Ski Town Village

For many residents of the Gunnison Valley, which includes the well-known resort town of Crested Butte, finding truly affordable housing is a critical challenge. **Ski Town Village**, a mobile home park located just north of the city of Gunnison, represents a significant and long-standing source of non-subsidized affordable housing for individuals and families in the region. This community, formerly known as Country Meadows Mobile Home Park, consists of approximately 52 to 57 individually owned manufactured homes situated on rented lots. For many local employees, retirees, and those on fixed incomes, this community represents a vital solution to the area’s extreme housing shortage.

The importance of Ski Town Village lies in its role in the local economy and social structure. It provides shelter for hundreds of people who work in essential local service jobs, such as retail and grocery, or who are elderly and on fixed incomes. The mobile homes themselves are owned by the residents, who then pay a monthly lot rent for the land. While the name "Ski Town Village" evokes a promotional connection to the nearby ski areas, the park's true value is rooted in its function as a resilient and established community providing a rare pathway to homeownership in a high-cost mountain town environment.

However, the community has recently faced significant challenges that highlight the precarious situation of affordable housing in Colorado. Following a change in ownership, residents have reported considerable increases in monthly lot rent, a move that places substantial financial strain on individuals often living on tight budgets. Additionally, serious concerns have been raised regarding the **maintenance and infrastructure** of the park. Residents have reported issues with the quality and reliability of essential services, including frequent water interruptions, persistent problems with the electrical system that affect heating and the use of appliances, and poor road conditions.

The residents have demonstrated remarkable organization and advocacy, forming a homeowners association called Organización de Nuevas Esperanzas (ONE). This association has been actively engaging with management, legal counsel, and local government officials, filing complaints with the state’s Division of Housing, and even pursuing efforts to purchase the park themselves. These actions underscore the residents' determination to preserve their homes and ensure a safe, habitable, and affordable living environment in the Gunnison Valley. The park remains a highly visible example of the need for continued support and legal protection for mobile home park residents across Colorado.

Ski Town Village is conveniently located just two miles north of the city of Gunnison, Colorado. Its specific address is **2388 CO-135, Gunnison, CO 81230, USA**.

The park is situated directly on **Colorado State Highway 135**, which is the main route connecting Gunnison to Crested Butte and its major ski area, Mount Crested Butte. This highway location provides residents with excellent year-round vehicular access.

• **Proximity to Gunnison:** The park is an extremely short, easy drive to downtown Gunnison, providing quick access to essential services, including grocery stores, the hospital, Western Colorado University, and all municipal amenities.
• **Access to the Valley:** The location facilitates a manageable commute for residents working in Crested Butte, which is approximately 25 to 33 miles north, as well as those employed throughout the Gunnison Valley.
• **Internal Roads:** Lot access within the 8.7-acre park is via gravel roads. However, residents have reported that the internal driveways are currently uneven, with numerous holes, and prone to flooding during periods of heavy rain or snowmelt.

As a mobile home park, the property's primary service is renting lots (land) to residents who own their manufactured homes. The stated services included in the lot rental are limited, with key utilities being individually metered and paid for by the resident.

• **Lot Rental:** The park provides a space for residents to place and own their mobile homes. The current lot rent varies, with market rates for new tenants or owners of existing trailers in the park being significantly higher than historical rates.
• **Water Supply:** Water service is included in the rent and is sourced from three on-site wells. However, service reliability has been a critical point of contention, with reports of frequent, unannounced outages and concerns about water quality.
• **Sewer Service:** Sewer service is provided through the Gunnison County system.
• **Utility Hookups:** All lots are set up with individual meters for **electricity and natural gas**, which residents are individually responsible for paying. Significant issues regarding the 220-volt electrical power necessary for heaters and dryers have been reported by tenants.
• **Management Communications:** The park maintains a website for residents to access a rental application, current forms (including the lease and park rules), and information on rent payment. Despite these resources, residents have repeatedly cited poor communication and unresponsiveness from property owners regarding critical maintenance and infrastructure issues.
• **Required Tenant Process:** All purchasers of existing trailers within the park are required to pass credit and criminal background checks and must sign a new lease at the current market rent rate upon approval.

The community's features are primarily defined by its location and its function as an affordable housing option in a resort-adjacent area.

• **Vital Affordable Housing Stock:** Ski Town Village is one of the most significant and largest concentrations of unsubsidized affordable homeownership opportunities in the Gunnison Valley, serving a critical role for the local workforce.
• **Resident-Owned Homes:** The community consists of 52 to 57 homes that are individually owned by the residents, providing a unique form of stable homeownership in a volatile housing market.
• **High-Country Location:** The park is set in a meadow-like environment with views of the surrounding mountains and is located directly on a major state highway, offering excellent regional access.
• **Ongoing Advocacy and Community Strength:** The existence of a highly active and organized homeowners association (ONE) is a major highlight, demonstrating a strong, resilient community dedicated to preserving and improving their living conditions and tenant rights.
• **Immediate Access to Gunnison:** Its location just two miles from the city center ensures that residents have quick and easy access to local jobs, schools, and essential city services.

For official communication regarding lot rent, applications, and general park business, the contact details available are:

• **Address:** 2388 CO-135, Gunnison, CO 81230, USA
• **Phone:** (970) 343-7770

For individuals and families already living and working in the Gunnison Valley, or those seeking entry into one of Colorado’s most scenic mountain areas, the primary reason for considering Ski Town Village has historically been its status as an **affordable housing anchor**. In a region where median home prices are extraordinarily high and rental availability is scarce, owning a mobile home and renting the lot provides an essential, though increasingly challenged, path to housing security.

The key draw is the opportunity for a form of homeownership in the heart of the valley, a short commute from both the city of Gunnison and the job opportunities in Crested Butte. The park is a true community of individuals committed to making their homes work, and the continued, collective effort by the residents to fight for improvements and fair treatment demonstrates a tenacious spirit that is a hallmark of authentic Colorado mountain communities.

However, any prospective resident must be fully aware of the documented and persistent infrastructure challenges, including issues with utilities like water and electricity, and poor road conditions. The choice to live here is often a necessary one, driven by the critical need for housing, and it comes with the understanding that residents must be prepared to advocate for their rights under the Colorado Mobile Home Park Act, as the community's past has shown that property maintenance and responsive management have been significant, ongoing obstacles. The value in choosing Ski Town Village is ultimately the value of securing a home in an otherwise cost-prohibitive region, supported by a strong, organized resident community.

Ski Town Village

2388 CO-135, Gunnison, CO 81230, USA