Aspen One Launches Tenants for Turns Program for 2026/27 Winter

Aspen —“Housing is one of the biggest challenges facing our workforce and our community, and we can’t solve it with any single approach,” Heather Henry, vice president of Housing and Childcare at Aspen One, told The Aspen Times. “Tenants for Turns is a creative way to unlock housing that already exists in the valley — and six years in, it’s proof that when we make it easier for locals to house locals, everyone wins.”

That sentiment is now official. The program, which incentivizes local homeowners to rent out guest units or spare bedrooms to Aspen One employees in exchange for perks on the slopes of Aspen Snowmass, is officially live for the 2026/27 winter season. It launched on July 30, and while the application window for landlords closes on December 4, the ripple effects of this housing strategy are already being felt in the Roaring Fork Valley’s tight rental market.

The numbers tell a story of modest but meaningful integration. Last season, 191 landlords participated, providing housing for 244 employees. It’s not a wholesale solution to the valley’s affordability crisis, but it is a tangible mechanism for keeping ski instructors, hotel staff, and service workers within commuting distance of their jobs. You can feel the pragmatism in the structure: homeowners open up a spare room or a guest house, and in return, they get something of value that ties them to the local economy and the mountain itself.

The incentives are specific, tangible, and designed to encourage below-market rents. Landlords can choose from lift ticket vouchers, a gift certificate, or a Premier Season Pass. The lift ticket option offers 10 all-mountain one-day vouchers. The gift certificate is worth $1,700 and can be redeemed at businesses like Four Mountain Sports, Aspen Collection locations, and on-mountain dining spots. The Premier Season Pass provides unlimited winter and summer sightseeing access, plus an Uphill Pass, though it excludes the complimentary Ikon Pass.

There’s a nuance to the financials that matters to anyone who has tried to rent a room in Aspen. Aspen One doesn’t set a fixed rental rate, but they do enforce affordability. If a landlord prices their unit too high, they risk rejection. The company’s website notes that while rent at or above market rates won’t be automatically denied, applicants may be recommended to lower their rent rate to secure a tenant through the program. It’s a gentle nudge toward affordability, wrapped in the language of partnership.

New for this season, long-term leases can qualify for additional incentives, a shift that suggests the company is looking beyond the typical short-term winter stay. All winter leases must last for a minimum of 16 consecutive weeks between October 1 and April 30, 2027. This stability is crucial for employees who need more than just a weekend bed to call home.

The incentives also come with restrictions that reflect the current economic landscape. Gift certificates issued this season cannot be redeemed at hospitality dining locations like Limelight Lounges, the Little Nell, or the Tavern. This distinction matters because it keeps the value within the broader Aspen One ecosystem rather than bleeding out to independent operators or higher-end establishments that might not be part of the same corporate umbrella.

If you look closely at the logistics, you see a community trying to stitch itself back together through shared space. A homeowner in Basalt or Snowmass Village opens their guest house to a server from the Hotel Jerome, and in return, they get a season pass that lets them watch the light change on the mountains without having to ski. It’s a transaction of convenience and community, bound by a contract that requires a minimum of 16 weeks.

The application process is straightforward, hosted on a SmartSheet form, but the implications are complex. It’s an example of how housing isn’t just about building new units; it’s about utilizing the space we already have, efficiently and fairly. The program is a testament to the idea that housing isn’t just about building new units; it’s about utilizing the space we already have, efficiently and fairly.

As the winter season approaches, the valley will be watching to see if the 191 landlords from last year return, or if new faces will step forward to offer their spare rooms. The incentives are there, the rules are set, and the housing is waiting. It’s a quiet revolution, happening one guest room at a time, with the sound of skis on snow as the backdrop.