Milliken ready for more affordable senior housing

The need for affordable senior housing in Milliken became apparent before Dove Valley was built.

About a month after the 20 ranch-style duplexes opened In January on Weld County Road 46 just west of Weld 21, the need was downright obvious. The residences were full, and there was a waiting list, which now contains more than 70 people. There were people who had spent a good chunk of their lives in Milliken and helped make it the place it is. Dove Valley is on weld County Road 46, just west of Weld 21.

But their homes -- often times old farmhouses laden with steps -- weren't easy to get around. Milliken trustees had made such a project a priority about 20 years ago, and the town recently won an Eagle Award from Housing Colorado for its cooperative effort with the housing authority of the city of Loveland. It's a need that towns with increasing populations -- aging populations -- must continue to deal with.

The reasons are simple. People are living longer, and the baby boomers are a huge segment of society. Plus, as Milliken Mayor Linda Measner said, they have a harder time moving around the homes they've known for so long.

"It gets mighty hard to get up and down those blasted stairs," said Measner, who's excited about what Dove Valley has done for Milliken seniors and is eager to continue the project.

"I'll tell you like I tell anyone else I talk to: on to phase 2," Measner said.

Dove Valley sits on 15 acres, but the existing 20 homes use only 5 acres. There could easily be another two phases, 5 acres each, for either affordable housing or simply senior-friendly, market-priced homes, Measner said.

The town financed $750,000 for the project, with grants and other assistance rounding out the budget, said Sam Betters, executive director for the Loveland housing authority. The project hit all-too-common stumbling blocks because of costs, which made it difficult to build the homes and still make them affordable to people on fixed incomes.

"It's not only a challenge for towns like Loveland and Milliken," Betters said. "It's just happening everywhere."

Many homes aren't built with mobility challenges in mind, Betters said, so Dove Valley features few steps and one-level homes to make getting around a bit easier. Many Milliken residents who needed those accommodations previously had to move out of town, but Measner hopes they'll have an easier time staying in Milliken now.

"It's a major high to know we now have that available for people," Measner said. "It's filling a need. It's a real, real pleasant feeling."