Some of the largest landlords in Aspen have elected to increase the rent of hundreds of local residents this year, and many of those renters are suffering economically due to the COVID-19 crisis.
At the Centennial rental apartment complex, where there are 148 units, rents were increased as much as 3% for some renters, which is nearly a $650 annual increase.
However, Andrew Held, president and chief operating officer of Birge & Held, which acquired Centennial last March, said the average increase amounts to $24 a month.
Centennial’s rental increase formula is tied to the Denver Consumer Price Index, and was done in compliance with the existing rental restriction agreement and ultimately required by Birge & Held’s lender underwriting, according to Held.
The $1.4 million data tracking and online system for Aspen-Pitkin County Housing Authority’s 3,000 units has been launched after over a year of build-out and testing.
HomeTrek is a census of sorts for the aging and growing inventory, and will require each person living in a deed-restricted unit to provide necessary information.
Prior to HomeTrek’s rollout, APCHA did not have a full account of all of its deed-restricted properties in the city and county because of its paper-based system.
The platform allows current residents of APCHA ownership and rental units, as well as those who are interested in applying or bidding on properties, the ability to do all business online rather than on paper. It also gives the public real time information data on all of the units in the inventory.
Aspen Skiing Co. had a stern warning for employee housing tenants last week: Failure to comply with public health codes and COVID-19 restrictions on gatherings will result in consequences no ifs, ands or buts.
Residents in employee housing received an email from housing director Bill Tarallo on Jan. 12 that noted a strict no-guest policy and told tenants that failure to comply with the restrictions including mask-wearing and social distancing could result in eviction with a 72-hour notice.
“The unsafe, virus spreading practices of a significant number of residents has resulted in an alarming increase in the number of infections now present throughout employee housing. As we endeavor to contain the spread of COVID-19 cases we have no choice but to take a more regimented approach to enforcement of safe practices to contain the virus,” Tarallo wrote.
Local governing bodies collectively spent 60 hours behind closed doors in 2020 discussing matters concerning the public.
An annual review of executive sessions conducted by Aspen City Council, Snowmass Village Town Council and the Board of Pitkin County Commissioners shows that combined, they held 36 closed-door meetings last year.
The commissioners held the most meetings, with 20, followed by Aspen City Council Town Council with six.
For commissioners and Aspen elected officials, they held fewer executive sessions in 2020 than in previous years.
County Attorney John Ely said typically the commissioners meet out of the public’s view at least 24 times, or twice a month, in a year.
Several city facilities will be closed and others will see their virtual services suspended between Christmas Eve and Dec. 27, according to an announcement from the city of Aspen published