The Mancos school district announced Wednesday that it has completed a conceptual plan for affordable housing for employees as part of an initiative to recruit and retain teachers.
In spring 2022, Superintendent Todd Cordrey was asked to “develop a report with strategies for staff retention and recruitment” by the Mancos school board. One of the biggest issues noted in the report was the lack of affordable housing for district employees. Soon, a committee was formed.
The committee, according to Mancos Matters, included town planner Jason Armstrong, board vice president Tim Hunter, Cordrey and other staff members.
Since then, the topic of affordable housing has been a topic of discussion in multiple Board of Education meetings. The district evaluated a site that could be used for housing in front of the district’s bus barn, and Phase I and II environmental assessments have been completed, the district said.
“At Mancos School District, we believe that every great education begins with great teachers. By investing in quality housing for our educators through this CHFA-funded initiative, we’re ensuring that they have the stability and support needed to inspire our students and lead our community forward,” Cordrey told The Journal.
Funding was also secured through the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority’s Small Scale Housing Affordability Initiative program. The Mancos school district was selected as one out of two projects for the program out of nearly 60 projects. With this funding, the district has been able to develop a “conceptual plan” for the housing project.
“This program provides a 2.5% first mortgage and a 0% second mortgage, ensuring the project generates positive cash flow from day one. The school district’s investment in this initiative would be $350,000 from reserves,” the district said. “It is important to note that district reserves cannot be used for ongoing expenses, such as salary schedules, making this an innovative approach to maximizing district assets.”
The project’s goals include recruitment and retention of staff, as well as workforce housing for parents. While employees will be prioritized, there will also be an option for community parents in need of housing “to help support student enrollment.”
Along with the goals, the district noted that projected outcomes include increased teacher retention and recruitment, addressing the community’s housing shortage, entrusting student enrollment stability, generating a positive cash flow for the district and projections for financial growth, building a long-term asset for the district and reducing the community’s financial strain and demonstrating responsible financial stewardship.
The housing project will also go hand in hand with Mancos’s project-based learning, as students in the district’s construction class will be contracted to help build eight sheds. This will allocate $30,000 in funding for the construction class and for “further innovative projects.”
“This CHFA-funded housing project is more than just rental units,” Cordrey said. “It’s an investment in our teachers, our students and our community. We’re dedicated to doing whatever it takes to create a thriving educational environment in Mancos.”
Details about the housing initiative can be found online at www.mancoscolorado.com/housing#occdrw.
Questions may be directed to Cordrey via email at tcordrey@mancosre6.edu or at (720) 322-5470.
