Largest Habitat for Humanity community in western U.S. to begin construction in northern Colorado

The largest Habitat for Humanity community in the western U.S. has officially begun construction in northern Colorado. 

Soon, Greeley will be home to the brand-new Hope Springs neighborhood, a community designed to bring quality affordable housing to the region. 

Thanks to donations from community members and companies and funding secured by elected officials, Hope Springs will soon be home to 491 new affordable houses.

"This is a huge development," said Adrienne Goolsby, SVP for Habitat for Humanity in the U.S.

Northern Colorado is the fastest-growing region in the state with predictions having the region double in population in the next 25 years. 

"The affordable crisis has grown leaps and bounds over the last 10 years. The number of starter homes available throughout the US have declined by 40% since the late 60's," Goolsby said.

Rachel Borum, an employee at the University of Northern Colorado, said she works in budgeting for a living. Though she works with money every day, being able to raise a son and navigate inflation on a single income has been a challenge in recent years. 

Borum told CBS News Colorado's Dillon Thomas she would volunteer with Habitat for Humanity, but she always presumed she couldn't qualify. 

However, she eventually built the courage to apply and was accepted to be Hope Springs' first homeowner. 

"I picture myself in it," Borum said. 

Borum said she wanted to purchase her own starter home but inflation made that difficult. Qualifying for a loan was never a problem with credit, but having the funds to go under contract was her concern. As she tried to save money the cost of housing outpaced the rate in which she was able to save. 

"I've been trying to build up for a down payment," Borum said. "This was the last hope for me. The other option would be to leave out of state and find something more affordable."

Borum is a sample of the many northern Coloradans who are working full time but unable to afford reliable housing to own. 

"There are even more people like me," Borum said. "It is a need everywhere. It could be solving some real problems for society."

Some of the homes in the neighborhood will be 3D printed, with some foundations of cement already being printed right now. 

"Affordable housing is a crisis. It is in a crisis state. We need to figure out how we are going to address it. And it is not just from the rental perspective, but it is also about home ownership because we want to build generational wealth," Goolsby said.