The Colorado State Housing Board recently awarded $1,287,000 to the Chaffee Housing Authority from the Transformational Affordable Housing Grant Program for Jane’s Place.
According to CHA’s Executive Director, Ashley Kappel, “Securing this grant has been a team effort. I couldn’t have done this without the help and support of Joseph Teipel, Special Projects Manager for the Town of Buena Vista and CHA Board Member.”
This gap funding from the Division of Housing will enable CHA to re-enter negotiations for the project’s financing and construction.
Jane’s Place truly embodies the term “grassroots.” With the initial ideas for the project taking root in late 2019, hundreds of community members have been directly involved in the program design, initial funding, and ultimate physical design of the project.
Jane’s Place arose out of a recognition from a community need in Salida to fill gaps that aren’t being met by traditional affordable housing projects in the area. Based on community feedback, and the vision and heart of the project’s namesake – Jane Whitmer, CHA and the Chaffee County Community Foundation have developed the project that will provide transitional housing for the workforce and families. It will also provide winter shelter for the unhoused and a master lease to Chaffee Hospitality who currently runs those shelters in church basements. Additionally, the project will be home to a social enterprise coffee shop operated by Achieve, Inc. who provides employment to neurodivergent workers as well as a nonprofit development center leased to CCCF.
There has been widespread community support for the project as evidenced by the $2.3M in funding that has been obtained through other grants and community donations, including almost half a million dollars raised from community members alone through CCCF.
The project is shovel ready as CHA has completed site work, entitlements, and required building permits. CHA is ready to go vertical once the financing and updated construction contract have been secured.
