by Matthew Birnie, Gunnison County Manager

If you've followed local housing discussions recently, you've likely heard about three projects that are shaping conversations in the North Valley: Mineral Point, Whetstone Village, and the initial discussions around the proposed Lower Verzuh Ranch development.

Each project serves a different purpose. Each addresses a different segment of our housing need. And importantly, none of them alone can fully solve our housing challenges. As these conversations continue, I believe it's important to clarify where the County's project – Whetstone Village – fits within that broader housing picture.

When Whetstone was first conceived, it was often described as "workforce housing." While that description is accurate, it also doesn't fully capture what the project was designed to accomplish. Whetstone is not a housing development built for a single income category. It is a community-owned housing asset designed to serve local residents across a broad range of incomes, both today and in the future. The County's goal has never been to maximize revenue or target one narrow segment of the market. The goal has been to create a stable housing resource that can evolve alongside the needs of the Gunnison Valley.

That distinction matters. Housing needs change over time, and one of Whetstone's greatest strengths is that the project is publicly owned and operated for community benefit. Public ownership provides a level of flexibility that most private developments – which must deliver returns to equity owners – simply cannot.

Recently, there has been some public discussion suggesting that Whetstone is primarily focused on households earning between 140% and 220% of Area Median Income (AMI). That is simply not accurate.

The deed restrictions governing Whetstone establish maximum allowable rents. They provide flexibility, but they do not dictate what rents the County must charge. From the beginning, the Board of County Commissioners has directed staff to focus on meeting community housing needs at supportable rents while ensuring the project remains financially sustainable and well maintained for generations to come.

The reality is that the majority of Whetstone units will serve households earning between 70% and 120% of AMI. Of the project's 252 units, 201 fall within that range. However, Whetstone was never intended to serve only those income levels. The project also includes units that can accommodate higher-income households depending on market conditions and community needs. In fact, the project's overall operating model centers around an average of approximately 100% AMI. That structure allows for units serving higher income households to help support units serving lower income households, creating a balanced and sustainable housing community that can respond to a variety of needs over time. The goal is not to serve a single income band, but to provide stable rental housing options for local residents across a broad range of incomes.

This flexibility is one of the reasons Whetstone very nicely complements other housing efforts currently underway throughout the valley. The Town of Crested Butte deserves credit for advancing Mineral Point, which is designed to serve households between 30% and 60% of AMI. At the same time, community conversations have begun around the preliminary concept for Lower Verzuh Ranch and how future housing opportunities may help address additional needs at higher income levels. Whetstone slots right between these two projects.

Viewed together, these discussions highlight an important reality: no single project can solve our housing challenges. The data tells us that Gunnison County and the North Valley need housing options at nearly every income level, in a variety of ownership and rental models, both today and into the future.

The Gunnison Valley Housing Needs Assessment identified a need for between 1,300 and 1,550 additional homes by 2029. Whetstone's 252 units represent a meaningful step forward, but substantial unmet demand remains across nearly every income category. Housing challenges of this scale require multiple solutions working together, including new rental housing, attainable homeownership opportunities, and long-term planning efforts that help communities make informed decisions about future growth.

A significant part of this conversation will also occur as Gunnison County and our municipal partners dive into the Gunnison-to-Mt. Crested Butte Comprehensive Corridor Plan during the next 18 months. This project is a community-driven effort that will examine housing, transportation, infrastructure, environmental resources, economic development, and future growth throughout the corridor. That process will provide an important opportunity for residents, businesses, and community stakeholders to help shape how future housing needs are addressed across the valley. Whetstone is one important piece of that conversation, but it is far from the last.

For many local residents, the challenge has never been simply finding housing. It is finding housing that falls between traditional affordable housing programs and the open market. Some residents earn too much to qualify for lower-income housing but still struggle to afford market-rate rents or homeownership. Others may earn more than traditional workforce housing thresholds but still face significant barriers to finding stable housing in the Valley.

As construction at Whetstone progresses and leasing information becomes available in the coming months, residents will begin to see more clearly how Whetstone supports the County's long-term housing strategy, which remains unchanged: provide stable housing opportunities, serve local residents across a broad range of incomes, preserve flexibility for future generations, and strengthen the overall housing ecosystem throughout the Gunnison Valley.

Housing challenges this large require multiple solutions working together. Whetstone is one of those solutions – and a long-term community asset that will continue serving Gunnison Valley residents for decades to come.

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