Residents at Circle Drive mobile home park are organizing to push for changes they say are needed to improve living conditions and address rising costs.

The Circle Drive 55+ Tenant Union, a chapter of Colorado Springs Tenants, says it has 126 members representing more than 70% of the park.

Zianah Griffin, a lead organizer with Colorado Springs Tenants, said residents are coming together to push for better maintenance, safety and affordable rent.

Rents are going up everywhere. Conditions are getting worse everywhere, and tenants are being forced to make harder and harder choices, Griffin said.

New York City-based Castle Park Investments purchased the property earlier this year. Since then, residents say the October rent increase has added to financial pressure for people living on fixed incomes.

Terri Maureaux, who has lived at Circle Drive for more than a decade,

I can't afford anymore. I'm on a fixed income, low income, and I'm disabled. I'm not able to work a full-time job or even part time

Maureaux said she spent eight years renting before becoming a homeowner in the community about five and a half years ago.

Im having to choose between food or medication. Its not easy, Maureaux said.

She said her monthly payment increased after Oct. 1, It's a little over $1,100 a month that was before the increase now it's closer to 1,200

In a statement to News 5, a Castle Park Investments spokesperson said most rent increases were under $60, and no residents rent increased by more than $75.

The company said it is working on overdue maintenance and physical improvements to the property, including renovations to the clubhouse, signage, landscaping and amenities.

During Wednesdays town hall, Castle Park CEO Jason Kwon said some of the problems residents raised began before the company took over the property.

Sue Charles, who has lived at Circle Drive for more than a decade, said the history of those problems does not change what residents need now.

They knew what they were buying themselves into, Charles said, adding that residents want to see more action beyond beautification efforts.

Residents have also raised concerns about water quality, repairs and accessibility around the park.

Castle Park said water is supplied and treated by the local water district and that it is working with the district and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to secure water filters for residents who need them.

Griffin said the union wants the company to follow through on its commitment to meet with residents in the coming week and discuss their concerns.

We hope that he sticks to his word, and if he doesnt, there are 126 tenants who are ready to escalate if they need to, to bring him back to the table, Griffin said.

For Michael Williams, voter education starts with a simple question: Do people know who they're voting for, and what do those candidates actually do?

"We're not using the power we have in voting. Said Williams, one of the organizers.

The work is personal for Williams. He grew up in southeast Colorado Springs, and now he's working alongside other residents to help their community have a stronger voice through South Side Leads.

"The goal is in the name to get the southeast of the city to switch from last in voting to like lead the state in voter turn out., Williams said.

South Side Leads is trying to change that by meeting people where they are, including on their phones. The group reaches out to candidates directly.

Williams said, "we reached out to pretty much every candidate."

They interview the candidates, then post the Q&A on their social media platforms.

"we wanna be able to have people hear from the candidates, ask questions, get feedback"

When asked what he hopes people take away from the project, he pointed to three goals.

"One is just knowing, simply, what each office does. That's a huge thing. That's why I believe the first question we asked everybody was like, what does this office do, right? The second thing is people understanding, based on what each office does, how that can impact their day-to-day life. And then the third thing was like how they can connect with those legislators."

Williams said the group also wants lasting accountability from elected officials.

"We want to get people elected in the Southeast that are going to have the benefit of the Southeast in mind but they also understand this isn't a one-time, you guys do this you win an election and then you disappear we're going to hold them accountable."

The group is also partnering with other community organizations like Hey Neighbor and Men of Influence for ballot drop-off events at the Citadel Mall over the next two Tuesdays, with food and music.

"The goal is just to get people to turn in their ballots, right," William added.

The group says it plans to continue sharing voter resources and connecting residents with the people representing them, well beyond Election Day. Click here to learn more about South Side Leads.

Southeast Colorado Springs has historically recorded the lowest voter turnout in El Paso County, and some residents say finding convenient voting options can be a challenge.

