New Pikes Peak Housing Network Organization Launches: Colorado Springs Chamber and Economic Development Corporation to Serve as Host

The Pikes Peak Housing Network (PPHN) announced today its official launch as a community initiative hosted by the Colorado Springs Chamber and Economic Development Corporation (Chamber & EDC).

The mission of PPHN is to foster innovative and collaborative solutions that advance housing affordability, access, and production in the Pikes Peak Region. The Chamber & EDC was selected as host for PPHN due to its understanding that housing affordability is influenced by factors such as income, education and health and its commitment to PPHN’s vision that everyone in the Pikes Peak Region has the opportunity for a safe, stable and attainable place to call home.

PPHN’s founding is the result of significant volunteer-led work since 2018 by the Affordable Housing Collaborative, Apartment Association of Southern Colorado, the Chamber & EDC, Downtown Partnership of Colorado Springs, Housing & Building Association and Pikes Peak Realtors Association.

“The Chamber & EDC is a perfect fit for the work of Pikes Peak Housing Network as a network and collaborative connector focused on the complex issue of housing affordability. Besides meeting the basic needs of people, affordable housing at all income levels is critical to economic development and the attraction of jobs to the region. Our community has a history of partners, like PPHN, working together to solve problems,” said Johnna Reeder Kleymeyer, President and CEO of the Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC.

According to February 2023 Colorado Springs Housing Affordability Study from the Common Sense Institute, “The housing deficit in 2022 in Colorado Springs is in the range of 10,614 to 21,150 units. To meet population growth by 2028 and close the housing deficit, between 28,000 and 39,000 housing units will need to be built. That means that between 4,730 and 6,485 permits are needed annually through 2028.”

PPHN’s work will be overseen by a Leadership Council that includes Chairperson David Lord, David Lord Investments Inc.; Vice Chairperson Lee Patke, Greccio Housing Executive Director; David Dazlich, Vice President of Government Affairs for Chamber & EDC; Randi Davis, El Paso County Housing Analyst; Susan Edmondson, Downtown Partnership of Colorado Springs CEO; Thomas Garmong, Oakwood Homes Division President; Steve Posey, City of Colorado Springs Chief Housing Officer; and Ben Anderson, Solid Rock CDC Executive Director.

“Many great people, collaboratives, and organizations have been working on the region’s housing affordability challenges for years. PPHN’s uniqueness is as an entity with a singular role to wake up every day, bring workable ideas forward, gain consensus on priorities, and bird-dog them to completion,” said David Lord.

PPHN is currently seeking an executive director. The job announcement can be found here.