Where’d we get our name?
In the Italian village of Greccio, the Franciscan Brothers brought St. Francis a rabbit that had been caught in a snare. He gave the rabbit affection and set it free. But it returned to the snare. After the third time, Francis said to the brothers, “Take the rabbit to the woods and set it free.” He added to the rabbit, “Don’t get caught in the snare again.” Greccio Housing seeks to set people free by providing a stable, safe, affordable home, and support to help them improve their lives. In return, our residents must accept responsibility for not getting caught in the snare again.
How’d we start?
In 1990, Greccio Housing’s Founder, Claudia Deats-Rodgers, had a dream of improving the quality of life for people in need of affordable rental housing. Greccio’s first property, 321 N Weber St, has only 9 units and is still one of our properties. Greccio has grown to 513 apartments and 800 residents across 23 properties throughout Colorado Springs. Our success is not measured in numbers, but in the stability of families, homelessness averted, cycles of poverty broken, and dreams achieved.
Greccio’s residents are able to access more than 60 supportive services through our Resident Resource Center. The Resource team and volunteers are onsite at the apartments with community gardens, special events, and in the classroom teaching budget counseling, life skills, crisis management and eviction prevention. It is Greccio’s philosophy that the more often residents take advantage of the programs and services available to them, the better equipped they are to break the cycle of poverty, maintain their independence and move forward on their path toward self-sufficiency.
We Strive to Provide:
Stability
Starting with a reduction in their housing expenses and moving towards life skills development, our affordable housing and supportive services empower our residents to break the cycle of poverty and achieve greater self-sufficiency.
Safety
Greccio strives to provide safety to all of our residents through thorough background checks that ensure that all of our properties are family-friendly and community oriented. Greccio is also phasing in video surveillance equipment throughout our 24 properties, allowing residents to feel more secure in their home environments.
Support
Greccio continues to expand and develop supportive services to best meet the needs of the residents. Programs and services include eviction prevention and utility assistance, our Grocery Assistance and Summer Nutrition program to reduce food insecurity for our residents; holiday programs to ease the financial burden that could impact a family’s ability to meet their monthly bills; and the Wellness Center in our Resident Resource Center for residents to receive basic healthcare services from a central location.
Opportunities today for a better life tomorrow