Summit County officials are set to open a lottery application for a new workforce housing development near Breckenridge next week. 

The Larkspur, a 52-unit rental complex located near the Summit County Justice Center building on Airport Road, is a joint project between the county government and the town of Breckenridge that broke ground roughly one year ago. A first-of-its-kind approach to housing in the county, the units were constructed off-site in a Buena Vista factory before being assembled near Breckenridge. 

“We’re continuing to try and open up and create housing as fast as we can,” said Summit County Housing Director Jason Dietz. “It can be a slow process … but we continue to push forward and work on it.” 

The project’s departure from more traditional building methods, wherein construction happens on-site and from the ground up, has saved both time and money. According to Dietz, the apartments will be ready for residents about a year earlier than other projects.

On Jan. 19, Breckenridge plans to make the lottery live on the project’s website, representing the first phase in a multipart application process. A link for the lottery will be made live online at TownofBreckHousing.com/Justice-Center. The lottery application will close on Feb. 2, and a drawing will determine the order for who can then apply for a unit. 

At just over 50 apartments, “We’re obviously going to have more demand than supply,” said Breckenridge housing and childcare planning manager Laurie Best, adding that nearly 500 people have shown interest in the project so far. 

Still, Best said she doesn’t want applicants to be discouraged. There are several factors to consider when it comes to the chances of securing a spot. 

The first is to know if you’re eligible for the property or not. All 52 units will be limited to applicants who work at least 30 hours per week for an employer in Summit County, though they do not need to be current county residents. This gives some flexibility to applicants who may be moving to the county for work and need housing, Best said. 

Half the units will be reserved for applicants making up to 80% of the area median income, which translates to an annual income of $62,080 for an individual and $88,640 for a family of four, according to 2023 figures. 

The remaining units will not have an income requirement but will still be rented at a below-market price. Some will also be reserved specifically for town of Breckenridge and Summit County staff.

The 52 units, which include studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments, will range in rent from $1,358 to $2,495.

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The lottery will also be weighted toward residents in the Upper Blue Basin — which includes everything from Farmers Korner to the town of Blue River — as well as those who’ve lived in the county for two years or more. These applicants will be issued two lottery tickets as opposed to one, meaning their chance of getting a spot nearer to the front of the line will be greater. 

“As much as possible, it would be nice if people could live closer to their jobs, and that’s what that priority is attempting to create for us,” Best said. 

On Feb. 20, Breckenridge and county government officials will hold a lottery drawing event. Everyone who participated in the lottery will be assigned a number and the complex’s property management company, Corum, will begin contacting applicants in descending order. 

Lottery participants will first be contacted via phone by the property management company. If the call is not answered, a voicemail will be left, and they will be sent an email. If there is no answer received within 24 hours, they will be moved to the bottom of the list.

Those who respond with an interest in applying for a unit will have three days to submit the required application materials, which include income and employment verification.

It is this process that will whittle down who is and isn’t eligible, meaning there’s a chance someone further behind on the list could still secure a spot. 

“If you’re number 70, they may get to you … you never know how many numbers we’ll work our way through to fill the units,” Best said. 

Once all the units are leased, a final email will be sent to all lottery participants notifying them that the units are full. The remaining lottery list will then become a waitlist for units that become available in the future.

Dietz said the county has long favored a lottery system for projects it has worked on, adding that it prevents a race to the front of the line. 

“The first-come, first-serve method we don’t feel is as equitable as the lottery process,” Dietz said. 

The entire application process, from the lottery to the signed affidavit that applicants will have to fill out, will be offered in Spanish as well as English, according to Dietz.

Officials are eyeing a tentative move-in date of April 1, though that is still subject to change. 

The Larkspur is one of two new housing complexes coming online in 2024. With the planned opening of Alta Verde 2 this summer, officials said there will be another opportunity soon to secure a spot in below-market-rate housing. 

With 172 apartments and much larger floor plans, Alta Verde 2 will deliver more than three times the units of The Larkspur, which is why Best said, “I think it’s important for people not to get discouraged” about their housing options. 

In total, nearly 500 units of workforce housing, including The Larkspur and Alta Verde 2, are nearing the finish line, with most set to open in 2025 and some in 2026. Those properties will also be targeted to a range of incomes, from 30% of the area median up to 140%. 

Dietz said it’s part of a strategy to “have a diverse mixed-income fabric of housing for the local workforce.”

“We want to provide the flexibility so that the locals have good quality housing at a price that allows them to flourish and, hopefully, take the next step in their housing journey.”