On 7/6/23, Pine Creek neighbors were invited to an informational meeting about a Low-Income Housing project called The Royal Pines Apartments. The invitation came from the developer of the project, DBG. The potential site for the 232-unit apartment project is adjacent to the Pine Creek neighborhood at Union Boulevard and Royal Pine Drive. With camera in-hand, we showed up to video record the meeting. We were met with a chaotic situation. The meeting was devoid of structure. Several hundred neighbors were told they’d be rotating to 4 different stations around the meeting room. None of the representatives had microphones. Groups weren’t told when to switch to a different station.Â
The neighbors couldn’t hear each other’s questions or representatives’ answers due to too many people talking at once. The meeting environment and poor structure only added fuel to the fire of an already frustrated neighborhood. Was that by design?Â
This isn’t the Portland developer’s first rodeo. They’ve likely met neighborhood opposition for other low-income housing projects. Following this meeting, it’s safe to say they probably don’t care if they get the neighborhood’s blessing or not.
Public servants were present, but not there for the Pine Creek neighbors.
Peter Wysocki, Colorado Springs Director of Planning and Development, was in attendance. We asked for some comments about the chaos. The fact that he tried to evade our camera speaks volumes.Â
Wysocki took no responsibility for the poorly managed meeting. Yet, the Pine Creek neighbors pay into his $211,520 annual salary. Was this public servant looking out for the people he is supposed to serve? Obviously not.
Colorado Springs Chief Housing and Community Vitality Officer Steve Posey was also present at the meeting. He was in charge of one meeting station and took plenty of fire during the 1 ½ hour meeting. The Pine Creek neighbors also pay into his $160,657 annual salary.
Numerous other public servants were at the meeting. Participation equals consent and agreement for what is happening. If Pine Creek neighbors didn’t know which side city staff was on before this meeting, they certainly know now.
Reach out to Mayor Yemi Mobolade and District 2 Councilman Randy Helms and politely ask why public servants participated at this meeting and were complicit in the chaos. Also, ask what is going to be required of the developer at the next neighborhood meeting. It would be a shame to see any future meetings mirror this one. Let’s hope that they show some respect for the neighbors the next time around.
Mayor Yemi Mobolade yemi.mobolade@coloradosprings.gov
Councilman Randy Helms Randy.Helms@coloradosprings.gov