Engagement Brings Results: Summer 2023

Written By Connie Clem
engagement brings results: summer rewards in the garden

Boulder County 2023 Affordable Housing Ballot Measure: Show Your Support

Boulder County Commissioners have approved putting an affordable housing funding measure on the 2023 ballot, which is hugely significant for our county as a way to create a stable source of funding for affordable housing. It would repurpose an existing tax to use for affordable housing, creating additional revenue of about $9 - $15 million per year to apply to proven affordable housing and supportive services strategies.

Currently the Boulder County Housing Authority alone has about a $20 million funding gap. Roughly 58% of Boulder County renters are “cost-burdened,” meaning they put more than 30% of their income toward rent, according to a 2018 report from the nonprofit Community Foundation Boulder County.

Lafayette Approves ADU Ordinance

The City of Lafayette created a Accessory Dwelling Unit ordinance that was approved on September 5. Because the ordinance does not include any incentives to keep ADUs affordable, it is likely that only the more well-off will build them, and they will not be affordable per square foot, even though they will be smaller and thus less costly. ECHO has encouraged residents to urge the town staff and council to add an affordable ADU element to their proposal. This would include incentives to help moderate income homeowners build ADUs in exchange for some commitment to keep the unit affordable for a specified time period.

Prop 123: Congratulations to the City of Longmont, the Town of Erie, and the City of Boulder

Three communities have been approved by the state to receive affordable housing funding from Proposition 123 funds. ECHO was a supporter of Proposition 123, and we are excited to see what new projects our local communities will plan for with these funds. Proposition 123 is expected to generate about $300 million per year statewide for affordable housing.

Erie Makes Changes to the Town Uniform Development Code to Incentivize Affordable Housing

The Erie Town Board voted 5-2 to pass new amendments and amend previous standards for affordable housing that will make it easier to build affordable housing.

  • The amendments will allow developers to bring forward alternative proposals that could include increased residential density, smaller lot size minimums, and reductions in required setbacks and lot width. Amendments will also allow for alternative equivalent compliance to parks, open space, transportation, and parking.

  • The town will allow for administrative review of affordable housing projects under minor subdivision and site plan review process. It will also allow for neighborhood meetings if the development is likely to create a substantial deviation from the established neighborhood character.

  • Incentives will be available to projects in which 12% or more of housing will be affordable. The 12% that is affordable will be restricted to households that have an income of 120% or less of the Area Median Income (AMI) for for-sale units and, for rental units, households with an income of 80% or less of AMI. For a family of three, 80% AMI is $95,680.

Willoughby Corner Groundbreaking – At Long Last

Willoughby Corner is a 400-unit affordable housing neighborhood in Lafayette with for-sale, senior, and rental housing planned. Advocates with ECHO, Together Colorado, and Immaculate Conception Church have been working for 5 years to see Willoughby Corner become a reality. Claire Scott, Dave Dvorak, Annmarie Jensen, and Monalisa Young along with many others have been advocating to ensure the project was funded and approved.

The senior housing will be built first.

Opportunity for Public Comment to Develop New Louisville Comprehensive Plan

The City of Louisville is seeking community comment on the future of Louisville to help shape the new comprehensive plan. In particular, ECHO encourages residents to share their support for more affordable, mixed-use development and more mid-level density development that allows for more walking and biking to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

According to the Colorado Energy Office, we cannot achieve our greenhouse gas emission reduction goals without finding ways to get people out of their cars.

The city will host additional comprehensive plan community meetings as well.

Connie Clem
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Summer Update: Affordable Housing in East Boulder County