instead of talking about it, we are out there making it happen.”