In the Aurora mobile-home park where she lived for 16 years, eviction notices kept coming to Petra Bennett’s door — for unauthorized guests, lack of insurance, late rent. They were bogus threats to make the single mother leave. And eventually, she did. In Federal Heights, Karla Lyons’ waitressing wages are eaten up by a constant […]
housing
Posted inBusiness, Growth, News
How hot is Mesa County’s housing market? Just look at the number of new homebuyers
When the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority pulled together data showing how its home-ownership investments this year have played out across the state, the Front Range predictably gobbled up the lion’s share of loans and down-payment assistance. But one chunk of the map stood out: Mesa County. CHFA, created by the legislature in the 1970s […]
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Opinion: Denver is facing an affordable housing crisis – we all have to look past our own front door
A stable, affordable place to call home is the foundation for successful families and communities. In our region, that’s becoming harder and harder — but we know how to create homes that offer people the opportunities they deserve. Denver is changing — some neighborhoods in a matter of months. Populations are swelling, prices are increasing, […]
Posted inCrime and Courts, News, Politics and Government
Northwest Colorado housing authority settles lawsuit over companion animals for $1 million
By Kathleen Foody, The Associated Press A Colorado housing authority accused of violating the federal rights of tenants with disabilities by charging a fee for companion animals has settled a lawsuit for nearly $1 million. The agreement followed a three-year fight over the Meeker Housing Authority’s efforts to tighten restrictions on keeping pets at the […]
Posted inGrowth, News, Politics and Government
Denver’s mayoral race is coming down to a fiery personality clash. What does that say about Colorado’s capital city?
A few months back, it appeared the deciding issues in Denver’s mayoral race were going to be mainly related to policy: Growth. Congestion. Homelessness. Affordability. Instead, the runoff election Tuesday between incumbent Mayor Michael Hancock and challenger Jamie Giellis has morphed into a battle of personal integrity. It’s one of the most negative contests in […]
Posted inBusiness, Growth, News
Telluride isn’t immune to Colorado’s high country housing problem. But it’s finding a solution in diversification
TELLURIDE — Lance McDonald walks onto the sprawling new deck overlooking his town. “Look at this view,” he says, arms wide as he takes in the pink glow bouncing off the snowy peaks in the box canyon. “How nice would this have been when I first got here?” McDonald moved to Telluride in the late […]
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Opinion: How did gentrification become a crisis? Consider the homebuilding process
Housing in America is broken and has led to a gentrification/displacement crisis. How did this happen? We simply no longer build enough units to meet demand and keep prices affordable for most Americans. The house price to median household income ratio in this country was 2.2-to-1 before the 1970s. Over time the average rose to […]
Posted inBusiness, Growth, News
Affordable housing crisis threatens vitality of Colorado’s high-country economies
VAIL — Willa Williford, an affordable housing consultant who has worked across Colorado’s high country, this week tallied some classified ads in the Crested Butte News. In Wednesday’s edition of her hometown paper there were 85 listings for jobs, from entry-level gigs to high-paying executive jobs. There were 11 listings for rental properties, most of […]
Posted inBusiness, Environment, Growth, News
Homes with no energy bills are catching on — even in Pueblo — and the extra cost isn’t as high as you’d think
A few months ago, Boulder resident David Resnick had an epiphany. Actually, his real estate broker, Thorne Davis, barraged him with emails, research and news stories about clean energy construction. Then the report arrived. The Rocky Mountain Institute, a nonprofit dedicated to a clean energy and low-carbon future, concluded that building net-zero energy houses — […]
Posted inBusiness, Growth, News, Outdoors
A roadside hotel in Eagle is being transformed into affordable homes — and other housing-strapped resort communities are watching
EAGLE — Hammocks stretch over the former poolroom turned yoga studio. A dog and bike wash station fills what was once a sauna. An amply couched nook, lined with old skis, has replaced the check-in desk. “A lot of what we are selling is the experience of living here,” says Kelly Herzog, the Eagle Valley […]