As of Oct. 21, just 9.79% of the 46,184 registered voters in City Council District 4 had cast a ballot, compared with 15.27% countywide.

Judy Thorbahn, who has lived in southeast Colorado Springs for more than 40 years, says voting has always been a priority. But this election, finding a convenient place to drop off her ballot proved difficult.

I'm a regular voter. I vote, president, city, Thorbahn said.

Thorbahn initially went to the Sand Creek Library, expecting to find a ballot drop box.

I went to the Sand Creek library and there was no Dropbox and then I went inside and she said, no, we don't do that here, she said.

Unsure of the correct drop-off location and not wanting to drive farther, Thorbahn went a different route

I just went ahead and mailed it in because I wasn't sure about the address, she said.

El Paso County Clerk and Recorder Steve Schleiker says the county is working to make voting more accessible, including in southeast Colorado Springs.

We're gonna have a total of 41 voter service polling centers open, VSPCs, which are in-person vote centers, and that is the most we have had in El Paso County for any election ever, Schleiker said.

Five voter service and polling centers serve southeast Colorado Springs, offering residents additional options to cast their ballots in person.

The locations are:

Southeast Branch (EPC Clerk's Office): 5650 Industrial Place, Colorado Springs, CO 80916 Deerfield Hills Community Center: 4290 Deerfield Hills Road, Colorado Springs, CO 80916 Family Success Center Pikes Peak United Way: 1520 Verde Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80910 Sand Creek Library Pikes Peak Library District: 1821 S. Academy Boulevard, Colorado Springs, CO 80916 Victory World Outreach: 3150 S. Academy Boulevard, Colorado Springs, CO 80916 For the full list click here.

Schleiker said the five centers account for 12% of the county's 41 locations. Additional centers nearby include locations at Fort Carson, the Zalman Center at Harrison High School and Redemption Hill Church.

I am grateful I wasn't aware that they had voting centers, Thorbahn said.

Although District 4 has historically had the county's lowest voter turnout, Schleiker said he has seen encouraging signs of increased engagement in southeast Colorado Springs.

During the primary every single precinct in the southeast and theres 29 of em where they went higher in voter turnout in the primary than the last one and I anticipate the same thing because I see a lot of engagement down there southeast strong, Schleiker said.

The county hopes expanded access and additional voting locations will help more residents participate in the election.

In addition to in-person voting, the centers will offer replacement ballots and accessibility assistance.

Schleiker said language assistance is also available at every voter service and polling center.

Every one of my VSPC centers has a tool called Pocketalk and we can translate up to 76 different languages, Schleiker said.

The centers will open in phases. Twenty-one locations are scheduled to open Oct. 30, with the remaining centers opening Nov. 2. The county says staggering the openings helps match staffing and resources to when more voters are expected.

For Thorbahn, clearer information about voting locations and available services could make the process easier for residents across the southeast.

Her message to fellow voters is straightforward: make a plan and participate.

Get out there and vote, send your ballot in, whatever it takes, but do your duty, Thorbahn said.

News 5 first showed you Michelle Gallegos' property in May after a water main break on Murray Boulevard and Airport Road left mud and debris along her property. Five months later, it happened again.

"Just destroyed my yard again," Gallegos said.

It's not only Gallegos dealing with the aftermath. Her neighbors are also cleaning up the damage themselves.

"Last time they didn't do anything. They told us it wasn't their problem," Jarid Gatchel said.

"They didn't see it as a big problem. They didn't see it as an issue," Ricardo Delgado said.

Utilities records show five breaks within a block of Murray Boulevard and Airport Road since 2013 in 2013, 2014, 2020 and 2026 with corrosion identified as the primary cause.

Colorado Springs Utilities says it has taken steps to address the issue.

"We did proactively replace around 100 ft of the steel water main. We replaced it with PVC pipe, which is a more reliable and durable pipe to try to mitigate this from happening in the future," Cassie Melvin, with CSU public affairs, said.

