Our in-depth look at the housing crisis

Laurie Halaba becomes first female bureau chief Sheri Brown leads ceremony

BY TAYLER SHAW TSHAW@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Moments after making history at the Arapahoe County Sheri ’s O ce, Laurie Halaba hugged her daughter and wiped away tears.

She had just been sworn in as the agency’s newest bureau chief, becoming the rst woman to ever hold the position at the Arapahoe County Sheri ’s O ce.

“It’s a little overwhelming,” Halaba said following the Jan. 24 ceremony.

“When I started 23 years ago, if you would’ve told me that I would be the rst female bureau chief, I would’ve laughed.”

High home prices, lack of supply sever metro residents from communities

Work

BY ROBERT TANN COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

When Chris Laney moved into his new three-bedroom home last summer, he felt like he’d won the lottery. After more than a decade of chasing the cheapest rent across the metro area, the Littleton bartender nally has a house to call his own.

“I almost feel guilty that I have it,” said Laney, 49.

Laney is one of a handful of residents who have secured housing through a subsidized program aimed at helping lower- and middle-income people live where they work. But as cities and towns contend with historically high home costs and a lack of supply, residents like Laney have struggled to live in their communities.

“I’ve always felt like I was just passing through instead of living somewhere, putting down roots,” said Laney. He has worked

SMALL GOALIE, BIG HEART

As bureau chief, Halaba will command the Public Safety Bureau, which encompasses the patrol operations, special operations and investigation services, the sheri ’s o ce said in a statement. She will also oversee the law enforcement contract for the City of Centennial. e previous bureau chief, Glenn ompson, recently retired. Sheri Tyler Brown said Halaba was on the radar for the position “probably from about week one that I was here at the sheri ’s o ce.”

“Laurie is a consummate professional when it comes to (being) a member of command sta . She has been an example for so many, and