Crestone Peak Community Housing

Although lack of affordable housing, particularly for seniors, is a state-wide issue, it has reached emergency proportions in the rural San Luis Valley. Seniors who have called the small town of Crestone home for many years can no longer afford to live in the community they love. Crestone Peak Community Housing (CPCH) created Living Wisdom Village (LWV), which acknowledges the vital importance of providing seniors with a community where they can live with dignity, regardless of their financial capabilities, while retaining their independence as long as possible. LWV residents will have the opportunity to not only survive, but to thrive, as they encounter the challenges of the aging process. 

LWV will be a village of 20 studio, one-and two-bedroom rental homes, where seniors 55+ will live safely among supportive and helpful neighbors, within walking distance of downtown Crestone. A community center and garden will support social interaction and combat isolation with on-site activities including communal meals, fitness and wellness programs, computer and TV space, and a dedicated room for arts and crafts. LWV will provide seniors with the opportunity to live active and engaged lives, ensuring they are visible and valued in the Crestone community.

CPCH was awarded a $4.5M grant in April 2023, which completed the funding necessary to build LWV. However, the contractor of the modular housing units went out of business and another contractor was chosen to build the village. This change has required new architectural and engineered drawings, different materials and building methods, and an adjusted time frame for completion. In the meantime, material and labor costs have risen and the initial budget is no longer adequate. LWV has a fund-raising goal of $100,000 to cover these increased costs so construction can begin in Spring, 2024. 

Testimonials

“It was shocking and terrifying to learn I couldn’t afford to live in Crestone anymore, the town I grew up in…. My mental health was in jeopardy… My fear is being homeless. It would be a great settling of the heart to be in LWV and be part of creating a community.”