Durango School District is pursuing additional low-cost workforce housing for its staff.
Chris Coleman, the district’s chief operations officer, presented three possible development options during a Board of Education work session Tuesday at Park Elementary School: one in Three Springs, another in the Twin Buttes area and another near Springhill.
This is not the first time the district has dipped its toes into acquiring low-cost workforce housing.
The district purchased 35 apartment units in Lightner Creek in September, which will be available for move-in for district staff members as soon as this summer. As of Tuesday, the district had received more than 30 applications from hopeful Lightner Creek Apartment tenants, Coleman said, which exceeded the district’s expectations.
The Three Springs option, which would cost the district $2.65 million for a total of five townhome units (two and three bedrooms), and could be move-in ready by the district’s July 1 move-in timeline, generated the most interest among the five-member board.
Board members Andrea Parmenter, Erika Brown, Rick Petersen and Kristin Smith were joined for the first time at the work session by newly appointed District D representative Grace Morledge.
The Three Springs development, called the Buena Vida Townhomes, is headed up by development company Landy Swaab and would offer tenants garages and yards – amenities district staff members expressed interest in but were not available at the Lightner Creek units.
The Twin Buttes option, presented by Tributary Development and Elevation Community Land Trust, would offer the district 13 assorted duplex and townhome units (one, two and three bedrooms) for $5.4 million or eight units for $3.4 million at 271 Twin Buttes Ave. The development would take longer to be completed, and would likely be move-in ready by late summer or early fall 2027.
The third option, presented by Durango-based company Reynolds Ash + Associates, would offer the district 17 townhome units (two and three bedrooms) at 1720 Florida Road. The development would cost the district $8.3 million, or $8 million if purchased immediately.
Coleman said the district has about $8 million in the budget for additional workforce housing after the Lightner Creek Apartments purchase.
All staff members in the district can apply for a spot in the workforce units, but renters can only remain in district-supplied housing for five years, Coleman said.
Board secretary Andrea Parmenter described the workforce units as temporary “get-on-your-feet” housing.
Board members said the Three Springs option was most ideal because of its quick move-in timeline, its diverse unit offerings, its proximity to the new Three Springs Elementary School build, its inclusion of family and pet-friendly amenities like garages and fenced-in yards, and its ability to act as a practical way to test demand before possibly making a larger commitment in terms of total number of units.
Board members also liked the cost of the Three Springs option.
Members noted that though the cost per unit – around $530,000 – is high in relation to the roughly $300,000 per unit for Lightner Creek, it would still fall below average Durango market standards for the area.
Because the purchase would be funded with bond money, there would be no mortgage to carry, making the primary risk modest operating costs rather than potential debt.
The units could also be sold in the future if necessary, so long as the profit was spent in alignment with ballot language and bond regulations.
Per-unit rental costs for district staff at the three possible developments have been roughly estimated, Coleman said, but official numbers are not yet available.
No official decisions were made at the Tuesday work session. Board members will continue discussing the options presented and approach a possible motion or decision at the board’s regular meeting at 5:30 p.m. March 24 at the Impact Career Innovation Center.
epond@durangoherald.com
