Author: Debbie Kelley
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Debate continues over whether Pride events are ‘family-friendly’ or not
Pride festivals held across the nation every June to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community are known for pushing the edge of societal norms by flaunting the outrageous. Event-goers are likely to encounter counter-cultural outfits, behavior and experiences. The activities typically take place in public parks and on streets and are billed as “family friendly.” That’s causing…
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Crawford House becomes Crawford Apartments, continuing the property’s duty to serve
The Crawford House’s longtime record of service is being reinstated. The property at 415 S. Weber St. – which in the past rotated a total of 2,200 homeless veterans in and out of emergency housing and counseling – has a new assignment. After more than $750,000 in renovations, the building has been transformed into Crawford…
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Colorado Springs programs respond to changing attitudes about addiction, though stigma remains high
While attitudes about addiction to drugs and alcohol are changing to reflect more acceptance and understanding, the industry is not keeping pace with the cultural shift, a recent nationwide study concludes. “The challenge now is that our policies, systems and institutions have not fully caught up with what the public already believes,” Faces & Voices of Recovery’s…
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Sober-living home in Colorado Springs changes model, angering some tenants, incentivizing others
Rumors circulating on social media that a Colorado Springs nonprofit that provides housing for people leaving homelessness and residential programs for addiction recovery is closing are false, its CEO says. Homeward Pikes Peak is shifting to a new model of operation for one of its sober-living facilities but otherwise has no plans to shut down, according to Beth Roalstad, who leads the…
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Homeless population decreased in Colorado Springs in January count
Results released Wednesday from the annual Point-in-Time and Housing Inventory census of the homeless population in El Paso County for the night of Jan. 25 show marked decreases in the numbers this year, demonstrating the community’s wildly fluctuating statistics. Last year’s record high of 1,745 people living on the streets or in temporary housing fell…
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New Christian-based nonprofit retirement campus in Colorado Springs features novel approach
Selecting a place to land in retirement for Meg Burke wasn’t like closing her eyes, spinning around and jabbing a pushpin on a map. After the marine biologist, who spent 20 years working in California and abroad, beached her swim fins, she wanted to live somewhere that she knew she would enjoy and embrace as…
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Colorado Cost of Living: Housing density not just for apartments, as new home styles offer lower prices, creative single-family living
What seem to be scary numbers in the housing industry have prompted action. The median age of a first-time homebuyer hit a record 40 years old nationwide last year, the National Association of Realtors recently reported. That’s two years older than in 2024 and up substantially from 33 years old in 2019. Market analysts cite…
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Both sides of Colorado housing regulations cite similar goals: Keep prices at bay
Those in the home building industry say Colorado’s ongoing legislative changes dealing with home construction add up to a big stumbling block to keeping prices at bay, much less more affordable. Loren J. Moreland, vice president and project manager of Classic Homes, talks about a “complex energy code” at the state level that’s “taken away…
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Three Pikes Peak region affordable housing projects awarded tax credits for construction
Three of the 14 affordable residential developments to receive federal and state housing tax credits from the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority in the agency’s first round of awards this year are being built in the Pikes Peak region. Receiving tax credit approval through the highly competitive selection process signifies hurdling a milestone for affordable…
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Crossroads at Divide to provide affordable apartments
AmericaWest Housing Solutions and Riverstone Platform Partners are building Crossroads at Divide. The development is of the 14 affordable residential developments to receive federal and state housing tax credits from the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority in the agency’s first round of awards this year. The property at Clark Ranch and Lone Ranger roads in…