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& Plains Libraries. e Pine Ridge Apartments are not income-restricted and are available to all.

e site development plan was approved in 2019 by the Town of Elizabeth Board of Trustees. Construction of the rst two buildings, consisting of 32 units total, is anticipated to be nished and available early spring 2023.

e project developers have submitted an application to the Town of Elizabeth seeking to add an additional 16 garden-level units. e developers are seeking the increase due to high demand for housing in and around Elizabeth. ey hope that the garden-level units will create more options for people needing accessibility (including seniors).

Elizabeth resident Patsy Moore Weskamp is looking for housing options for her aging mother. She thinks apartment living will t their family’s needs. In a phone interview from Feb. 6, Weskamp expressed the desire to have her mother move into the Pine Ridge Apartments to be closer to family and to save on general living costs.

“I’m solely responsible for my mother and it would be nice to have her close by in case of an emergency,” commented Weskamp. “She can spend more time with her granddaughter who is in rst grade here in Elizabeth.”

For Weskamp, paying to house her mother has become una ordable. Currently, Weskamp’s mother lives at Morning Star Senior Living in Parker and pays $4,900 per month for her 750-square-foot apartment.

“We’ve looked into options as far as building on our property, but that is also prohibitively expensive,” said Weskamp. “Having options is important to the people of Elizabeth. For both the demographic of people moving into the area and for longtime residents looking to downsize and retire.” ough not designated senior housing, the Pine Ridge Apartments will serve some of Elbert County’s retired population.

“It is interesting to note that the population of residents over 55 years or older has more than doubled since 2000 in Elbert County. Over 1,000 non-workforce households (retired/seniors) will need to be added to the housing inventory over the next 10 years and 57% of those will be single person households,” explained Dettenrieder. “It is clear that alternative type and price housing options are needed in the county to meet demand.”

“While we expected this project would serve seniors in the area, I was still surprised at how many phone calls I received from seniors in need of this type of housing,” commented Grace Erickson of Providence Consulting LLC in a phone interview from Feb. 3. “I think it’s wonderful that there will soon be a rentable product in Elbert County to serve the needs of these folks and others.” e public hearings with the Town of Elizabeth for the approval of the 16 additional garden-level units are scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 21 (Planning Commission) and 7 p.m. on March 14 (Board of Trustees). Both hearings are at the Town Hall located at 151 S. Banner St. in Elizabeth.

“ e additional proposed units are needed to make the project more economically feasible and lower the cost of monthly rent as to keep the rents at or near market,” said Grace Erickson of Providence Consulting LLC, development consultant for Pine Ridge. “ e additional units will also help to meet some of the demand from residents in need of rentable housing which has been exponential in regard to this development.” e Pine Ridge Apartments website is under construction but will be updated soon. It can be found at liveatpineridge.com.

To view the 2022 Elbert County Housing Needs Assessment, visit tinyurl.com/ECHNA2022.

To read the referenced Colorado Sun article on the fastest growing and shrinking counties in Colorado, visit tinyurl.com/CSunShrink.

To learn more about plans for Elbert County’s future economic development, visit elbertcountyworks. com.

Questions on Pine Ridge Apartments can be directed to Providence Consulting LLC at 719-207-2995.

Holiday o ce closure

Douglas County offices will be closed Monday, Feb. 20, 2023. Many services are available at DoItOnlineDouglas.com

Does your child need a mental health checkup?

Help is available at ImatterColorado.org. Take a brief assessment to find out if your child is eligible for free counseling. For additional resources in and around Douglas County, visit douglas.co.us and search Mental Health Resources

If you need immediate support, call Colorado Crisis Services at 1.844.493.TALK(8255) or text TALK to 38255. If you are experiencing a life-threatening emergency, call 911.

Nominate a special teenager for a 2023 Youth Initiative Award

Do you know a Douglas County teenager, between the ages of 13 and 19, who has overcome adversity and created positive change in their lives, as well as the lives of others? Nominate them for a 2023 Douglas County Outstanding Youth Award by March 3. Visit douglas.co.us and search Youth Awards

What’s happening with your County government?

Our commitment to open and transparent government includes online posting of information about public meetings at which the business of government is conducted. To view public meeting agendas, participate in-person or remotely, or watch select meetings via live stream, visit douglas.co.us and search for Business Meetings / Public Hearings.