SOUTH FORK — For the past several months and leading back to almost a year of work, the Sawmill Meadows Housing Development is well into phase one of the project and homes are beginning to take shape on the eastern side of South Fork.
During the South Fork Town Board meeting on Jan. 23, project developer Matt Dorsett gave a brief update on the project to the board and spoke about moving into phase two.
“Thank you for allowing me to give an update. If you’ve been by the site, you have seen that the houses have been erected and we have the roofs on and the drives in. That was our goal for January,” stated Dorsett.
Through the efforts of Dorsett in partnership with the South Fork Housing Task Force and the South Fork Board of Trustees, the project was able to get off the ground in the fall of 2023 and will provide 20 low-income work force housing for the area which is in compliance with the housing study done a year prior by the San Luis Valley Housing Coalition.
Dorsett has been working diligently to bring work force housing to the area since he and his family relocated to the area three years ago and after learning of the housing crisis, decided to use his experience to see that a project moved forward.
“We have been working with the San Luis Valley Housing Coalition to answer questions from folks online about what the process is to qualify for a home once they are finished. We are still trying to get that set up and answer those questions and we are almost there,” continued Dorsett. “We are working with the housing coalition to create the application and pre-qualification process.”
Dorsett also stated that they are working on the covenants, colors and what they want the development to look like when it is complete.
“I can’t wait to show everyone once we are at that point.” Dorsett is also soliciting bids for sewer, electrical and other finishing work.
Though the work has come to a halt due to freezing temperatures throughout the last few weeks, now that temperatures are on the rise, Dorsett plans to resume work by April and at the latest May.
