Beyond a Dream, CPCH Acquires Land

Crestone Eagle, June 2020

 

 

 

“We got it!” Barbara Hoeppner exclaimed. “We closed the deal.”

 

Ms. Hoeppner is the longest running member of Crestone Peak Community Housing (CPCH); in fact, she was part of an organization with a different name and different membership that for ten years dreamed of building affordable senior housing in Crestone. Today’s reality is four-plus acres east of the Charter School, the deal closed on April 30.

 

CPCH is a local non-profit committed to building Living Wisdom Village, Elders Creating Community. Its board of directors is chaired by Kirsten Schreiber, whose tireless energy has pushed the search for land in the town of Crestone. “Land has been key for this project, and now we have it,” she said. “This is really exciting.” Schreiber recalls the board walking many parcels of land in the town. For one reason or another they were all found to be unsuitable. The town is important since a community survey found that respondents want proximity to amenities and services available in Crestone.

 

Now, with land underfoot, the serious business of finding a housing model and an architect can move forward, as new dreams look to be realized. The hope is to build affordable rental units for up to twenty-four seniors and to build as green and aesthetically distinctive as funding will allow. Funding will come from both non-profits and government sources, and applications are moving forward.

 

The CPCH board wishes to thank the many local and distant donors who contributed to the land purchase. Donations of any amount continue to be needed and welcome, but everyone on the board is full of gratitude for the support the project has already received from the community. Ms. Hoeppner recently accepted a donation from a person who contributed $100 of her stimulus check to Living Wisdom Village. She hopes others feeling the weight of stimulus money in their accounts will consider giving a portion to Crestone’s future.

 

Ms. Schreiber suggested that more than money is needed. The continued goodwill and energetic support of Crestone/Baca neighbors are the hidden wings of Living Wisdom. She and the entire board hope you will keep the projects success in your thoughts and prayers.