D-11's $775M School Bond Passed: What Homeowners and Buyers Should Know
Colorado Springs voters approved D-11's $775 million school bond on November 3, the district's first since 2004. Here is what the new schools, tax impact, and neighborhood momentum mean for homeowners, buyers, and families.
Colorado Springs voters said yes to D-11's $775 million school bond on November 3, the district's first voter-approved bond since 2004 and the largest in El Paso County history. If you live in, or are looking at, the central part of the Springs, here is a practical look at what it means for your property taxes, your home value, and your family's next move.
What Voters Just Approved
The bond pays for structural work at every D-11 school. The headline items include a new Holmes Middle School, heating and cooling upgrades at Coronado High School, and consolidating the Palmer High School campus. The money is set to flow in three tranches, with the first round of projects starting right away.
For anyone who has toured a school built in the 1970s or 80s and watched it struggle with the basics, the appeal is easy to see. This is about keeping buildings safe, efficient, and worth staying in for a long time.
What It Costs Homeowners
None of this is free, and we'd rather be straight about the cost than surprise you later. The bond raises property taxes by up to $49.8 million a year, and the district treasurer estimates the average D-11 homeowner will pay roughly $22 a month, about $264 a year. Whether that feels like a lot usually depends on how you weigh it against what it buys your neighborhood. And because every home and assessment is different, it's worth a quick conversation with your tax professional for your exact number.
What It Means if You're Buying
If you have school-age kids, or you're renting and want to put down roots, this matters for your search. School districts are one of the biggest factors in a home's long-term value, and D-11 serves a wide stretch of central and south-central Colorado Springs, including established neighborhoods close to downtown. Buyers have more homes to choose from in this market than they have in years, so schools are a bigger part of the decision than ever. Touring a neighborhood in the morning and afternoon, not just on a weekend, still tells you more than any report can.
"A bond like this is a vote of confidence in a neighborhood. But its real payoff for home values comes slowly, building by building, year by year."
- Jeff Morrell
What It Means if You're Selling
Owners near featured campuses can talk about improvements on the horizon, and a district investing in itself is genuinely good long-term news for the area. Honest advice: structural work takes time, so don't expect a bond to lift your list price overnight. Price a home for what it is today, keep it show-ready for the smaller but serious pool of winter buyers, and let neighborhood momentum do the rest.
The Bottom Line
Better schools tend to mean stronger neighborhoods over time, and a district finally able to invest in itself is a signal worth paying attention to. Whether you're buying, selling, or just staying put, the key is making decisions on clear information about your own home, your own budget, and your own priorities.
That's what we're here for. Reach out anytime, and we'll give you an honest, straight answer.
Here when you're ready,
Jeff & Lane Morrell
Sources: The Gazette election results reporting (gazette.com), KKTV reporting on D-11's bond and the estimated homeowner property-tax impact.