PHOTO: Staff at Habitat Archuleta discuss plans for future workforce housing.
By Ashley Springer
At the September 26, Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) work session, Emily Lashbrooke of the Pagosa Springs Community Development Corporation (PSCDC) and Leah Ballard of Pagosa Springs Habitat for Humanity (Habitat)), thanked the County for what Lashbrooke referred to as the “perfect partnership”. Joint appreciation came in response to the donation of 35 county-owned parcels in the Chris Mountain and Trails neighborhoods, located west of Pagosa Springs.
In July of 2023, the county began auctioning 35 tax lien lots in the Chris Mountain and the Trails neighborhoods. As of September 12, only one bid had matched the minimum reserve amount. At the September 19 regular meeting of the BoCC, the commissioners unanimously decided to donate the 35 remaining parcels to both the PSCDC and Habitat for Humanity for the purpose of constructing workforce housing for the community.
Through a series of grant applications, the PSCDC plans to build 10 homes in 2024, 8 of which already have funding. “My job is to get building costs down by leveraging grants,” Lashbrooke said. While the grant funding “is competitive,” she added, “we look really good right now.”
Leah Ballard added Habitat plans to build three more homes in addition to the three already slated for 2024.
Working together with the Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) Lashbrooke was able to apply for the More Housing Now grant, which addresses regional housing needs and infrastructure improvements. The grant will be awarded by the end of the year with monies available in 2024.
According to the DOLA website, ‘…this initiative helps address the significant demand for local government infrastructure to support affordable housing development.’ While building costs have increased due to inflation, Lashbrooke assured the BoCC by securing a number of grants this would not be a concern.
“I don’t want to see tract housing out there,” Lashbrooke commented. “I would like to see different houses that range in different AMI’s” (Area Median Income).
Commissioner Veronica Medina inquired about request for proposals (RFP’s) and how Lashbrooke intended on finding builders for so many homes.
“We are hoping to have an RFP out by November,” Lashbrooke confirmed. “We would like to work towards having the best impact in the shortest amount of time, and work towards getting these houses built for workforce housing.” Lashbrooke added having several builders would increase the diversity of the homes and added in the past, local builders have been “very interested” in working together for the community.
Commissioner Warren Brown thanked Lashbrooke and Ballard for their hard work and dedication to the workforce housing initiative. “It’s possible you will have built 110 workforce homes for local employees,” he pointed out. “That’s impressive.”
For more information on the PSCDC, visit https://pagosaspringscdc.org/.
For more information about Habitat for Humanity projects, visit https://www.habitatarchuleta.org/.
Ashley Springer is Archuleta County Communications Specialist.