This week in The Roundup, two new stories from Aspen Journalism shedding light on the Greater Roaring Fork Region’s socioeconomic conditions. In her first piece for the Aspen Journalism Social Justice Desk in partnership with Aspen Public Radio, Eleanor Bennett goes under the hood of a significant new affordable housing venture led by Habitat for Humanity of the Roaring Fork Valley, while Laurine Lassalle dissects the data and confronts the realities of a growing population of older adults “aging in community.”
‘We’ve never really been older before’
Demographic trends experienced most dramatically as of late in the middle section of the Roaring Fork Valley reflect the national movement toward an aging population, but the local economy and its challenges are highlighting this generational rebalancing. While in Aspen, the over-65 population had grown larger than the under-18 population by about 2010, Basalt and Carbondale hit that distinctive mark in 2021 and 2022, respectively, as their median ages shot up nearly eight years since 2010. With an older population comes new challenges related to affordable housing, infrastructure and belonging, while shifting school enrollment trends reflect a workforce on the move. Lassalle brings the story to life in words and graphics, and special thanks to Aspen Daily News photographer Jason Charme for contributing sharp images from a ride-along with Valley Meals and More.
From free-market rentals to deed-restricted ownership in West Glenwood
On the affordable housing front, Bennett reports on the latest effort led by Habitat for Humanity of the Roaring Fork Valley. The nonprofit led by former Colorado state Sen. Gail Schawrtz is poised to close this month on the purchase of a two-year-old, 88-unit apartment building in Glenwood Springs that was developed among the new free market rentals that have sprung up near Target and Lowe’s. It’s an ambitious, complex transaction that will see the building’s current residents offered the chance to purchase units at below-market rates, provided they meet work and income requirements and are willing to accept an appreciation-capping deed restriction on their home. Units left over are being offered to a slew of local governments, school districts and other employers that are contributing funds to Habitat’s purchase in exchange for priority reservations allowing their designees to buy in.
Glenwood Springs is kicking in $3 million, with Mayor Ingrid Wussow calling the project a creative approach in a community impacted by some of the nation’s greatest home-value growth in the past 20 years. Upvalley interests are also invited. “I have deputies who live as far as Rifle and when we get that big call, that’s a two-hour-plus response time,” said Pitkin County Sheriff Michael Buglione, after commissioners in the county seat of Aspen approved a $450,000 contribution. “So, this is a great start for those who want to move closer to work and be part of the Pitkin County community.” Like all stories produced as a part of this APR/AJ multimedia collaboration, the piece has been translated into Spanish (pueden encontrar la versión en español aquí) and a broadcast version of the piece aired on the Aspen Public Radio local newscast.
Time of giving is near
On Nov. 1, we launch our end-of-year campaign in partnership for the eighth straight year with NewsMatch, a national movement to support the best of independent, nonprofit journalism, which is offering over $20,000 in matching funds. Aspen Journalism would simply not exist as the dynamic and impactful entity it is today without the financial support raised from our readers and matched by national, state and local philanthropic donors through this effort. Thank you for being a part of it. Beginning Nov. 1 and through the end of the year, your contribution will be matched dollar for dollar to keep Aspen Journalism going strong!
– Curtis Wackerle
Editor and Executive Director
Aspen Journalism
‘We’ve never really been older before’
Roaring Fork Valley confronts an aging population
By Laurine Lassalle | October 13, 2024
Habitat for Humanity’s latest project in Glenwood Springs aims to make homeownership more attainable
With support from local governments and employers, nonprofit to buy rental building and convert to deed-restricted ownership
By Eleanor Bennett | October 11, 2024
The Roundup | Water myths busted, tribal water trials
October 9, 2024
Tribes still struggle to get compensated for water, and five newsrooms debunk myths including is the threat of ‘use it or lose it’ real?
The Roundup | Aspen Journalism and Aspen Public Radio launch multimedia Social Justice Desk
October 1, 2024
We are pleased to announce that Aspen Journalism is launching a new reporting initiative this week with Aspen Public Radio, co-funding a multimedia Social Justice Desk that will be staffed by Eleanor Bennett, who for four years until May 2024 was an Aspen Public Radio reporter and the host of Morning Edition at the public radio station. Plus, inside the mind at Ideas Fest; Castle Peak snow telemetry plugs data gap.
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