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U.S. Representative Brittany Pettersen (CO-7) and the U.S. House of Representatives passed the first of the appropriations government funding packages for FY 2024, including more than $12.6 million for projects in Colorado’s 7th Congressional District. The minibus passed the Senate on Friday, March 8.

In Chaffee County, Rep. Pettersen secured $1.28 million for Buena Vista’s Carbonate Street development, a future affordable housing and childcare development. 

“Investments in our affordable housing and accessible child care – especially in the more rural parts of our state – are critical for the continued growth and prosperity of our community. This week, we put politics aside to invest in the American people,” said Pettersen. “In Chaffee County and across my district, these projects address critical needs and represent transformational investments in families, individuals, and the future generation. I look forward to President Biden signing this package into law and seeing how these projects will create tangible progress in Colorado’s 7th District.”

If the packages are signed by President Joseph Biden, the Town of Buena Vista would be given $1,286,279 to create 60 deed-restricted housing units and a 5,000-square-foot childcare space core and shell. 

The funds will be used to pay for direct modular manufacturing costs for the housing units and capital costs of the childcare building. The Chaffee County Early Childhood Council’s 2023 survey found that 89 of 115 respondents would use additional childcare services if available. Additionally, 86 percent of respondents preferred center-based, full-day services and 47 percent sought services running 5 days a week.  

Pettersen also secured $300,000 to install a solar array on top of Jane’s Place, a 17-unit multi-family affordable housing and community program project in Salida. Jane’s Place is designed to help meet the needs of the local workforce and families experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity. 

President Joseph Biden signed H.R. 4366, the “Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024,” into law on Saturday, March 9.  

Both Chaffee County projects will get their funds through the Departments of Transportation and Housing & Urban Development. They will issue agency guidance, including timelines, after the bill is signed into law. 

“Our office will be working with the department as they implement the bill and process the funding,” said MacKenzie Kvalvik, communications director and senior advisor for Rep. Pettersen’s office. “We’ll be monitoring the progress of each project until the funding has been officially released and becomes available to the town or county to use.”

The Community Project Funding process allows members of Congress to submit projects in their districts for critical initiatives in their communities.

“These projects can be transformational, as they are designed by the experts on the ground who know the community best and then championed by their representative for funding in Congress,” Kvalvik said. “Rep. Pettersen fought for this funding, and passing such a substantive set of bills is truly a bipartisan feat – especially in this Congress.”