Not a one-size-fits-all solution to local a ordable housing crisis

new and in ll housing projects. e County also lacks public transportation options to make transit-oriented development less car-dependent.

Guest Column

The Arapahoe County Board of County Commissioners at’s why Arapahoe County is partnering with our 13 cities and towns to work on solutions that address this predicament. As local government leaders, we collectively understand and support housing coordination because we also recognize and respect each community’s unique challenges and di erences. We have a variety of tools at the local level that can help shape our housing strategy more quickly and e ciently than broader e orts.

As many are aware Colorado, like most of the country, has a housing crisis with a de cit of a ordable, attainable, and available housing. It’s in the headlines daily and has become a top priority for local elected leaders and state lawmakers. And like our entire state, Arapahoe County is appealing to new people who want to call it “home.” In fact, some forecasts show Arapahoe County could add as many as 120,000 people by 2030. But while the appeal is understandable, our a ordable housing supply has not kept up with demand, which will be the case as our County continues growing.

Among large counties, Arapahoe County has one of the most diverse housing stocks in the state –meaning a sound variety of single-family homes, townhomes, and apartments. In fact, 64% of those hous- ing units are owner-occupied. e County also has what is called middle housing–or duplexes and triplexes–that are already allowed in certain zone districts and planned unit developments across the County. On the downside, a signi cant number of residents are housing burdened – meaning one in three residents, or over 88,000, pay more than 30 percent of their income on housing. at’s a 13 percent increase since 2016. e good news is that Arapahoe County has more than 108,500 new housing units approved and ready to be built – that’s housing for at least 284,000 individuals.

But for several complicated reasons, it is taking a long time for these approved units to be built. ose reasons include labor and supply chain shortages, developer priorities, and nancing backlogs for a ordable housing projects, which result in increasing capital costs due to market conditions. ere also are signi cant infrastructure costs – like water and sewer – that need to be built for both at’s why local governments—like your Board of County Commissioners and your mayors and city councils—are working diligently to nd solutions and proactively respond to the changing needs of our communities every day. We know a one-sizets-all approach won’t work locally to increase housing a ordability, accessibility, and diversity. Local oversight takes time to ensure housing is safe for all within our community and services and infrastructure for new housing are readily available. In the coming weeks and months, your elected leaders look forward to having more meaningful conversations about this topic and we urge you to get involved. Call your state representative and let them know how you feel about housing. Read up on the great work our cities and towns are doing. And look for future telephone town hall events at www. arapahoegov.com/townhall, follow us on social media, or subscribe to e County Line newsletter to stay informed. e Arapahoe County Board of County Commissioners is made up of Carrie Warren-Gully, Jessica Campbell-Swanson, Je Baker, Leslie Summey and Bill L. Holen e boy was only four years old. What a lesson for all of us.

Am I saying thank you enough? Am I showing gratitude to everyone, not just those closest to me? Am I living out the actions of living and working with an attitude of gratitude?

Another piece to the housing crisis is nding quality, long-term solutions for homelessness. We are currently working across the County to coordinate homelessness response and program o erings, including expanding shelter options, providing eviction support services and expanding navigator programs. Most of these services, however, have been funded by one-time federal dollars, so it is crucial that we nd a sustainable revenue source to continue these critical programs.

Like us, Governor Polis and our legislative delegation are interested in attacking the housing crisis. ey have proposed land-use legislation that seeks to encourage denser building in key urban areas and alter single-family zoning in Colorado cities. is is of concern because it would allow the state to build additional middle housing units without current local approvals.

Last week I wrote about another season of new beginnings. If we have been challenged, in a rut, or facing di culties in our lives, we have every chance to start over, give ourselves a new beginning and stop doing what we have always done and expecting di erent outcomes. And maybe our new beginnings begin with gratitude. New beginnings mean change. Whether we are doing really well and just want to raise the bar for ourselves, or we are struggling in some way, we nd ourselves looking to change something. A change in attitude, behavior, strategy, or maybe learning or elevating a skill. And when it comes to changing our attitude I like to think about one of my favorite Jimmy Bu ett songs, “Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes. “

A part of the lyrics go like this “It’s those changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes

Nothing remains quite the same

With all of our running and all of our cunning

If we couldn’t laugh we would all go insane”

Our attitude has so much to do with the way we choose to live, laugh, love, work and play. And it has been said that gratitude is one of the strongest human emotions. It’s also been said that the more we show our gratitude for what we have, the more we will have to be grateful for. So I think back to the story of the 4-year-old boy and his grandfather, asking myself:

Again, it’s spring, it’s less than a week past Easter, and it’s the perfect time for new beginnings as life seems to be blooming all around us.

