The Commons, a new Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) community for Veterans, families, and individuals seeking stable housing, is now open in Colorado Springs. The first phase of The Commons includes 50 one, two, and three-bedroom apartment units for individuals and families experiencing unstable housing and who are in need of clinical services. Sixteen percent of the units will be reserved for Veterans.
The Commons is a partnership between Colorado Springs-based non-profit Homeward Pikes Peak (HPP) and Denver-based affordable housing non-profit Rocky Mountain Communities (RMC). The community is located at 3745 Marion Drive near the Citadel Mall, just one block from public transportation. A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held at the property on April 25 at 1 p.m. At the ceremony, Mayor John Suthers, among others, will speak about the property and its impact on the community.
“The Commons is the first Permanent Supportive Housing community in our area to provide housing and additional support to residents including individuals and families, which is unique,” said Beth Roalstad, executive director of Homeward Pikes Peak. “It was built using Housing First principles and trauma-informed design principles. Our team will provide residents with case management, health care, support groups, substance abuse recovery groups, job skills training and support, recreational and socialization opportunities as well as financial management. These services will not only positively impact our residents but will indirectly prove to be beneficial for the greater community, too.”
The four-story building includes an elevator, a large multi-purpose room, an area for health and fitness, a library, and computer lab. The building was designed with lessons learned from trauma-informed care that will help support residents’ needs for safety while improving lines of sight for staff to ensure the security and safety of residents, staff and visitors. HPP accepts residents with no income or insurance, with criminal histories, evictions and with domestic violence issues. This is the first phase of a two-phase development. Phase two will include an additional 70 units.
“RMC has decades of experience as an affordable housing developer and property manager in Colorado where resident services are an integral component of the community, and we are excited to add The Commons to our management portfolio,” said Dontae Latson, chief executive officer at Rocky Mountain Communities. “Our goal with The Commons as with the nine properties we own and manage, and the additional nine properties we manage for other organizations, is to support residents so they can live fuller, more successful lives.”
The development team for The Commons includes partners Homeward Pikes Peak and Rocky Mountain Communities, and development consultant Dominium, a national for-profit developer of affordable housing, who provided pro bono development services to the project. E+A Architects designed the project and coordinated engineering and consulting services. BeauxSimone Consulting assisted in navigating the complex landscape of state and local regulations related to creating service-enriched housing. Bryan Construction, headquartered in Colorado Springs, was the general contractor.
Construction and permanent financing was provided by ANB Bank. Tax credits awarded by Colorado Housing Finance Authority resulted in financing through Enterprise Housing Credit Investments. Additional funding was provided by Colorado Department of Local Affairs, Colorado Division of Housing for tenant services, the City of Colorado Springs and El Pomar Foundation. The project received a grant through the FHLB Topeka Affordable Housing Program. The Colorado Springs Housing Authority is a special limited partner.