Utilities has also identified both water mains on Airport Road for replacement within the next three years.

But Gallegos and her neighbors have been asking for one thing: a retaining wall.

"They could put up a retaining wall," Gallegos said.

"I wish they would make it maybe build a retaining wall, help divert this from ever happening again," Gatchel said.

So I reached out to their council member, Kimberly Gold, to see if she would meet with the neighbors and see the damage firsthand. She agreed.

Gold walked the neighborhood with some of the neighbors, looking at the damage.

"I knew very little, honestly. Actually seeing it with your own eyes that that brings a different level of accountability to wanting to see a solution," Gold said.

Gold says she took the neighbors' concerns, including their request for a retaining wall, directly to Colorado Springs Utilities' CEO.

"I do have to be a little vague and what I can share because we don't want to overpromise and underdeliver, right? But the CEO has said that he will make this a priority, and that there are possible solutions that involve multiple partners that can make for a greater long term solution, so I'm going to hang on to hopefulness of that and keep in contact with him so that we can get a truly viable solution for our neighbors," Gold said.

For Gallegos replacing the pipe is a start, but it doesn't answer whether my home will be protected the next time a break happens.

"It's hard to have trust in something when it happens twice in five months," Gallegos said.

"We're hoping that we can build that trust back with them just knowing that we wanna do the right thing," Melvin said.

We Will reach out to Utilities in the coming days to ask for any updates.

Public safety was one of the many issues Colorado Springs' mayor addressed in Friday's State of the City speech.

Mayor Yemi Mobolade talked about increasing the police force and using technology to keep the city safe. The police department's Real Time Crime Center uses technology such as drones and red light cameras.

He also highlighted crime prevention partnerships with organizations like Men of Influence and Kingdom Builders Family Life Center.

"These organizations are mentoring young people, interrupting violence and helping people leaving incarceration find a better path because the most effective way to prevent crime, to fight crime, is to prevent it," Mobolade said.

The mayor also focused on the city's growth, the business climate, and affordability and child care issues both families and facilities face.

Watch the Full Story in the Video Player Below

For Wayne Carbowski, the Lighthouse Early Care and Education Center was the best option.

"It's the closest one," Carbowski said.

Carbowski applied for the Universal Preschool Program for his son.

"It helps parents because it provides at least 15 free hours a week, you know, and then if you want extra on top of that you gotta pay extra for that," Carbowski said.

He says without state help, he'd have to find other care.

"I'm not gonna spend $1500 to send my kid here. I can't even make bills, so I, I understand that the 15 free hours was, was a big thing for me," Carbowski said.

For the center providing that care, keeping the doors open isn't so simple.

At the State of the City, Mobolade said El Paso County has about 47,000 children under 5, but only 18,000 licensed child care spaces.

"That is why city council and I modernized zoning rules this year to make it easier to open childcare facilities," Mobolade said.

Annisa Aldaz runs the center and says opening a center takes more than changing the zoning.

"You don't have staff you're not open yet these are barriers that you're going over, paying rent and things before you're even staffed and open and operating," Aldaz said.

She says when families can't afford care, providers feel it, too.

"Parents are paying like $400 a week, parents are basically working to have us watch their kids, and that's not fair," Aldaz said.

Aldaz says more funding could help centers serve families and cover the costs of staffing and operating.

"It might take those city officials to come in and actually see what we're doing, we're looked at as like we're a luxury and really I think we're a necessity," Aldaz said.

Harrison School District 2 is preparing for major school changes next fall, including the closure of Turman Elementary and the transition of Bricker and Oak Creek elementary students to K8 campuses.

Superintendent Dr. Wendy Birhanzel said the district spent years monitoring enrollment trends and initially expected student numbers to increase. However, those projections did not match what the district experienced.

It was the state demographer, it was the demographer from the Department of Education, it was the national demographer who all projected that we would increase in enrollment, Birhanzel said.

