New affordable housing offers resources and support to residents

(COLORADO SPRINGS)– A new apartment complex in Colorado Springs is now open, and people are eager to move in. The Villages at Solid Rock was built by the church next door, Solid Rock Christian Center, with the goal of providing affordable housing to those with low income.

For some people in town, Monday, Sept. 16 was the beginning of moving day. The apartment complex is complete with 77 brand new units, and rent is based on the tenant's income. One of the new residents tells FOX21 she got a three-bedroom, two-bathroom unit for just $1,100 a month and she couldn't believe it.

"I love it. It's a dream come true," said Jetaun Moses, a new resident.

"There's just so many people needing housing right now, especially affordable housing, and it's just so hard to find," added Moses. She told FOX21 that some waitlists for affordable housing can take years.

"With how long their waitlists were, it wasn't very helpful. It was around January when the applications for this place opened up. So, I showed up at 6:00 in the morning, sat out front for an hour, and made sure I was right in the beginning of the line to fill in applications to try to get in here," she said.

Solid Rock Christian Center, the church next door, built the new apartments in hopes of filling a critical need in the community.

"A lot of people ask me, 'well, wait a second, I see apartments going up all over the place, so there's no shortage anymore, right?'" said economic expert Tatiana Bailey. "Well, the problem is a lot of what's been built is super high-end."

Bailey said the average rent in Colorado Springs is more than $1,500 a month, and there is a shortage of around 8,500 houses in the region.

"The average renter in El Paso County makes $21 an hour, but the average renter today needs to make at least $33 an hour," said Bailey. "So you look at these single moms, you look at teachers, you look at firefighters, you look at police officers and so forth. And they can't afford those, those high-end apartments."

Moses said her monthly rent for a two-bedroom two-bathroom apartment will be around $1,200 a month.

"The rent is not really going to change, it's based on my income. So, that has wiggle room and it's a lot more security. So, I mean, we're really excited to be able to make a home here," said Moses.

Moses said the cost isn't even the best part... Solid Rock also offers resources like finance and budgeting classes to help people back on their feet.

The clock is ticking for the new apartments. To apply for one.

"I heard that they help out with Christmas. I heard that they have food pantries, they have clothing pantries, they have goodwill vouchers, all that kind of stuff in case you really need it," she added.

Despite the hassle of moving, she said it feels good to finally be here in 'home sweet home.'

"I mean, the village is a rock, it's very solid. You're [The Village at Solid Rock] my rock," said Moses.