WATCH: Colorado's High Country Housing Crisis

The housing crisis in ski country is well-documented. Home and rental prices continue to skyrocket and the limited amount of reasonably priced rentals are snatched up incredibly fast. This issue is directly tied to the increasingly dire worker shortage at ski resorts. Hourly employees simply can’t afford to live in mountain towns in 2021.

In Summit County, Colorado, ballot measure 6B aims to increase the amount of affordable housing in the county. The measure seeks to extend a hike in the local sales tax that has been funding affordable housing projects. The Blue 52 townhomes in Breckenridge and Smith Ranch in Silverthrone are notable examples of affordable housing funded by this additional tax. The measure seeks to extend this extra .6% tax for twenty more years.

The lack of housing in these mountain towns not only contributes to the labor shortage at ski resorts but also the hospitality industry. Restaurants, in particular, are having a tremendously difficult time finding staff and some are shutting down.

We won’t have to wait long to see how this shakes out.