Fort Carson - Housing Information

OFF-POST REFERRAL SERVICE

The Housing Referral Office assists military families in locating suitable off-post housing. The service maintains nondiscriminatory listings of available homes, apartments and mobile homes.

Soldiers are advised on rental costs, commuting time and environmental conditions. They can also get information about neighborhoods, leases, deposits, and hazard insurance for personal property and sanctioned facilities.

Low-income families are assisted in obtaining federally subsidized housing in the surrounding community. For more information, call (719) 526-2322.

WHEN YOU GET HERE

If you receive Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) you must report to the Housing Referral Office in Bldg. 7301 on Woodfill Road, co-located with the Colorado Inn, upon your arrival at Fort Carson.

Army regulations require you to report to Housing Referral before you make any permanent off-post living arrangements. If you are eligible, you can be placed on the waiting list for on-post housing. All soldiers with family members are eligible for on-post housing.

Soldiers are placed on the waiting list for on-post housing in accordance with the soldier’s eligibility date. This date will be established in the Housing Office. The waiting list for quarters currently varies from 12 months to 24 months. The Housing Referral Office will consider waiting list variables such as grade, unit, number of family members, etc.

Company grade officers, warrant officers and most senior NCO’s drawing BAH at the without dependents rate are not required to live on post. For general information on housing in the Fort Carson area, call (719) 526-2322/2323.

Fort Carson does not have a mobile home park. However, Colorado Springs has a large number of mobile home parks and many of them are close to post. Lots rent from $310 to $325 per month, plus utilities. Some parks do not allow pets or young children and there are adults-only parks.

To obtain a listing of mobile home parks call or visit the Housing Referral Office at (719) 526-2322.

OFF-POST HOUSING

A wide range of apartments and houses are available within reasonable driving distance of post. The average monthly rates are: one bedroom, unfurnished, $530 and up; 2 bedroom, unfurnished, $625 and up; 3 bedroom, unfurnished, $850 and up.

A three-bedroom unfurnished house rents for about $875 and up. Rental rates for apartments usually do not include utilities, many do not allow pets and some are for adults only.

If pets are allowed, you can expect to pay an additional deposit. Security deposits range from nothing to one month rent and must be paid before occupancy.

Few furnished apartments are available in the area. Rental furniture is available through furniture rental stores. Apartment leases vary from six months to one year.

Washer and dryer connections may not be available in older apartments. Newer apartments usually include these connections.

If you are interested in buying a house in the area, you will find a wide variety of locations and styles and a wide range of prices. The Housing Referral Office is co-located within the Colorado Inn.

COMMUNITY HOUSING INCENTIVE PROGRAM

To assist soldiers and families in finding adequate, affordable off-post housing, Fort Carson has entered into a partnership with local landlords called “CHIP.” Landlords in the Colorado Springs area are providing special rent incentives to Mountain Post soldiers. Incentives include reduced or waived security deposits; reduced rent during deployments; waived application and credit check fees, and more. The CHIP manager also assists in any landlord – tenant disputes.

The CHIP office is located in the Community Homefinding Relocation Referral Service (CHRRS) office in the Colorado Inn, Bldg. 7301, on Woodfill Road. The hours of operation are from 7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m., Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, and 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., Thursday.

For further information, call (719) 526-5219 or 691- 5219 DSN. Visit the CHIP office before entering into any rental agreement.

VOLUNTEER REALTOR PROGRAM

The purpose of the Fort Carson Volunteer Realtor Program is to assist the Housing Office in providing housing and community information to military families. The Pikes Peak Association of Realtors provides qualified realtor volunteers to assist the Army Housing Counselors in this endeavor and to furnish rental and sale listings through the Multiple Listing Service System. Services include printouts of rental and sale listings, information regarding purchases of a home such as application procedures, interest rates, and discussing various types of mortgages such as VA, FHA and conventional. For more information, call 526-4671 or visit the Colorado Inn located in Bldg. 7301.

UTILITIES

The Colorado Springs Department of Public Utilities is one of the few municipally owned utilities in the country. Utility bills, including gas, electricity and water are on one billing. No deposit is required. Billings for the surrounding communities are separate and deposits are required.

Average combined monthly utility rates for apartments (Electricity, Natural Gas & Water) range from $65.00 to $75.00. For single homes, the rates range from $125.00 to $150.00.

For information on utility rates in a particular area, or at an address or apartment complex in Colorado Springs, call the Colorado Springs Department of Public Utilities customer service at 448-4800 or visit the Fort Carson Welcome and Farewell Center, 1st floor. They will provide both high and low monthly utility billings and offer monthly budget billing plans.

TRASH

Private contractors provide trash collection in Colorado Springs. Service and rates vary. Typically, for a once-a-week pickup of two large containers, the cost is about $10 per month.

TELEPHONE

Qwest provides telephone service to the Pikes Peak region. If you know where your new residence will be, Qwest can provide you with a reserved phone number up to one month in advance. For more information, call 1-800-244-1111. If your home is already wired for telephone service, connection can usually be made in two business days. If not, a week or longer will be required for service, call 636-6200 for more information.

A number of national firms provide long distance service to the area. A list of phone companies providing services can be obtained by calling 636-6200.

ON-POST HOUSING

Fort Carson is proud to be the first Army Installation to have privatized housing. GMH Military Housing- Fort Carson, acquired the contract from the original contractor, J.A. Jones, in November 2003. The original contractor finished building the new housing in 2003, but GMH will continue in the renovation project of the older housing. Housing is available for all ranks and ranges in size from 2-4 bedrooms, some of them handicap accessible. Leasing, assignments, and termination of on-post housing is conducted by Omni Property Management, located in Bldg. 7301 on Woodfill Rd.

Stoves and refrigerators are provided and hook-ups for washers and dryers are in all quarters. Dishwashers are installed in some quarters. Utilities, excluding telephone service, are paid for. For information on cable television service, call 576-7404. See the following pages for descriptions and floor plans of the various onpost quarters. More detailed information can be found on the Fort Carson Web site under “RCI-Housing.”

HOUSING OFFICE

Location:
Bldg. 7301 on Woodfill Road
(co-located with the Colorado Inn).

Hours:
7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. weekdays
CHRRS
Office: 526-2322/2323
CHIP: 526-5219
Omni Leasing Office, FCFH: 226-2268
Volunteer Realtor Program: 526-7578