MANITOU SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — Even on a cold, snowy weekday, the stores along Manitou Ave. are filled with folks like Joann and her dog, Cody.
"He adopted us," Joann said. "Manitou is a very dog friendly community."
Joann works in town. She and Cody moved to Manitou recently, saying the increased cost of living played a role in that decision.
"I moved closer to work for me, so I could walk, so I don't have that expense," she added.
Just down the road from her current home, there could soon be a new living option for Joann and others looking to live in the city. Developers are proposing a 43-unit affordable multifamily housing development.
The development would be built on top of where the La Fun Motel used to be. According to Pikes Peak Housing Network, it would be the first multifamily development constructed in the city in more than a half century.
Paragon, the development team, applied this project for a Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) through the Colorado Housing Finance Authority (CHFA). If CHFA determines the project qualifies for this credit, developers will then take their proposal to the Manitou's Urban Planning Commission.
Manitou Springs Mayor John Graham voiced his support for this multifamily housing development, saying that it would help congestion by bringing commuters closer to their work.
"It's within our allowed density requirements," Mayor Graham said. "Some of our shops and restaurants have trouble keeping people because if they have to drive to Manitou and park, that becomes an issue."
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