GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – The six villages that are part of the larger Crans-Montana-Aminona resort area will gives local voters a chance to decide 16 June if they want to put a new tax on second homes that are used less than 75 days a year.

The debate over what to do about “cold beds” or under-used second homes continues in Swiss resorts in the wake of a vote in 2013 to limit the number of vacation homes. The vote was prompted in part by the rapid growth of homes that are little-used, leaving many villages looking unoccupied for large parts of the year.

Crans-Montana area villages banded together last year and met with chalet owners to find a solution to the growing problem of how to maintain costly resort infrastructure. Tax revenues alone are no longer enough, the group said at a press conference Monday.

The solution will have to be sustainable and that, says Intercommunale Commission President Pascal Rey, means “We’re looking to build a partnerhsip between the local population, owners of second homes and visitors to the resort.

Crans-Montana, unlike some resorts that are pushing owners for higher occupancy by insisting they rent out their apartments and chalets for a minimum of 60 to 90 days, has agreed to include the owners’ occupancy (including family) in the required 75 days.

A replacement tax called TROc will be assessed for those who don’t meet occupancy requirements. The rate is CHF20 per m2, so an average-sized chalet of CHF130-150m2 might be taxed CHF2,500-3000 a year and an apartment of 75m2 could see a tax of CHF1,500.