Racial Inequities: Black Coloradans often face barriers in homeownership

the applicants visited properties, landlords denied their applications. is happened over and over again.

BY NINA JOSS AND HALEY LENA NJOSS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM; HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

A few years ago, Aurora Warms the Night, an Aurora-based nonpro t serving people who need housing, ran into a challenge when assisting its Black clients in applying for apartments. When

So the team decided to take a di erent approach, sending in White volunteers to check out the apartments rst.

“I would send one of our employees or people that were White to look at the apartment — to get the pricing, get everything, to make sure everything was available,” said Brian Arnold, who was executive director of the group at the time ve years ago. “After that, we did the application online and sent it in without them being able to see the person.”

Once the application got approved, the team at Aurora Warms the Night would let the real estate agents see the client was Black. Arnold said this process worked almost every time and became the organization’s own way of making a dent in the discrimination that people of color may face, but nd

The proclamation was part of Fort Lupton City Council’s Jan. 17 meeting.

Money time

Council also approved a $49,000 contract with Axon Enterprises. It provides taser equipment, bodyworn and mobile camera equipment and licensing.

“This is part 1 of 2,” Fort Lupton Police Chief John Fryar told the council. “We’ll have a smaller piece that we’ll do later in the year.”

The funds come from the general fund and the police department’s contractual services account.

Council also OK’d a $33,900 pact to replace one of the rooftop units at the recreation center. Assistant recreation director Julie Seedorf said the unit is irreparable. The money comes from the center’s capital expenditures account.