High Country Haven Community To Build 16 Single Family Homes
Trevor Phipps
For years, Cripple Creek community leaders have warned that the need for more housing has reached a near-crisis level.
As the town expands with more casino and business growth, the current housing available in the southern Teller County region has become sparse. While some developers have started building various projects, state Proposition 123 opened the door for more housing projects that can focus on affordable homes for working class people who want to move to Cripple Creek.
Last year, the High Country Haven project broke ground and started constructing six affordable homes located on the south side of Cripple Creek on Whalen Ave. Three of them have reached a move-in ready stage, with a total of 16 slated to be finished by next year.
The homes are priced below the average cost in the area. And, with up to $75,000 assistance for those who qualify, prospective homeowners can move in with a down payment of as little as $2,000 for those who qualify. The end price for a single-level three- bedroom, two-bathroom home ends up at approximately $282,000, with the assistance provided by the Colorado State Affordable Housing Fund. This fund was created in 2022 by the passage of Proposition 123
The project came to fruition through a partnership among many entities, including Ground Floor Holdings, Timberwolf Construction, the city of Cripple Creek, the Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA), Elevation Community Land Trust, and Gold Camp Housing Partners. Steve Marmel (who heads Ground Floor Holdings) serves as the lead developer on the project. For some time, he rallied around the idea of creating more affordable housing, as the city has a special place in his heart.
Marmel is a seasoned television animation producer and writer who has worked on television shows like Family Guy and Johnny Bravo. He along with his wife, Colorado Springs native Judi, has shared their time between Los Angeles and Woodland Park for the past 30 years.
Marmel first met U.S. Army Special Forces Veteran Patrick Vitagliano when he decided to add a tree house-style home office to his house in Woodland Park. The two got along so well that they decided to build a house together in Colorado Springs.
“For me it was like, if we can get through this and stay friends, let’s do a development. If we can’t stay friends let’s not,” Marmel said. “We stayed friends and then we came to Cripple Creek.
Marmel and his partners picked Cripple Creek for their first collaborative development because they saw a need for this type of project. Plus, Marmel has always loved the town.
“Judi and I were here almost 30 years ago on one of our first dates,” Marmel said. “She was booking comedy here and I went with her on a date and that was the start of it almost 30 years ago.”
Cripple Creek Mayor Applauds Affordable Housing Efforts
The need for more housing, and especially affordable dwellings in Cripple Creek, is a goal that community leaders have struggled with for years. According to Cripple Creek Mayor Annie Durham, the casino worker community in the town has experienced a high turnover due to a lack of affordable housing inventory in the area. Moreover, through her work with the local school district, she has seen first-hand how families had to leave when their rent goes up after their lease expires.
Despite the desperate need cited for affordable housing, the solution to the problem posed many funding hurdles. But once Proposition 123 was passed by Colorado voters, it opened up more avenues the city and local nonprofits could explore to help provide affordable homes.
She admitted that a number of obstacles were involved since the Colorado State Affordable Housing Fund and the Gold Camp Housing Partners are rather new. But through the efforts of the partners, they were able to complete the first affordable housing project in the city created by Prop. 123. Durham also serves as a board member for the Gold Camp Housing Partners.
“I told people when I ran for mayor that I want Cripple Creek to be somewhere I want to live 30 years from now,” Durham said.
“And without creating housing opportunities for families and even single people where they can be happy, you can’t have a healthy community. And so, I think really the overarching priority for me with these affordable housing projects is to create a healthier community and I think this is a great first step in moving toward that direction.”
Durham praised Marmel for his love for Cripple Creek, noting that’s what it takes to dive feet first into the city’s first major affordable housing project. But to Marmel, the project hasn’t really been too much different from what he has experienced working in Hollywood.
“Budget constraints, production deadlines, talented partners, constant collaboration… it’s surprisingly similar,” Marmel said. “We’re still making something families will hopefully love; the only difference is the product. And instead of reporting to Disney, I report to the state of Colorado… and my wife.”
For those interested in purchasing one of the High Country Haven Homes, they are advised to fill out the form on the project’s website at highcountryhaven.net.
