Affordable housing in Colorado is a particularly pertinent issue for Centennial State voters – evident in the passage of Proposition 123, which allocates $300 million and sets a deadline for communities to build more housing by the end of 2026.
Silverton became the first local government to fulfill that promise by adding 10 affordable homes, more than a year ahead of the legislation’s Dec. 31, 2026, deadline.
The town was also awarded an additional $50,000 on Wednesday by the Colorado Department of Local Affairs for having its project in place and verified by the state by the end of 2025.
“Proposition 123 is a commitment to increase your affordable housing supply by 10% in three years,” said Anne Chase, Silverton’s housing coordinator. “Even though it was only 10 units in Silverton, that was a 10% increase from what we had two years ago. And so that feels like a meaningful improvement.”
Silverton – population 724 – has a relatively limited supply of housing. Chase said the lack of places residents could call home was front and center in Silverton’s Master Plan and a 2024 resident survey.
“There was a lot of community buy in and a ton of support for affordable housing,” Chase said. “(There was also) motivation from the town board to put a lot of energy and focus into implementing these plans to build affordable housing.”
Ninety-one other local governments seeking the additional $50,000 bonus have so far met the fast-track requirements, according to the release. But Silverton’s combination of community buy-in and government action – including bringing Chase on as the town’s housing director in 2023 – showed how to successfully implement the housing project.
“Silverton’s success serves as a roadmap for how communities can navigate the entire housing development life cycle,” the release said. “The town utilized a Local Planning Capacity grant through DOLA’s Division of Local Government to hire a dedicated director of housing. This critical early investment provided the leadership needed to manage pre-development work, pursue funding and forge key partnerships.”
Silverton is a statutory town. That means its government structure is limited by state laws, rather than a municipal or home rule charter. Because of that, Chase said role as housing director ‒ in addition to state funding ‒ has been vital to building the Anvil townhomes.
“Having one person dedicated to these efforts has been crucial, especially for a town that doesn't have a sustainable funding source dedicated for affordable housing,” Chase said. “Because we are a statutory town it really limits the tax initiatives and mill levies we get (compared to) other communities around Colorado.”
The release said the Colorado Division of Housing also stepped in with vital construction funding and down payment assistance as the housing began to be built, “ensuring that new houses weren’t just built, but were affordable for current and future residents of Silverton.”
Chase said building more affordable housing anywhere is challenging. However, Silverton’s success shows how projects in which community members and state and local governments collaborate can work.
“It’s really cool to lead the way for the state,” Chase said. “At the same time, I recognize that this is extremely challenging work, and I know that many other communities across Colorado are working hard to get as close as they can to their Proposition 123 commitment.”
Chase said certificates of occupancy for the 10 units are estimated to be obtained March 3. Buyers have signed contracts for four of the houses, with another five up for sale for San Juan County residents who meet the income requirements outlined in the project. Applications are open at silvertonhousingauthority.colorado.gov/projects/anvil-townhomes.
sedmondson@durangoherald.com