You have all probably heard about this thing called a gratitude challenge. It’s where we are challenged to come up with a few things every day that we are grateful for. One of my close friends, John Brokken, does this every day and posts his gratitude list on social media. It’s one of my very favorite things to read each day.

Here are a few ways that I am changing in my word choices when it comes to showing gratitude, I am sure you have your own too, but feel free to put these to good use as well.

“ ank you very much.” “I appreciate you so very much.” “I am so grateful for you.” “I am so thankful that you are in my life.” “ ank you for being such a blessing to me.”

How about you? Is it time for new beginnings in your own life? And would a new beginning have a better chance of success if you started with lling your gratitude bucket? I would love to hear your story at gotonorton@gmail.com, and when we remember to show our gratitude, even just a simple and sincere “thank you,” it really will be a better than good life.

Michael Norton is an author, a personal and professional coach, consultant, trainer, encourager and motivator of individuals and businesses, working with organizations and associations across multiple industries.

Warm Hearts Warm Babies serves hospitals, agencies across Colorado

BY TAYLER SHAW TSHAW@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Surrounded by colorful fabric patterns, handmade baby items and frequent laughter, volunteers of the Warm Hearts Warm Babies nonpro t went to work on a Friday morning to put together layettes for organizations who need them.

e nonpro t has a list of roughly 40 agencies it delivers items to throughout Colorado, said Kathleen Williams, the nonpro t’s grant coordinator. e list includes the Children’s Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Platte Valley Medical Center and Denver Medical Center.

“Warm Hearts is totally made up of volunteers,” said Sandi Powis, president of the board of directors. “Everyone’s volunteering with their heart and skills to make things for newborn (babies), preemies to help them get a good start in this world.”

Volunteers sew, knit, crochet and quilt items such as bibs, burp pads, jackets, hats and blankets. e items are assembled into a layette, which is a collection of clothing and accessories for newborn infants.

Each layette contains a quilt, two receiving blankets, bibs, burp pads, clothing and a goodie bag containing items such as a bottle, some diapers and a small toy. ese items are delivered in a handmade tote bag.

“All these items are made with love,” Powis said. “We don’t connect to the individuals personally. We deliver the layettes to hospitals, birthing centers, food banks — anyone that can help us help the newborn.” e nonpro t also o ers items for the neonatal intensive care units at hospitals in Colorado, such as positioning roles that are used to help support the infants.

A number of the mothers who receive these items are experiencing homelessness, sometimes living in shelters or in their cars, Williams said.

“We also provide clothing for babies that don’t survive, from tiny little babies to full-term babies,” Williams said. “We have clothing for them that we hand out at the hospitals.”

Included in those burial layettes is a cloth-made envelope intended for the parents to hold important items and memories, Powis said.

“It’s sad, but it’s so important,” Powis said. “And to know that a mom wouldn’t have to go out, or send her mom or her sister to go out and nd things for her precious one that has passed — that it can be given to them and that’s not a worry for them.”

How it began

e nonpro t’s origin dates back to 1996, when a woman named Victoria Swain gave birth to a stillborn infant, according to the nonpro t’s website. e hospital she was at could not provide a blanket or clothes for her infant, prompt- ing Swain to look into how she could help donate these types of items.

After recruiting some volunteers and spending a few years working through a di erent organization called Newborns in Need, in 2000, Swain and the other board members decided to create their own nonpro t: Warm Hearts Warm Babies.

Powis estimated the nonpro t currently has about 200 volunteers and 12 work groups throughout the state including in Arvada, Brighton, Littleton and ornton.

Powis is part of the work group in Conifer, where she lives. She joined the organization roughly six years ago.

“I’ve been doing things for babies for many years, donating to other groups, but they were all missing something. ere was no social connection with anyone else making things,” Powis said. “I found that they had a local organization up here in Conifer and it was like, that’s it — that’s one I can link up with. I can meet people right here in our community.”

Williams learned about the nonpro t through a quilt show, as representatives of the organization had a table at the event. Living in Aurora at the time, she initially joined the Aurora group. Since then, she has moved to Colorado Springs

SEE IN NEED, P14