Everyone needs a place to lay their head and to call home. A place where they feel safe and comfortable and from where they can build their lives in whatever way brings them fulfillment.

This is a simple statement to compose, but living out these words is fraught and complicated.

Despite often repeated aspirational affirmations, housing is not a right; It must be paid for and many of our community members can’t afford the homes that are available, which is one reason why many are living on our streets, on a friend’s couch or in their parents’ basement.

Many of these couch-hopping residents were very recently living paycheck to paycheck in housing they could barely afford when some unexpected and costly event occurred. This event led to the loss of their home, the place from where they were working to build their lives.This is why we should be focused on not just building affordable housing, but housing that is affordable for our lowest-income earners.

According to the 2025 Regional Housing Needs Assessment, over 11% of Colorado Springs’ residents are extremely cost-burdened in their current housing. This means they are paying more than 50% of their income to keep a roof over their head. Ideally a resident should pay no more than 30% of their income on housing. This high rent-to-income ratio places these residents in a precarious situation, where one illness, car issue or temporary job loss can cause them to lose their home and next thing you know, this family is living with friends or, worse, in their car.

Again taken from the region’s latest housing needs assessment, 29% of households in Colorado Springs are earning 30%-50% of the area’s median income. For a family of four the median income is $116,400, so a family earning 50% is bringing in less than $58,200, which is barely enough to make ends meet.

Greccio Housing, the largest affordable housing provider in our region, currently rents over 900 apartments throughout El Paso and Teller counties. They currently have a waitlist of 544 households waiting to rent units that are affordable for those earning less than 50% of the median income, while units renting to higher-income residents have no waitlist. This is indisputable evidence pointing to a significant need for affordable housing for our lowest-income residents.

Providing affordable housing for these families is vital for our city in two important ways. First, keeping families housed gives them stability and safety, builds support structures and allows kids to remain in their schools and make friends. These are all critical components to raising healthy kids, who are able to break the cycle of poverty and become happy and healthy adults. This is what every parent, at every income level, wants for their kids.

Second, our city’s economy only remains sustainable if workers at every level can afford to live and build their lives here.

Colorado Springs, like most cities, has many residents who are working two jobs, paying very high child care and health care costs, and hanging on by the grace of God. These families need a break, and as housing is their largest monthly expense, this break is most easily found through lower rental costs.

Can we agree that building more affordable housing for these residents should be a priority for future housing growth?

The city of Colorado Springs is currently creating a Housing Action Plan that will provide solutions for the housing needs described within the Regional Housing Needs Assessment. This plan will assist the City Council as they make land use decisions for the future growth of our city.

These decisions should encourage more diverse housing types within our neighborhoods, including housing that is affordable for lower-income community members. Please share your voice on the need for the most affordable housing as one solution to preventing homelessness in Colorado Springs. Building this housing could be the difference between a family gaining stability and financial security or living an unpredictable life on shaky ground without the foundation a home brings to all of us.

Jill Gaebler is executive director of Pikes Peak Housing Network.