Inclusionary Housing and Linkage Fee Feasibility Study
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The City of Steamboat Springs is studying the feasibility of two market-based housing mitigation tools: Inclusionary Housing and Linkage Fees. The city’s Housing Strategy and Action Plan notes exploration of both tools as a priority action.
Expand and Leverage Resources The Housing Strategy notes that Steamboat Springs voters have approved critical resources to increase the supply of affordable and workforce housing in recent years (YVHA mill levy, 2017 and Short-Term Rental Tax, 2022), but the growing gap between housing costs and what local residents can afford, requires focused actions to increase and diversify the city’s funding sources to respond to the community’s affordable housing needs. Other efforts to expand and leverage resources include maintaining the community’s eligibility to seek financial support from the State Affordable Housing Fund and leveraging land assets that can be used for affordable housing.
Inclusionary Housing and Linkage Fee Feasibility Market feasibility is a critical component of market-driven policy initiatives, such as inclusionary policies and linkage fees. Such programs leverage new market-rate development to create affordable units that meet the community’s needs. Without the creation of new market-rate housing and/or commercial space, the inclusionary and/or linkage programs won’t create any new affordable units (or funds for affordable development).
The project will include case studies of other high-cost mountain communities and their approaches to similar tools. The project will also be informed by an analysis designed to link the jobs created by various types of development (residential, hotel, commercial, etc.) to need for affordable housing created by the jobs generated. The study will also assess the potential impacts of new housing mitigation fees on the financial feasibility of development.
In March 2026, City Council directed the project team to move forward with a Linkage Program (opting to suspend further development of an Inclusionary Housing Ordinance).
Project Timeline An economic and financial consulting firm, Economic & Planning Systems (EPS), was hired to assist the City with the feasibility study. The project was initiated in May 2025. City Council received two project updates in 2025 and will further consider policy options and steps to implement and administer the new programs in 2026.
Based on City Council direction provided in March 2026, the project team will develop new Linkage Fee-related code and policy language for Council consideration in Q2 2026.
The City of Steamboat Springs is studying the feasibility of two market-based housing mitigation tools: Inclusionary Housing and Linkage Fees. The city’s Housing Strategy and Action Plan notes exploration of both tools as a priority action.
Expand and Leverage Resources The Housing Strategy notes that Steamboat Springs voters have approved critical resources to increase the supply of affordable and workforce housing in recent years (YVHA mill levy, 2017 and Short-Term Rental Tax, 2022), but the growing gap between housing costs and what local residents can afford, requires focused actions to increase and diversify the city’s funding sources to respond to the community’s affordable housing needs. Other efforts to expand and leverage resources include maintaining the community’s eligibility to seek financial support from the State Affordable Housing Fund and leveraging land assets that can be used for affordable housing.
Inclusionary Housing and Linkage Fee Feasibility Market feasibility is a critical component of market-driven policy initiatives, such as inclusionary policies and linkage fees. Such programs leverage new market-rate development to create affordable units that meet the community’s needs. Without the creation of new market-rate housing and/or commercial space, the inclusionary and/or linkage programs won’t create any new affordable units (or funds for affordable development).
The project will include case studies of other high-cost mountain communities and their approaches to similar tools. The project will also be informed by an analysis designed to link the jobs created by various types of development (residential, hotel, commercial, etc.) to need for affordable housing created by the jobs generated. The study will also assess the potential impacts of new housing mitigation fees on the financial feasibility of development.
In March 2026, City Council directed the project team to move forward with a Linkage Program (opting to suspend further development of an Inclusionary Housing Ordinance).
Project Timeline An economic and financial consulting firm, Economic & Planning Systems (EPS), was hired to assist the City with the feasibility study. The project was initiated in May 2025. City Council received two project updates in 2025 and will further consider policy options and steps to implement and administer the new programs in 2026.
Based on City Council direction provided in March 2026, the project team will develop new Linkage Fee-related code and policy language for Council consideration in Q2 2026.
