COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — In a major milestone for Harrison School District 2, the first home at Wendy’s Village, an innovative affordable housing initiative for local teachers, has been completed.
The project, led by nonprofit developer ‘We Fortify’, aims to address the critical issue of educator housing by providing compact, sustainable homes at below-market rent.
Located near Giberson Elementary in southeast Colorado Springs, Wendy’s Village was designed to help attract and retain educators, many of whom are forced to reconsider jobs in the district after encountering local housing costs.
“It's a great way to help our city attract more highly qualified educators, which we desperately need,” said Shelley Jensen, CEO of We Fortify. “It also helps D2 take some stress off of recruitment and retention.”
The model home, a 352-square-foot unit, is built with dignity and function in mind.
Although compact, it is equipped with all essentials, offering a comfortable, high-quality living space that supports long-term financial stability for teachers.
“Based on the 40% of AMI schedule that we looked at, they'll be paying $825 a month,” said Jensen.
When the application portal opens, the village will prioritize first-year teachers and paraprofessional staff who are actively working in classrooms and schools.
“We've kept it that way because we're really trying to help our staff that have the lowest starting incomes first to be able to qualify,” said Christine O'Brien, Chief Communications Officer for Harrison School District 2.
Residents will be able to stay in their homes for up to three years and participate in a fellowship program that equips them with essential life and financial skills.
“They will have saved some money so that when they move on and rent their own apartment or buy a home, they will be set,” O'Brien added.
What sets Wendy’s Village apart is not only its affordability but also the intentional design of a supportive community.
The full plan includes shared amenities like a community kitchen and garden, and residents will have access to financial counseling through ENT Credit Union.
"We can't control what they get paid, but we can control how they live," Jensen emphasized. “We wouldn’t build a home or community that we wouldn’t put our friends or family in. That’s our standard.”
Yet, bringing the vision of Wendy’s Village to life has been no easy feat. Initially, Jensen hesitated to take on the project due to its scale and cost.
“A village like this for D2 is running about $6.2 million, and our villages for our young adults are about $2.5 million,” she said. “So initially I was like, ‘No, no more fundraising.’”
The decision to move forward was largely influenced by the leadership at Harrison School District 2.
“It was D2’s fantastic executive team,” Jensen said. “Honestly, if they had not been the people that they are, we probably would have said no, because this is a heavier lift than our young adult villages.”
O'Brien emphasized that the solution isn’t as simple as raising teacher salaries.
“If this were as simple as paying our teachers more, and we had the lever to be able to do that in the Colorado school funding landscape, we would do that,” she said. “We’re almost the top-paying district in town, so that’s not the issue.”
Despite the financial challenge, ‘We Fortify’ has remained committed. The project is being funded entirely through private donations and fundraising.
“There are no public dollars from education. There’s no district funding. There’s no mill levy override funding going to this project. It is all through fundraising,” said O’Brien.
Teachers have shown steady interest in the housing since the project was first announced.
“We frequently get emails from staff asking, ‘Have I missed the window? When do I sign up?” said O’Brien. “We won’t have trouble filling the village.”
Each home costs approximately $100,000 to build, which is significantly less than traditional affordable housing developments. Still, ‘We Fortify’ is calling on the community to help bridge the financial gap and bring the full village to completion.
“The only thing that is preventing us from putting a shovel in the ground right now is money. That’s it,” said Jensen.
With the first unit now fully furnished and finished, Wendy’s Village stands as both a symbol of what’s possible and a call to action.
“We need to come together and start solving some of these problems, without waiting for a natural disaster to spark change,” Jensen urged.
To donate or learn more, contact Shelly Jensen at Shelley@WeFortify.org.
Or Christine O’Brien at COBRIEN@HSD2.ORG
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