Two years ago Gov. John Hickenlooper stood alongside artists in Loveland and announced the state would be the first in the nation to help develop affordable housing for artists across Colorado. That vision made another milestone last week in Trinidad, which was the first community chosen for the Space to Create program.

Trinidad, an old coal town located in the far southeastern portion of the state, learned it’s receiving 9 percent housing tax credits from the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority to fund its Space to Create project, which includes both work space and affordable housing for low-income artists and their families.

“This is a moment for Trinidad. This project will rehabilitate an entire city block on Main Street and will provide 41 new housing spaces to our downtown,” said Tara Marshall, development service director for the City of Trinidad, in a statement. “This is an extraordinary win for our community.”

The Space to Create project is the first of its kind. Artists, or those in related industries, meeting particular income requirements are eligible for the housing, which also make it easy to be creative, as workspace is attached. Three Trinidad buildings more than a century old will be transformed into the combined living, working and community space.

Trinidad has also done its part in making the project possible. Last year the city council allocated $1.6 million for the space.

“City Council recognized the opportunity to form partnerships that brought public, private and nonprofit funding to Trinidad to invest in our community,” Trinidad Mayor Phil Rico said in a statement. “This is an important milestone and I look forward to seeing this major project continue our revitalization efforts in our downtown.”

While funding has been secured, the project is still in beginning stages. City officials say the next step is to complete architectural design.