There’s a spectrum of owner housing-unit uses in Summit County. Owners who live full time, those who visit their property periodically throughout the year and those who primarily make half-year use of their property for the winter ski season or summer recreation and put it in short- or tong-term rental for the balance.

In the latter group, many owners prefer long-term rentals, ideally to repeat renters, to reduce churn on the property and rent to known entities. But six-month tenants aren’t always easy to find, and in any case, six-month rentals don’t work particularly well for workforce housing as renters have no guarantee of finding a suitable rental for the next rental period. This undoubtedly impacts their employment decisions and workforce availability in Summit County.

One possible solution for the seasonal-owners segment is to pair with an owner wanting to rent for the opposite season and provide a hybrid lease to a workforce tenant. The owners would get a long-term, known-entity tenant from year to year, and the workforce tenant, while having to make a move twice a year, has a guarantee of housing going forward in a familiar property.

Perhaps Summit County can facilitate postings and coordination for owners interested in this type of arrangement.