CASPER, Wyo. — Two recently opened apartment complexes have added 120 units of low-income housing to Casper.
Liberty Square Apartments at 1100 S. Beverly St. consists of two buildings with 30 units each. Located on former City of Casper Beverly Ball Fields, the property was deeded to Casper by President Grover Cleveland.
Alder Park Senior Apartments at 3300 Patriot Drive on Casper’s west side is for people ages 55 and older.
“We all know housing is tight … and so the more that’s built, the better off we’re going to be,” said City of Casper Housing Authority Executive Director Kim Summerall-Wright. “We’ve been at a deficit for so long.”
For roughly 20 years, Casper went without new housing construction, Summerall-Wright said, attributing the stagnation to the oil and gas industry bust of the early 1980s.
“It seems like we’re building a lot, but really we’re just trying to catch up,” she said.
According to the Casper Housing Authority website, the south building at Liberty Square Apartments, completed first, has mostly three- to four-bedroom units with large decks. The north building, with mainly one- to two-bedroom units, was more recently completed.
The 60-units of multi-family affordable and workforce housing is a few blocks from the senior, recreation and aquatics centers, schools a grocery store and public transportation.
According to Summerall-Wright, the Casper Housing Authority has a wait list of about 200.
“We’re just putting the finishing touches on,” she said. “As fast as each apartment has passed inspection, we are renting them.”
With 20 of 60 apartments already occupied, Summerall-Wright expects to fill every unit in 40–45 days.
She encourages people to continue to apply, however, because availability can vary depending on the number of bedrooms sought.
Summerall-Wright said Liberty Square Apartments has met the Casper City Council’s goal of affordable and workforce housing.
Casper Housing Authority provides tax-credit vouchers for applicants who earn at or below 50% of the area median income, according to the website.
Summerall-Wright said depending on income, voucher rent can be as low as $50. Rent amounts in those situations can go up and down based on income.
For tenants without a voucher, units are rented at about half the market rate, she said.
Each unit with two to four bedrooms offers a master suite. All units have laundry rooms, galley kitchens and central heating and air. Amenities include community gardens, a playground, a dog walking path, a computer lab and a club house with work-out room, according to the Casper Housing Authority website.
Once everyone’s moved in, Liberty Square will have a grand opening, probably toward the end of October.
“We’d love to show the community what it looks like,” Summerall-Wright said. “We’re very pleased with [the apartment buildings].”
Alder Park Senior Apartments
The recently built Alder Park Senior Apartment buildings near Walmart on Casper’s west side are now leasing as well.
According to the BlueLine Property Management website, Alder Park Apartments offers 60 new one- and two-bedroom homes for people ages 55 and older.
“These are affordable housing units targeted at individuals earning 30%–50% of the Area Median Income,” the website says. “Rental costs are income dependent, and income and rental limits are set annually by HUD [the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development].”
Income limits for 2022 range from $18,420 to $30,700 for a one-person household to $26,280 to $43,800 for a household of four, according to the website.
“These numbers can be used as a starting guideline for potentially qualified applicants, but applicants will go through a thorough screening process to determine income qualification, as determined by HUD,” the website says.
Amenities include a washer and dryer in each unit, energy-efficient appliances and air conditioning and in-building elevators. The apartment owner pays for water, sewer and trash.
