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Alamosa staff outlines Main Street application, housing progress and $1M in Boyd funds; city reports $33M in grants since 2020
Summary
Development services staff updated council on a Main Street designation application, PUD amendments and housing projects (Tierra Azul, Iron Horse) and reported roughly $33 million in grant funding brought to the city since 2020. Staff also described sidewalk and Boyd neighborhood infrastructure work funded by grants.
Development services staff delivered a quarter‑hour update on downtown and housing work at the March 18 council meeting, highlighting efforts to secure a Main Street designation, ongoing PUD work and recent grant‑funded projects.
Rachel said staff is preparing an official Main Street designation application (which unlocks technical assistance, architects and branding) and presented a completed strategic plan for downtown that includes communication and beautification goals. She told the council that bollards removed by public‑works crews were purchased with grant funds and staff are exploring reuse options.
On housing, staff reported completion of a PUD amendment after months of work; compliance reporting under Proposition 123 (unit counts and low‑income set‑asides) was up to date. Rachel highlighted success in securing low‑income housing tax credits for projects such as Tierra Azul and the Iron Horse project, noting those credits are rare and significant for local housing production.
"We've brought in $33,000,000 since 2020," Rachel said, adding that amounts to roughly $4,800,000 per year—"just over 10% of the city's budget." She said these grant dollars support public safety, parks and recreation, IT, housing, childcare, the library and infrastructure such as wastewater systems.
Staff also said the city closed out a sidewalk grant and is moving forward with Boyd neighborhood infrastructure using a $1,000,000 Boyd grant and a possible additional $1,000,000; planned work includes road replacement, stormwater improvements and potentially resurfacing the Boyd Park parking lot and sidewalk repairs as budgets allow. Staff noted interest in modular housing solutions to accelerate local production.
Councilors thanked staff for the work, praised the Boyd Park improvements and discussed repurposing decorative downtown bollards. Councilor Hensley reported on Visit Alamosa grant awards and announced an April 18 Carroll Park tree‑planting (66 trees) funded through the Colorado Tree Coalition.
The presentation concluded with staff noting some Boyd project deadlines and program spend‑down constraints but saying DOLA staff had been helpful in allowing infrastructure uses for awarded funds.
