The owners of the Aspen Basalt and Mountain Valley Mobile Home Parks accepted an offer from the residents of the parks on July 28 to purchase the land underneath their homes for the asking price of $42 million for both. 

The residents had, up to that point, raised $14 million with the help of various local governments and businesses. However, a couple of weeks ago, the lender made it clear to West Mountain Regional Housing Coalition assisting with the deal that they would not be comfortable lending the remaining money unless the communities had $16 million committed. 

This kicked off a rapid effort to raise the $2 million needed to close the gap by increasing donations from the local governments, businesses, and potentially secure new donations. 

“We can’t run a deficit in housing in our valley,” Pitkin County Commissioner Kelly McNicholas Kury said of the importance of this project. “We’re already behind what we need, so losing more would make this an even more insurmountable problem. We don’t want to lose our hard workers or retirees or kids that go to school from either of these communities.”

Ahead of a self-imposed Sept. 5 deadline to ensure the coalition had all the necessary legal proceedings done ahead of conversations with the lender, the $2 million dollar goal was reached. 

Pitkin County increased their $3 million commitment to $3.25, Aspen from $3 million to $3.2 million, Eagle from $2.5 million to $2.65 million, Snowmass from $1 million to $1.25 million, Carbondale from $1 million to $1.1 million, and Basalt from $500,000 to $600,000.

In total, local governments contributed an additional $1.05 million in the past two weeks alone. 

According to April Long, the executive director of the West Mountain Regional Housing Coalition, the remaining money was provided by private individuals and businesses. Atlantic Aviation, the fixed-base operator at the Aspen/Pitkin County Airport, initially promised $1 million and increased that commitment by $100,000. Aspen One provided an additional $100,000, making their total financial contribution $600,000. 

Seven private donors closed the remaining gap. The most significant of those seven was one anonymous donation of $500,000. All seven of the donors were first-time donors who were not increasing previous commitments. 

The two communities are still trying to hit a $20 million dollar goal by the time the deal closes in the middle of October to keep rents at an affordable level for residents currently living in the parks. 

As part of that effort, there are two fundraising efforts planned. Both are the screening of the film, “A Decent Home,” a film which showcases difficulties that mobile home park communities face which are similar to the ones that the Aspen Basalt and Mountain Valley parks are going through.

The showings are planned for Sept. 22 at The Arts Campus at Willits and on Oct. 3 at the Third Street Center in Carbondale. Both are free to attend, and donations are encouraged to help raise funds for the two communities.