Aspen One auctioning trail signs to raise money for mobile homes park purchase

Aspen One is conducting an auction of trail signs from Aspen Snowmass to raise money for the Aspen-Basalt and Mountain Valley mobile home park purchase that has been ongoing for most of the summer. 

Aspen One, in partnership with the Aspen Community Foundation and the Ultimate Pass program, have committed $600,000 toward the local housing purchase. This auction is part of Aspen One’s commitment and has the possibility of pushing Aspen One’s contribution above the committed amount. 

“There are 500 people (at these two parks), and they’re hard-working employees, they’re parents, they’re Longhorn soccer stars, they’re our neighbors,” said Hannah Berman, sustainability and philanthropy senior manager at Aspen One. “They deserve to remain in our community and they deserve to remain in their homes.”

Aspen One initially committed $500,000 towards the resident-owned community project after the two mobile home parks were put up for sale by their owner in March. Since the announcement, a valleywide effort that included Aspen One’s initial $500,000 commitment has raised $16 million for a $20 million dollar purchase (with the help of a loan). 

Several stakeholders who had already made donations increased their donations after the loan issuer revealed that it wouldn’t issue a loan unless a minimum of $16 million was raised by Sept. 5, a goal that was met. Aspen One was among those who increased their contribution, adding $100,000 to their original $500,000 commitment. 

Now, part of the way they hope to fulfill that promise in its entirety is with an Aspen Snowmass trail sign auction, something that occurs occasionally as old signs are retired. 

“From a policy and philanthropy perspective, it’s cheaper and it’s more humane to keep people in affordable housing than build new (housing), so it is important for the community as well as for the stability for these families,” Berman said. “From Aspen to Glenwood, we have governments and philanthropists chipping in, because I think people recognize that these are important people in our community.”

Aspen One is prepared to fill any gap that the auction leaves to get to the $100,000 goal. 

“We have earmarked these signs to help us get to the $600,000 mark,” Berman said. “If we go over, that’s awesome. If it’s under, we are going to fill that gap.” 

The auction, which closes on Sunday, Oct. 5 at 6 p.m., features signs from across Aspen Snowmass, including the Alpine Springs lift sign, the “America’s Downhill” sign, signs directing skiers to the Big Burn lift that retired from service last year, and more. 

All of the proceeds from the auction go directly toward the mobile homes park purchase. 

For more information on the auction and to participate and/or give to the Aspen-Basalt and Mountain Valley mobile home park purchase, go to https://us.givergy.com/trailsignfudraiser/?controller=home.