Inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
ERIE TO CONSIDER ROBUST INCLUSIONARY HOUSING ORDINANCE - January 25
Every community in Boulder is in the process of implementing some sort of mechanism in place to ensure funding for affordable housing.
Erie passed a resolution in support of affordable housing last year, and has put considerable effort into determining how best to approach affordable housing. The staff have done a lot of homework and will be presenting options to council on January 25th at their meeting that begins at 6:30. Additionally, they will be reviewing the need for a consultant to help them achieve their goal of reaching 12% affordable housing by 2035. What can you do?
Send an email to the Town Board, thank them for doing their part as a regional partner to achieve their affordable housing goal. Remember, some people will likely oppose any measures taken to create more affordable housing, so they need to hear from folks that do. Here's some instructions on how to participate in the public dialogue in Erie.
https://www.erieco.gov/DocumentCenter/View/13057/How-to-participate-in-virtual-meetings?bidId=
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State legislature will be recommending the spending of $400 million (+) on affordable housing
The recommendations of the Transformational Housing Taskforce are available at https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/images/draft_affordable_housing_report.pdf. When the legislature completes its work this should create significant resources for local governments to help address the housing shortfall, especially for those for whom the pandemic has made matters worse.
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Lafayette Willoughby Corner project back on track
After a pandemic-related stall, the development of 400 units of affordable housing in the Willoughby Corner Project is back on track. This project will include for-sale, for-rent, and senior housing along with a community building. Financing is currently under way through 2022, and construction is expected to start in 2023. For more information see: https://issuu.com/bcdhhs/docs/willoughby_corner_1_pager_english?fr=sYTRkYjg1ODc2
or https://issuu.com/bcdhhs/docs/willoughby_corner_1_pager_spanish?fr=sMjM0ZDg1ODc2.
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TIP: Check you insurance coverage?
Post-fire many people are finding that their insurance coverage has not kept pace with pandemic related cost increases for construction. Discussions in the community on rebuilding focus on costs per square foot that range from $320 - $450 per square foot. (Lots of variables.) Would you be able to rebuild your home if those were the costs to rebuild? You may want to look at your coverage and ensure that you are adequately covered, as well as that your coverage includes something called "ordinance of law" which covers you for new laws or ordinances that have been implemented since you built your home that would require upgrades from the way it is currently built.
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Longmont to study middle-tier housing
In a resolution proposed by Councillor Susie Hidalgo-Fahring and unanimously supported by the rest of council, the Longmont Council voted to direct staff to create a process for determining the needs for middle-tier housing and for creating policies that help meet that need. If this is something you are interested in, please drop us an email at ECHOBouldercounty@gmail.com, and we will make sure you get included as this process unfolds.
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Donations for Marshall Fire
Please remember our neighbors who lost their homes and belongings in the fire. You can help by donating here. Also Boulder Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship is offering their building to anyone who needs a shower, or a quiet place to read, use the internet, and get out of a hotel-room. They have a playground for children too.
https://www.commfound.org/grants/get-grant/Boulder-County-Wildfire-Fund
Disaster Assistance Center, open 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., seven days a week: 1755 South Public Road in Lafayette
RENTERS AFFECTED BY THE MARSHALL FIRE: ECHO is looking into resources available for you and would like to know what you need most. Please email us at ECHOBoulderCounty@gmail.com
