Man who spent 10 years building treehouse home facing eviction

For the past 10 years, Matthew Franzen has lived in a treehouse he built himself, suspended a shocking 15 metres above the ground.

However, the military veteran could soon lose it all, as Pitkin County has filed a lawsuit against him, threatening to bring down his three-storey home high in the treetops.

Accessed by zipline, the Colorado home has become both his residence and the centrepiece of what he calls a “Treehouse Environmental Living Experiment”, or TELE.

The lawsuit, filed March 12, alleges the home breaches local land-use and building regulations, while Franzen is also facing a separate criminal trespassing case.

County officials argue the treehouse, which sits on a steep hillside above Maroon Creek in the ultra-wealthy enclave of Aspen, was built without any of the building approvals required for a standard residence and poses a severe safety risk.

According to court documents, the county alleges the structure was constructed on private land without permits and remains in violation despite years of discussions aimed at resolving the issue.

An arborist, Frazen says he originally believed the land was public when he began building his unique home around 2016. In reality, the site belongs to Pyramid Ranch LLC, which is a private entity owned by the Crown family, the billionaire owners of the Aspen Skiing Company.

The treehouse was built mostly from reclaimed materials and includes solar power, composting systems and other environmentally friendly features.

Today, it contains bedrooms, a kitchen and living areas nestled among the trees, swaying gently in strong winds.

Supporters have rallied behind Franzen, launching a GoFundMe campaign to help cover legal costs ahead of a trial scheduled for July.

Franzen has “reduced wildfire risk, protected mature trees, restored soil health, lived without utilities to minimise environmental impact, and cost taxpayers nothing” during his time in the home, according to the page.

Campaign organiser Anne-Sophie Lenoir described him as an environmental advocate whose project demonstrated that “another way of living is possible” amid Aspen’s crippling housing affordability crisis.

“More than ten years ago, Matthew lost his rental home after being charged under circumstances he believed were unjust,” the GoFundMe explained.

“With limited resources and few allies, he made a decision that would define the next chapter of his life: instead of disappearing, he chose to stand his ground—peacefully, visibly, and with purpose.”

County lawyer Richard Neiley told The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel that officials had spent years trying to find alternatives, including exploring relocation options for both the treehouse and Franzen.

“We really want to find a positive outcome,” Neiley said.

Aspen real estate agent Gareth Williams weighed in on social media, writing that Franzen’s living arrangement appeared “well thought out” and environmentally responsible.

“He isn’t littering or causing any harm. Yeah, he is living in nature and is probably wired a little differently. It seems like a poor use of taxpayer money going after him. Police time, legal time, court time all without a complaint from the land owner. Is that representing the interests of the public?”

Officials say the matter comes down to applying the same rules to all property owners, but Franzen insists he is not trying to ignore the law.

“I don’t want to break the law,” he told the Aspen Daily News. “I’d like to be able to live within the law.”

If he loses his upcoming court battle, the home he spent the past decade building could be removed from the trees altogether.