A struggling renter’s last hope is now the Emergency Rental Assistance Program following last week’s abrupt end to the national eviction moratorium. A renter can receive up to 15 months of unpaid back and future rent through ERAP, thanks to two rounds of federal relief packages. But six months after launching, Colorado’s program had paid […]
Colorado Department of Local Affairs
Posted inEconomy, Housing, News
Colorado has paid out just 7.4% of its federal rent-assistance funds
With some renters still waiting weeks or months for a promised rent check from Colorado’s share of federal rent assistance, the state Department of Local Affairs said it has switched vendors so all payments approved by July 31 should be paid within two weeks. “As of Aug. 17, we have switched to Bill.com for making […]
Posted inColoradans, Housing, News
Broomfield house for aged-out foster kids is a model for solving Colorado’s youth homelessness crisis
BROOMFIELD — The community room has a fresh coat of cheery, teal paint and the kitchens in each of the eight studio apartments have new cabinets in a trendy shade of gray. Anchor House, a community project years in the making, is ready for its tenants, who will begin moving in next month. The young […]
Posted inBusiness, News, Politics and Government
Ethics complaints from mountain counties spur probe of state Division of Property Taxation
The Department of Local Affairs will hire a law firm to investigate the Colorado Division of Property Taxation after Eagle, La Plata and San Miguel counties made ethics complaints against the state agency’s top two directors. The move averted a call for state auditors to probe the claim that a too-cozy relationship between the state […]
Posted inColoradans, Housing, News
In the shadow of a ski resort, Steamboat Springs mobile home residents have been without power for 50 days
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — Fred McCracken goes to sleep with the sun since the power went out in his mobile home nearly 50 days ago. Down the lane at Sleepy Bear Mobile Home Park, neighbors Efrain Farias and José Banales are taking turns filling up gas tanks to feed the generator between their two homes. They […]
Posted inBusiness, Economy, News
Colorado’s COVID-19 rent assistance program sees delays, fraud as eviction moratorium is set to end Saturday
When her tenants lost their jobs or saw their income plunge early in the pandemic, Karen Arnold had a heart — and a curious mind. She reduced their rents and continued to work with them for the rest of the year. Then she heard about a Colorado assistance program that provided rent payments to landlords […]
Posted inBusiness, Economy, Housing, News
Thousands of Coloradans struggling to pay rent asked the state for help. $6.5 million later, phones are still ringing.
As the pandemic began affecting livelihoods last year, Stephanie Maney would sometimes catch a glimpse of her phone number on TV news broadcasts, news stories or communication from the state’s housing division or Gov. Jared Polis’ office. Sometimes it was 303-864-7852. Other times 303-864-7810. Sometimes both. She was the only person answering calls from Coloradans […]
Posted inBusiness, COVID, Economy, Housing, News, Politics and Government
Colorado renters and landlords are in a race with the eviction ban. Should the state intervene?
By Hayley Sanchez and Andrew Kenney, Colorado Public Radio Gail Steger Mock has been a landlord for 35 years. She got into the rental business because she wanted to do something that would have a positive impact on people. “You get to help them have a decent place to live, and that’s where I come […]
Posted inGrowth, Housing, News, Politics and Government
Housing in Boulder County — and across Colorado — is expensive. But affordable homes are more than a fantasy.
Even with myriad solutions on the table, and many people eager and able to make change, closing the affordability gap is proving to be a monumental task.
Posted inBusiness, Economy, News
Colorado faces a 20,000-applicant backlog in requests for rent help as federal eviction ban is extended
Renters struggling to stay in their homes got a three-month reprieve as the federal ban on evictions was extended until June 30. And they just may need it as Colorado’s rent-assistance program is now under new rules that could delay how fast money is being distributed. “Unfortunately, at times, bureaucracy moves slower than the courts […]