Instead, the district experienced a steady decline in student enrollment. District figures show enrollment fell from 12,410 students in 2025 to 11,444 in 2026.

Birhanzel said the district had been losing about 100 students annually, creating difficult financial decisions as it works to align resources with the number of students it serves.

Turman Elementary to Close as Enrollment Declines

Turman Elementary will close, with students split between Giberson Elementary and Soaring Eagles Elementary.

Birhanzel said Turman currently serves fewer than 150 students, making it difficult to provide the range of educational opportunities the district wants to offer.

Turman Elementary is under 150 students. That is not a smart move to keep a school open because you can't offer a full-time art teacher, Birhanzel said.

She also pointed to broader demographic changes, including rising living costs and declining birth rates, as factors contributing to lower enrollment.

The district estimates the changes could save $4 million to $5 million each year. Birhanzel said those savings could help prevent cuts to other district offerings, including athletics, transportation and Advanced Placement classes.

For families hoping the district would reconsider closing Turman, Birhanzel said the decision is final.

Right now there is not a reconsideration option. This is a final, she said.

Bricker and Oak Creek Students to Transition to K8 Campuses

Students from Bricker Elementary and Panorama Middle School will come together as a K-8 campus at Panorama.

Oak Creek Elementary and Fox Meadow Middle School will come together as a K-8 campus at Fox Meadow beginning next fall.

District leaders say the transition is intended to help match school resources to enrollment while maintaining educational opportunities for students.

Birhanzel said Harrison School District 2 already operates four K8 campuses.

We have four K8s right now, and so we want to offer our families tours of both what we have now and what it will look [like], she said.

The district is also finalizing transportation routes for affected students.

Students who receive special education services or support as multilingual learners will continue receiving those services at their new schools, according to Birhanzel.

The superintendent also said the district's goal is to retain employees who want to continue working for the district.

The goal is to not lay anyone off. The goal is to keep everyone a job if they wanna work here, Birhanzel said.

What Will Happen to the School Buildings?

The buildings will remain closed for a year while the district explores potential future uses.

Birhanzel said the district hopes to find options that benefit the surrounding community and bring additional resources to the southeast side of Colorado Springs.

Something that will uplift our community and add a resource back into our community that sometimes the Southeast might not have, she said.

Changes Planned for Next Fall

The school changes are scheduled to take effect next fall. District leaders say they do not currently plan to close any additional schools, but they will continue monitoring enrollment and state funding.

For families affected by the changes, the district says it plans to provide information and support as students prepare to transition to their new campuses.

Parents at Bricker, Oak Creek and Turman elementary schools were invited to meetings Wednesday evening to hear directly from Harrison School District 2 leaders about major changes planned for their schools.

At Turman Elementary, about 30 parents attended a meeting where district leaders announced plans to close the school beginning in the 2027-28 school year. Students would transition to either Giberson Elementary or Soaring Eagles Community School.

Staff members also learned about the planned closure shortly before the meeting.

The district is also proposing to combine Oak Creek Elementary with Fox Meadow Middle School and Bricker Elementary with Panorama Middle School. Both campuses would become K-8 schools.

For families at Turman, the announcement came as a shock.

Yeah, it is shocking, said Ruben Bet, a Turman Elementary parent.

A little bit scary because we moved to this community because we wanted to go to Turman, Said Israel Riva, another parent at Turman.

Superintendent Dr. Wendy Birhanzel, School Board President Michelle Wills-Hill and Turman Elementary Principal Mickee Witt attended the meeting to explain the proposed changes and answer parents' questions.

During the meeting, district leaders pointed to declining enrollment as a key factor behind the planned changes. Turman currently has fewer than 150 students, according to the district.

Leaders also cited rising living costs and fewer children entering the community as contributing factors.

But parents said they still have questions about how the changes will affect students, teachers and families.

