ALAMOSA — The City of Alamosa has been awarded a grant of more than $2 million to be used in the construction of a housing development that will include 20 stand-alone units on Airport Road where it intersects with Old Sanford Road on the southern end of the city.  

According to Heather Brooks, city manager, four of the units will be two-bedroom houses, 15 will be one-bedroom houses, and the remaining unit will be for laundry facilities. 

Once the project is completed, the city will lease the land to San Luis Valley Housing Coalition (SLVHC) which will be responsible for maintaining and managing the property to include a property manager living in one of the two-bedroom houses onsite. 

The grant is for $2,338,914, including a 5% match, and was awarded by the Colorado Behavioral Health Administration, using funds the state received as part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).  

Initially, that 5% match equaled $123,100, which the city planned to meet by providing a part of the water and sewer infrastructure for the project. But, as a result of a "tight deadline" and only rough estimates available for the project at the time of submission plus the inadvertent omission of "a few key items" — such as landscaping, fencing, and security cameras — the total amount of the city's commitment was $368,739, roughly $250,000 more than what was planned. That commitment will be met by the city providing all of the infrastructure for water and sewer.  

When asked if that three-fold increase will impact other projects the city has planned, Brooks says they hope to find ways to reduce the cost. But, regardless, she says the additional expenditure won't impact other projects as ARPA funds have been used to help reduce costs in other enterprise projects. 

The project is a bold move for the city that has already committed itself to tackling the housing shortage and its negative effects that ripple throughout the community. Ordinances have been passed to limit the number of short-term rentals. St. Benedict's camp was created so people could sleep, providing the legal framework to prohibit sleeping on sidewalks or in parks. And at least one significant collaboration has taken place with a developer who plans to build a 43-acre, 400-unit housing development in the city. 

But, unlike existing efforts to increase access to affordable housing based solely on income, the Airport Road project factors in a broader range of needs and circumstances than income alone.   

Like other properties, there will be a limit to how much a person can earn and still be eligible to rent. In this case, a single person must earn less than 80% of Area Median Income. For a single person in Alamosa, that equals $46,050.  

But unlike other properties, when reviewing applications to rent a house at Airport Road, the focus will be on people exiting homelessness, the justice system, or foster care system, to name a few. 

"The target market for this project is not those who qualify for other housing offerings," says Dawn Melgares, Executive Director of SLVHC, "but to support those who have fallen through the gap of what our current market offers." 

"Alamosa and the Valley…are experiencing a housing crisis that impacts almost all income levels, including the lowest housing entry point," Brooks says. "With no supply of housing, someone who has been homeless - thus does not have a solid rental history — or someone with a criminal background stands next to zero chance of finding housing."  

Although details are not yet known, tenants will be required to pay rent, with the expectation that "different types of vouchers" will be used.  

But the Airport Road project also includes services Brooks and Melgares view as crucial to the overall success of the people who live there. Those services were also part of the reason why, where and for whom the homes were built.   

Included in the grant is an agreement with SLV Behavioral Health Group (SLVBHG) to provide intensive case management and wraparound services to people living in the homes. Wraparound services refer to a comprehensive process put in place to address a serious mental health or behavioral challenge a person may be experiencing. 

Of the $2.3 million grant, SLVBHG will receive $53,842 to pay for a case manager, supplies, and mileage up to Dec. 24, 2024. When asked what services the case manager will provide, Kate Jack with SLVBHG listed case management, transportation, vocational and psychosocial education, referrals, and connections to other community resources.  

When it was noted that there was no mention of more direct services — such as substance abuse counseling or treatment for mental health issues — Jack added, "Based on need, staff will also provide referral and coordination to-with clinical assessment and evaluation, individual treatment, group treatment, psychiatric services, Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) and medication management.  

"Staff in this program will be assessing and working with clients to address any social determinants to care. Staff will assist clients with these barriers by helping clients with accessing resources." 

To both Brooks and Melgares, housing and access to services are closely interrelated and necessary for successful, long-term outcomes. 

"The only way for someone who has a mental health disorder or substance use disorder to stand any chance of recovery is if they have housing," Brooks says. 

Accessing those services will be highly encouraged, but participation is not required. When asked if that was for legal reasons or a local decision, Brooks responded, "We cannot legally force people to utilize services.  The key is getting the right case manager who can build a relationship and trust."  

A shortage of housing is rarely viewed as a controversial issue. But taking steps to mitigate homelessness has sparked intense debates — and, sometimes, measures that seem drastic — in communities across the state.  

Likewise, the topic of homelessness in Alamosa has not been without strong feelings expressed on both sides. When asked how they would respond to the opposition that might surface once more people learn of the project, Brooks — who is often tasked with responding — wrote, "The city recognizes that this type of housing is not the regular type of affordable housing that is being constructed across town. Affordable housing currently being planned…covers a majority of our professions in our community. This is housing that will focus on trying to get individuals out of homelessness.     

"If people cannot find housing, it destabilizes their entire lives. If their lives are destabilized, they are at risk of mental health issues, substance use disorders, justice system involvement, etc. If they don't have housing, it is hard to maintain a job. There is a cumulative negative effect on our community when people cannot find housing. If we do not do anything, we have residents who become more vulnerable and who are in pain. The ‘risk’ is if we do nothing." 

The idea for the Airport Road housing project first originated in Alamosa's Housing Coalition in early 2022 and was subsequently brought up at a city council retreat and three different meetings, including staff comments provided by Brooks at the end of each regularly scheduled city council meeting.