Framing for homes being built for the Pagosa Springs Community Development Corporation’s (PSCDC’s) workforce housing project phase one is scheduled to begin this week, according to PSCDC Executive Director Emily Lashbrooke.
Lashbrooke provided the update at the PSCDC regular board meeting held on July 10.
“You’re going to see framers on the job next week,” she stated, explaining that BWD Construction is working with an Amish crew to start framing on all 10 houses at the same time.
Lashbrooke also mentioned that the construction loan has now been funded, explaining the loan closed in June, but did not get funded until July 9.
“So now we are all in a full-court press to get that project up and moving,” She said.
Lashbrooke noted the PSCDC has received 26 applications for the housing drawing, with five who have been approved to go into the drawing.
“I feel pretty optimistic that we’ll move these first 10 houses,” she said.
During the June 10 meeting, the board entered into an executive session to discuss matters related to phase two of the PSCDC’s workforce housing program.
In a later interview, Lashbrooke explained that she has entered into a nondisclosure agreement with an individual regarding a parcel that could impact the PSCDC’s workforce housing project.
She also explained that the PSCDC is now looking to complete all 40 homes as part of the project within three years instead of four.
“I think we’re gonna step up our build,” Lashbrooke said, explaining the PSCDC is now planning on building 15 houses next year and 15 more the following year.
Board vacancies
During the same meeting, the PSCDC Administrative Manager Kathleen McFadden shared that board member Robert Mellon submitted his resignation on July 10.
McFadden also noted that the board has received four applications for the two currently open board seats.
“We’ll be working on filling those seats,” she said, noting the board will need to have discussion on how many board members it would like to have moving forward.
Other news
The PSCDC board also voted unanimously to approve the financial reports for the months of April and May.
Lashbrooke explained there was no revenue received in the month of May.
She also noted that the PSCDC will be getting funding back from BWD Construction that it loaned in order to avoid “going any further into a violation of contract.”
Lashbrooke noted the PSCDC provided payments of $50,000 and $100,000 before the construction loan was funded.
Lashbrooke went on to inform the board that the county’s new broadband carrier-neutral location (CNL) across from the Parelli Ranch on U.S. 160 has received approval and is now up and running.
“The electric has been there, it just couldn’t be turned on until the county cleared the building and that was stuck with the Department of Housing,” she said.
She explained that the approval had to go “all the way to the top of the chain” through the Department of Local Affairs, which was waiting on the Department of Housing (DOH) to decide if the CNL needed a mobile home sticker, with the DOH deciding it did not.
Region 9 Economic Development District Deputy Director Brian Rose also informed the PSCDC board that Region 9 is waiting to hear back from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in regard to a grant to become a bioeconomy development opportunity zone.
Rose explained that this requires the USDA to issue a rating for areas from Pagosa Springs to Cortez for its woody biomass and infrastructure to attract more timber-related businesses to the area.
clayton@pagosasun.com
