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