Vail's First Habitat Project Delivers 35 Homes to Local Workers

Aspen —Thirty-five new residents moved into Timber Ridge Village in Vail on Thursday, marking the first time Habitat for Humanity has completed a housing project within the town’s limits. The development represents a structural shift in how affordable housing is delivered in one of Colorado’s most expensive real estate markets.

The project was built through a partnership between Habitat Vail Valley, the town of Vail, Triumph Development, and Housing Eagle County. It is notable for being the first time Habitat has partnered with a free-market developer to construct its units. Under this model, qualified homeowners — those earning up to 80% of the area median income — receive a zero-interest mortgage. Their monthly payments are capped at 30% of their income, a figure that remains fixed regardless of market fluctuations.

For many in the valley, this arrangement addresses a persistent gap between local wages and housing costs. Rosavel Bustamante arrived in Vail in 2013 as a student from Lima, Peru. After graduating, she stayed, working two jobs: one as a pharmacy technician and another part-time at the local Marriott. Despite her employment, she found Vail housing prices unattainable and often relied on friends for help when she could not secure a place to live.

Bustamante is now one of the 35 new homeowners in Timber Ridge Village. She lives on the same road as both her workplaces, a logistical benefit she credits to the project’s location.

“As an immigrant, this is one of the dreams,” Bustamante said during the dedication event. “It gives me more courage to keep working, not only for me but for here, for the valley. This group, Habitat, can make a change in your life... They can make it happen, and I am so thankful (for) everything they have done for me so far.”

The dedication event served as a public acknowledgment of the residents, moving beyond abstract statistics to highlight the individuals behind the units. Caitlin Weiss, Habitat’s director of homeowner services in Vail Valley, noted that these residents are critical members of the community who might otherwise be priced out.

“Oftentimes when we talk about housing … there’s a lot of numbers and statistics, and this is one of the times where we get to meet the faces of who’s being impacted,” Weiss said. “Our homeowners are critical members of the community, and so, it allows them to stay, to continue to serve their community.”

The path to homeownership for these 35 residents involved more than just financial qualification. Each homeowner was required to complete “sweat equity,” a core requirement of the Habitat model where future residents take homeownership classes and help build other homes. Megan Vilece, an Eagle County government employee who qualified in May 2025 after a divorce left her struggling to find housing, spent time covered in drywall dust and paint spatter alongside her future neighbors.

The involvement of Triumph Development as a free-market partner is the key differentiator in this project compared to previous Habitat efforts in Eagle County. Traditionally, nonprofit housing developers often rely on public land or direct government funding for construction. By partnering with a private developer, Habitat leveraged market-rate development expertise while maintaining its below-market pricing structure for the end users.

For neighbors in Vail, the project offers a tangible example of how mixed-income housing can function when public and private sectors align. The 35 new homeowners are now part of the town’s tax base and workforce, stabilizing a community that has seen rapid population turnover in recent years.

Bustamante said the home has energized her to pursue new activities, including running and mountain biking. She views her ownership not just as a personal achievement but as an anchor for her contribution to the local economy.

“They can make it happen, and I am so thankful (for) everything they have done for me so far,” Bustamante said.