Housing and growth remain top concerns among residents in the Pikes Peak region. That's according to the results from a recent survey of El Paso and Teller County residents.
Nearly 4,000 people participated in the "Our Spacious Skies" survey administered in part by the Pikes Peak Community Foundation.
“It was important to us that we made sure and reached everybody we could,” said Pikes Peak Community Foundation CEO Margaret Dolan. “And that group of people aligns with the census for our two county region, and by that I mean age groups, ethnicity, geographic representation, and so on and so forth.”
Although a majority of respondents, at 52%, said growth is bad, 71% remain optimistic that growth can be good when properly managed.
Traffic, crime, and housing were the main concerns when it came to growth. Though respondents also offered solutions for managing growth, like preserving local farms and revitalizing rundown areas of the region.
Housing demand is highest in Teller County, with 72% of respondents indicating the need. The survey showed a general consensus over the need for more community partnerships aimed at making housing affordable. Other solutions included converting spaces like vacant stores into housing.
74% of the respondents cited mental health and substance abuse as main contributors to homelessness in the region. Individual choices and lack of affordable housing were also identified as contributing to the issue.
The overwhelming consensus among respondents shows prevention might be one of the keys to addressing the issue, according to Dolan.
“That gives us a nice opportunity to think about how we might be able to make a dent on that issue in this region, maybe unlike some other regions in the country who have tried and if not been successful.”
A post-graduation plan for all high school students and improving forest health were also popular, with 85% of respondents voicing favor for such programs.
Dolan said they'll launch an online dashboard in 2026 and expect to update it every 3-5 years. Data will be organized by age groups, income and regions.
“Like northern El Paso County or Teller County, or central El Paso County,” said Dolan, “and then there will be sub-regions… like southeast Colorado Springs or Briargate or Air Force Academy.”
Now that the data is finalized, the organization wants community leaders to come together on data-driven solutions for local issues.
“Really moving the needle on community conditions and making the biggest difference on the things that our residents care about takes all of us working together,” said Dolan. “And we think that with the free and available information, this is our best opportunity to do that.”