The big question is how will the district accommodate all these students in different schools and also the teachers, Bet said.

Parents also raised concerns about transportation, class sizes and whether schools receiving students will have enough teachers and counselors to support them.

For Riva, the announcement came with little time to process what it could mean for his family.

This is so new that it just hit us like out of nowhere, so, um, we would have to see, but I don't know, we really like the school, Riva said.

District leaders said employees will have an opportunity to apply and interview for positions at the receiving schools as the district works through staffing plans.

The district expects that process to begin January 11, when the interview pool opens.

Parents also asked what will happen to the Turman Elementary building after the school closes. Some said they do not want the property to sit vacant.

One idea raised during the meeting was converting the building into the Deerfield Hills Community Center. District leaders said community input will play a significant role in determining the building's future.

Still, some parents hope the school can be saved.

If there is any way to save the school or to make a petition to save that school because it's a great school and the teachers are great, the principal is a great principal, Riva said.

Harrison School District 2 said it plans to support students and families throughout the transition.

District leaders also reminded parents that the district operates under a school-choice model, meaning families can choose which school their children attend next year.

The proposed changes are planned to take effect in August 2027, at the start of the 2027-28 school year.

For now, questions remain about how students will transition, how staffing will be handled and what will ultimately happen to the Turman Elementary building.

News 5 received a tip that sources say Harrison School District 2 plans to make changes to several elementary schools like Turman, Bricker, and Oak Creek, potentially taking on new purposes next school year.

Weve been looking into the potential changes since receiving a tip. We called the district last week but did not get a response. After following up by email this week, the district confirmed it plans to announce changes to several schools Wednesday evening.

For parents like Carah Bacus, whose daughter just started second grade at Turman, the news could mean another adjustment for her family.

"I'm actually quite shocked because I didn't know about that." Bacus said.

Bacus said Turman's close location has made the transition to a new school easier for her family.

"What will happen to my kid, and options? When it's gonna start?" Bacus said.

The district will announce its proposed plans to parents and students Wednesday. I've requested an interview with Superintendent Dr. Wendy Birhanzel to get more answers about what the changes could mean for students and families.

Colorado voters will decide this November whether to add a new identification requirement for mail ballots.

Amendment 84 would require mail voters to write the last 4 digits of their Social Security number or driver's license number on the outside of their ballot envelope.

The measure would apply to federal and statewide elections and would keep the existing signature requirement. Amendment 84 needs 55 percent of the vote to pass. The measure does not change identification requirements for people voting in person.

Supporters say the change adds another layer of verification.

"Signatures used to be the gold standard, and now everything that you see that has security attached to it is a two-factor authentication and one of those factors is always going to be something that's subjective, said Suzanne Taheri one of the initiative's proponents.

She says signatures can change, particularly among younger and older voters.

For older people, it's because I think their writing styles sometimes change as they get older. For younger people you don't sign that many documents," Taheri said.

Some voters say they may be open to the idea.

"As long as it's private, you know, not the whole world to see it. Yes, I'm OK with it," Princella Carvin said.

But opponents say Colorado already has a system for checking those signatures.

"I've worked as an election judge, it's been proven to be a reliable way to make sure these are valid ballots, said Jessica Delos Reyes the executive director of Citizens Project. She says the added requirement could create another way for a legitimate ballot to be rejected.

The thing is if you don't provide that information, your vote will not be counted, this is just going to keep more people away from voting and stoke even more distrust in a system that's actually very secure," Delos Reyes said.

Other voters say they see value in having another way to verify who's casting a ballot.

"Having something to show 'OK this is who I am and this is how I'm voting I was here today' uh just makes sense to me," Meg Provencher said.

For some, the concern is whether voters need to provide more personal information.

"We have already got our Social Security in the system as far as they know who we are, I feel like how many ways do we need to have our identifying name address phone number all the other things that we have?" Heidi Marquess said.