(Las Animas, CO) -- It's a never-have-we-done-this-before moment as the ribbon is cut on workforce housing for Core Civic, the private prison in Las Animas. Warden Virgil Ensey says the one bedroom modular units will allow them to bring in 18 new workers. It's been difficult in a tight labor market to be competitive and there have been challenges nationwide with the shortage of readily available housing.
There's a long covered hallway that connects the units. The rooms have a bed, a small closet and small bathroom. There's a common area with a kitchen and a common outside area with a picnic bench and will later add a firepit and a grill.
The all-bills paid units have cable, internet and will only be $80 a month. Ensey says they're 100 percent invested in the project and it will allow them to bring in new people to employ that might not have taken a job with no place to live. Ensey says there are 25 applications right now for the units from people looking to move to Las Animas to take a job in corrections.
Bent County Commissioners Kim MacDonnell and Jean Sykes were present for the ribbon cutting, along with Las Animas Mayor Scott Peterson, Bent County Emergency Manager Troy Abdulla, City Council Member Lynette Wolf and Core Civic's Virgil Ensey.
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(photos are property of Anne Boswell, Colorado News Your Way)
