Redistricting process begins in Littleton

Changes based on Census data

BY NINA JOSS NJOSS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Littleton is beginning a redistricting process for its four city council districts, as is customary every 10 years after U.S. Census data is

Along with jurisdictions across the country, the city is beginning the process later than normal due to a delay in Census data because of

Goals and factors

One goal of the process is to create districts with similar populations, City Clerk Colleen Norton said.

“When we look at the total population of Littleton based on the Census and we divide that by four, the average number is 11,413,” she said. “So that is kind of the target, as close to that, for each district.” e election commission will work with the city clerk’s o ce and solutions, City Manager Jim Becklenberg said they are keeping the residents’ wellbeing at the forefront of their considerations.

“I think the emphasis of this presentation that you’ll see tonight really is, yes, about what it would take if we were to rehab those units, but it’s also about the people that are there now and how could we treat the people with dignity and respect as we go down the line, whichever choice the council makes,” he said.

Option 1: Rehabilitate

Rehabilitation of Geneva Village would abate the health and safety concerns of the property’s condition while preserving the existing a ordable housing, according to Assistant City Manager Kathleen Osher, who presented to council during the Feb. 14 discussion.

In addition, this option would preserve the historical aspect of the complex.

Originally an annex to Geneva Lodge, a retreat and care facility for former hotel and restaurant workers, the complex could be eligible for historical designation, Osher said. It was designed by mid-century modern architect Eugene Sternberg, who was also the creator behind the Bemis Public Library, Heritage High School and Arapahoe Community College’s main building.

Based on an assessment from a general contractor, rehabilitation of Geneva Village would cost the city approximately $5.1 million.

“ at number does not include

Dear Davis Schilken, any signi cant site improvements or ADA improvements,” Reester said. “It includes bringing it up to building code and a few other things.” e city could also choose to put $254,000 towards the debt payments if they decided to transfer this amount of money back into the Geneva Fund, a fund that exists to support the property.

He said the estimate includes updating heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, updating electrical systems, demolition, asbestos abatement, updating appliances, carpet and paint nishing, updating windows, implementing energy e cient insulation and lighting, mobilization and onsite management. In addition, the number includes a 20% contingency for unexpected issues.

When asked how much adding ADA and site improvements such as parking lot remodeling would change the cost, Reester said it was hard to predict without design plans or an architect.

Finance Director Ti any Hooten said the city could fund the rehabilitation project through a 10-year bank loan with an annual payment of $595,125, or 20-year certi cates of participation, which is another type of nancing, with an annual payment of $386,000.

In order to fund these debt payments, the city would raise average rent to $1,626 per unit per month, Hooten said. ese rents would also go towards operation and maintenance costs and a capital reserve fund to maintain the property in the future.

Even if the city contributed this money to repairs, Becklenberg said rents would need to be signi cantly higher than they are now to cover the costs.

“ e takeaway here though, is… the rent that we’d need to cover that debt service and the operating costs and the

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Visit our comprehensive website for more tools www.dslawcolorado.com capital reserve, is higher,” Becklenberg said. “I think it would threaten the affordability of the units.”

Reester said he would estimate the rehabilitation project to take about 10 months if the site were fully vacant. If it weren’t vacant, District 2 Councilmember Jerry Valdes, who has experience in property management, predicted the project would take two years.

Considering these timelines, there is a potential that Geneva Village residents would need to be relocated during construction phases.

If the city chooses to proceed with the rehabilitation plan, there are several possible paths for what they could do with the units post-rehabilitation. As opposed to continuing to rent the units after rehabilitation, Mayor Pro Tem Gretchen Rydin proposed exploring the idea of selling the units.

“Have we considered making these for sale? If they were renovated, wouldn’t that pay for the costs?” she said. “If preserving it is important to our community, and we know one of our gaps in our housing strategy is a place for aging seniors… who want to downsize to a very supportive space… Have we talked about that at all?”

Option 2: Redevelop

If the city decides to redevelop the property, focus would be put on current residents.

“We want to make sure that it’s very clear that we want to have a peoplerst strategy,” Osher said. “Regardless of the decision, there may be the need to relocate.” e recently adopted Inclusionary Housing Ordinance would allow up to ve stories with a maximum of 55 feet if the site was developed as majority a ordable housing, according to city documents. e redevelopment process would begin with individualized counseling and planning sessions with each household, including guidance and funding assistance for their relocations. e city would work with B-Konnected, a consulting group with experience in social work and housing and urban development. e city would then work with experts, such as those at Urban Land Institute Colorado, to re ect on how to use the site, considering city planning and land use codes.

One bene t of redeveloping would be the chance to enhance the site as a gateway to the city, due to its location on Prince Street near downtown.

“Part of the opportunity with… the permanent relocation and redeveloping of the site is that there is… an opportunity to kind of think through the vision of the city property — so encompassing all of this site, as well as plans for downtown,” Osher said.

She noted that redeveloping o ers the potential to increase housing quality for Geneva Village residents and increase a ordable housing stock in Littleton. e 2.8-acre site could probably support between 75 and 125 units, she said.

Sta recommends the city conduct counseling and interview processes with the residents regardless of the option they choose. Working with B-Konnected through their proposed plan would cost the city roughly $72,000, Osher said.

If relocation occurs, council could also decide to subsidize future rents to support residents who would have to move, Osher said.

Resident proposal

Osher also summarized a proposal that Geneva Village residents created last April.

“Geneva Village provides housing that allows residents to continue living independently due to its unique design and a ordable pricing,” the proposal states. “Although small at only 28 units, what happens in Geneva Village is big. It is a place where residents are not only neighbors, but lifetime friends that help each other through thick and thin.” e residents’ plan called for an increase in rent by 6% each year for the next 10 years to create a sustainable income for the property and capital projects. e plan also proposed a Geneva Village community board of three elected residents and one city council member.

In this time period, the raised rents would create just over $2 million. e proposal said 50% of these funds would be set aside for capital improvements.

“ e objective of the community board will be to put the responsibility of Geneva Village into the hands of the residents,” the proposal states. “ is will not only unburden the city of having ‘landlord’ responsibilities but will also allow Geneva Village residents to have a say in maintaining and improving their community.”

If the city chooses to rehabilitate the units through their own plan, it is likely that they would not continue to manage the property in the long run.

“We don’t think that managing property with tenants like this is necessarily in the city’s wheelhouse, and it probably shouldn’t be something that we do long term,” Becklenberg said. “We have talked with our housing authority, South Metro Housing Options, about this… If the rents and the property were set up in line with their structures, they would be willing to take this property back.”

SMHO previously managed the property but opted out in 2019 because the management system was not consistent with their organizational mission.

Sta documents say SMHO has also expressed interest in the property if the city chooses the redevelopment path, as they see potential for the site to t their program.

Next steps

In preparation for a future meeting, council members asked sta to seek more information.

Speci cally, Councilmember At Large Pam Grove asked for more details on what it would look like to rehabilitate the complex and then sell the units versus renting them out. e council asked for feedback from the Historical Preservation Board about the historical considerations of their options.

“I would love to hear (the Historical Preservation Board) kind of discuss it and see what they have to say on this,” Schlachter said. “Because yes, its old, there is historical value. But just because it’s old and has historical value, where does that weigh with things?” spring 2023

Sta will also host a meeting with Geneva Village residents to walk through the options and answer questions. ey will then begin the interview process with consultants and residents to gather more information to present to council at the next meeting on the topic.

Sta predicts the next regular meeting on this topic to happen in approximately 90 days.

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