ADUs, Land Use and Fire Remediation: Mid-April Update
Marshall Fire and Renters
HB 1254 on Marshall Fire Remediation had its first hearing on April 11 in the House Committee on Housing, Transportation & Local Government. It was passed by the committee in a vote of 9-4. Details on the bill are available at https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb23-1254.
Please thank the sponsors for their work on this bill, which is so important to renters experiencing a natural disaster.
Rep. Kyle Brown, kylebrownhd12@gmail.com
Rep. Javier Mabrey, javier.mabrey.house@state.co.us
Urgent Response Needed on SB 213
Colorado Senate Bill 213 is a bill about land use created by Governor Polis to help increase the supply of housing and address the density and walkability of our communities. It is designed to help local communities grow smarter. However, as currently written, it is focused on supply and doesn’t do anything to specifically ensure that the housing that is created is actually AFFORDABLE for the people who live and work here.
SB 213 has been introduced in the Senate, where we hope it will get amended to create more affordable housing. The bill summary is online at https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb23-213.
What you can do:
Please contact your State Senator and your State Representative to let them know that housing supply that is “market rate” (which is currently exorbitant) doesn’t help the people who really need it. Your message should say that housing supply without affordability is not the answer. Ask them to ensure that SB 213 actually requires that at least some of the increased housing will be affordable to lower-income households that currently cannot afford anything in Boulder County.
Here’s how to find your legislator if you don’t already know: https://leg.colorado.gov/FindMyLegislator
Lafayette Soliciting Input on Accessory Dwelling Units
The City of Lafayette is hosting a series of meetings on Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). Information about the Accessory Dwelling Unit Expansion Project, including upcoming resident listening sessions and notes from completed sessions, is posted at https://lafayette-listens.com/adus.
Right now, the City does not plan to offer any incentives for creating affordable ADU housing. Such incentives could help people who cannot afford or qualify to build an ADU to build one, and would then require that, in exchange, the unit be kept affordable for at least some period of time. Without an affordability element, lower-income people will not be able to either build ADUs or rent them, and inequity will continue.
ECHO encourages residents to give feedback to the City of Lafayette on the creation of its new ADU rules and to ask that they include incentives for developing affordable units.
Folks in Lafayette can attend the meetings or give written feedback to the City, asking them to include an affordability element in their ADU program.
Meeting #1 took place on Wednesday, April 5.
Meeting #2: Thursday, April 13, 12:00–1:00 p.m.
Meeting #3: Wednesday, May 3, 5:00-6:00 p.m.
Meeting #4: Thursday, May 11, 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Visit Lafayette’s website for the Microsoft Teams meeting links, background documents, and meeting notes, at https://lafayette-listens.com/adus.
Coalition Forming to Address Wages
Housing unaffordability is related to the fact that wages have not kept pace with housing costs. A new coalition is forming in Boulder County to begin to explore ways to create a livable wage in our communities.
The Boulder Minimum Wage Coalition will hold a community forum on Monday, April 24, from 6:30-7:30pm.
RSVP here to receive a Zoom link to participate and receive meeting materials for review ahead of time.