FAQs

While conducting the biennial review of the Guidelines in 2022-2023, the Telluride Housing Authority Subcommittee determined it would be desirable to have a similar central document to help guide staff, tenants, and prospective tenants as to the rules for qualification for living in Town Constructed Rental Units and how these properties will be managed.

During the initial data and compliance presentation on November 1, 2023, it was established that 57% of renters in Town-owned rental units were out of compliance. At the February 7, 2024, THA Subcommittee meeting, the Subcommittee voiced that they would not like to see anyone lose their lease due to income and would like to explore the removal of income caps on affordable rental housing for renewals. 

The Telluride Housing Authority will review existing procedures and discuss required presence, net asset limitations, property ownership restrictions, income tiers and maximums, roommate, waitlist policies, and more. 

The following questions were posed to the THA Subcommittee with corresponding answers before the review was commuted to the full THA Board.

• What should the name of this document be? Guidelines, Policies, Standards? Affordable Rental Housing Employee Rental Housing, or Workforce Rental Housing?
  • A: Employee Rental Policies to avoid confusion with the ownership Guidelines and highlight the prioritization of local employee
• Who do you want to house across the Town’s rental projects? What are the target households or employees for these units?
  • A: The goal is to house those with continued employment in Town or with a substantial employment history (Qualified Retired or Qualified Disabled) and not community housing for all.
• Should the Rental Policies be more strict, less strict, or consistent with the Telluride Affordable Housing Guidelines Qualification Standards for unit ownership and occupancy?
  • A: Just as strict as the ownership standards or more strict as appropriate.
• Should these Policies be organized by Project? Other formatting suggestions for the document?
  • A: To be decided when drafting.
• Should there be an income cap for renewals?
  • A: Yes
• If implementing subsidy tiers, what should the tiers be, how many tiers should there be, and how should they be distributed across projects? Should tiers be applied across projects or within projects?
  • A: This will be discussed further upon the presentation of additional data.
• Is there a desire to implement a property ownership standard?
  • A: Yes, for the four-county region, it is similar to the guidelines. Further discussion about relaxing these criteria for the Boardinghouse will occur.
• What should the local employment hours requirement be for each property?
  • A: 1400 for all properties, up from 1000 at Shandoka only.
• Should there be an earned income standard?
  • A: Yes, it is set at 75%, which is stricter than the Guidelines, which require 75% but allows for 65% by Exception.
• Should there be a net asset limitation for rental housing?
  • A: Yes, details are to be discussed after determining subsidy tiers.
• Which properties should have a local work history requirement, and which ones should allow anyone with an intent to work to rent a unit?
• Are there any other topics you wish to see addressed that are not already included in the above chart or the current rental policies?
• Is the staff-proposed timeline reasonable and attainable?