SOUTH FORK — After years of planning and construction, a major milestone was reached on June 10 as the first home in South Fork’s Sawmill Meadow Village workforce housing development officially sold — to a local restaurant cook who now calls the dream of homeownership a reality. 

“This was such a special moment,” said project developer Matt Dorsett. “For someone working here to be able to purchase and own a home in town is a huge step — one that can be life-changing.” 

This sale marks the first of 10 homes completed in the development’s initial phase. Created to be affordable, the homes are priced to be within reach for local workers and deed-restricted to ensure future ownership remains accessible to them as well. 

Despite demand and readiness, further progress has been halted — not by lack of buyers, but by an incomplete turn lane.  According to Dorsett, only two of the 10 homes can be sold due to safety and access improvements required by the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT).  

A left-hand turn lane off Highway 160, which will provide entry into the neighborhood while preserving the level of service afforded travelers on Highway 160, has yet to be completed.  Permitting required from several state agencies has delayed the construction for the last year, but engineering plans are being reviewed by CDOT, the last level of approval required before construction can begin.   

Dorsett and local leaders remain hopeful that CDOT approval is near so that construction can be completed this summer, allowing more families like the first buyer to begin their journey to homeownership in South Fork. 

The broader vision behind Sawmill Meadows began over three years ago, when Dorsett, along with South Fork officials and the South Fork Workforce Housing Task Force, launched a plan to address the town’s growing housing crisis.  

This vision became reality through a truly unique collaboration. With support from the Town of South Fork, the Colorado Department of Local Affairs and the Division of Housing, the San Luis Valley Housing Coalition, and the Rio Grande Community Trust.  The collaboration extended to the private sector as well.  Team Murphy Realty and Allpine Title worked diligently in helping the first buyer through the loan and purchase process.     

Construction of Phase 1 was powered by a partnership with Fading West in Buena Vista, a leader in factory-built workforce housing using high-quality materials and streamlined building processes. Buyers apply through the San Luis Valley Housing Coalition which ensures homes are sold to people with workforce incomes and offers a down-payment assistance program.  

The Rio Grande Community Trust stewards the community’s investment in affordable homeownership in the long run to ensure that the same opportunity will be available to the next generation of buyers. 

“The process takes time, but in the end, it gives people a way to plant roots,” said Dorsett. “This isn’t just about houses. It’s about stability, pride, and long-term investment in the local workforce and the South Fork community as a whole.” 

Phase 2 of the development will add 20 multi-family rental units to the community, tailored to income-qualified workers.  Dorsett plans to start construction in the spring of 2026.