Could a tax on empty homes help solve housing shortages in Colorado’s mountain towns?

In The NOCO

As much as 40 percent of the homes in some Colorado mountain resorts sit unoccupied for much of the year. And housing is in such short supply in communities like Breckenridge or Steamboat Springs that many workers find themselves living in hotels, rather than a house or apartment.

Leaders in a coalition of ski towns called the Colorado Association of Ski Towns, or CAST, are asking lawmakers for a new tool to address the housing shortage. They want the ability to discourage those homeowners, who let their properties sit empty, from doing so.

And one way they might do that is by taxing those unoccupied homes.

Revenue from those taxes could then fund affordable housing programs and cut down on vacant homes.

Host Erin O’Toole spoke with Colorado Sun reporter Jason Blevins, who has been covering this story.

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Host and Producer: Erin O'Toole
Producer: Ariel Lavery
Executive Producer: Brad Turner

Theme music by Robbie Reverb
Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions

In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.