Aspen One’s creative solution to housing goes live for upcoming season

Aspen One’s Tenants for Turns program, a housing initiative offering incentives to local homeowners in exchange for employee housing, is officially live for the 2026/27 winter season.

Tenants for Turns provides the opportunity for Aspen One employees to rent guest units or spare bedrooms throughout the Roaring Fork Valley with participating landlords, while those opening up their homes receive company perks on the slopes of Aspen Snowmass. Heather Henry, vice president of Housing and Childcare at Aspen One, confirmed to The Aspen Times that there were 191 landlords who rented last season, accounting for 244 employees who were able to find housing through the program. 

“Housing is one of the biggest challenges facing our workforce and our community, and we can’t solve it with any single approach,” Henry said. “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. Programs like this are core to how Aspen One thinks about supporting the people who make this place work.”

The upcoming season’s Tenants for Turns program launched on July 30, and landlords can apply at https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/019f7178a3b67e95a4a94af1e3f77115 through Dec. 4. All winter leases must last for a minimum of 16 consecutive weeks between Oct. 1 and April 30, 2027 — new for the upcoming season, long-term leases can apply and qualify for additional incentives.

While Aspen One does not set rental rates for program participants, their eligibility requirements encourage affordability and applicants can be rejected if pricing is deemed unaffordable. The incentives that are offered as part of the program are aimed at encouraging renting at below market rates, the company’s website states.

“Rent at or above market rates will not be automatically denied, but we may recommend lowering the rent rate to have a higher chance of securing a renter through the program,” the website adds.

Homeowners can choose one incentive from the following:

• Lift ticket vouchers: 10 all-mountain one-day lift ticket vouchers 
• Premier Season Pass: One 2026/27 Aspen Snowmass Premier Season Pass, which includes unlimited 2026/27 winter and 2027 summer sightseeing access in addition to a 2026/27 Uphill Pass (the complimentary Ikon Pass and other benefits are not included with this pass and there is no add-on option, but if one is already a Premier Passholder, the Premier Pass can be allocated to a family member)
• Gift certificate: A $1,700 gift certificate, redeemable at certain Aspen One businesses that include retail or rentals at Four Mountain Sports and Aspen Collection locations, ski and snowboard lessons or any of Aspen Snowmass’ on-mountain dining options 
  • New for 2026/27: Gift certificates issued this season cannot be redeemed at hospitality dining locations (Limelight Lounges, the Little Nell, the Tavern, etc.), but gift cards issued in prior seasons that list hotel dining as redemption locations will still be honored 

For returning landlords who meet eligibility requirements, rent to an eligible Aspen One employee this year and have successfully rented at least one prior year, they will be eligible to receive one additional incentive: 

• Those choosing the Premier Pass will also receive two additional one–day lift ticket vouchers
• Those choosing the 10 lift ticket vouchers option also will receive two additional one–day lift tickets 
• No additional benefit is associated with the gift certificate option

For the long-term lease incentives, eligible leases that are at least 12 months will qualify for an additional incentive per lease, with a limit of two bonus incentives per program year, according to the website.

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Landlords who rent for 25% or lower than the average per bed amount for their geographical area (listed below) will also receive the following per eligible lease in addition to a chosen incentive: 

• Five one–day lift ticket vouchers 
• Aspen One Community Sticker granting set deals on the on-mountain restaurants, like $5 pizza slices, soups, chilis and select alcoholic beverages

The average rents per bedroom within the Tenants for Turns program are as follows:

• Aspen: $1,700 is average, $1,275 is 25% below 
• Snowmass Village: $1,500 is average, $1,125 is 25% below 
• Mid-valley (Old Snowmass to Basalt): $1,200 is average, $900 is 25% below 
• Down-valley (Carbondale to Glenwood Springs): $1,000 is average, $750 is 25% below 

The targeted date for seasonal leases to begin is Oct. 1, with incentives beginning to be issued to landlords with completed applications and approved leases on Nov. 2. No new landlord applications will be accepted after Dec. 4, and the program closes for the season Jan. 1 — meaning all leases must be received before this date, the website confirms.

The Tenants for Turns program acts only as a facilitator in order to connect available rentals with employees, with all rental/lease agreements remaining between the landlord and the tenant. Sublessors are not qualified to participate.

For Aspen One employees who want to view the available rentals, go to app.smartsheet.com/b/publish?EQBCT=1a547d14b1b740a6a257c74f4f52c953. New listings will be posted as they become available.

For questions or concerns regarding this program, contact tenantsforturns@aspen.com or visit aspen.com/careers-tenants-for-turns/.