Op-Ed: Continuing the conversation about housing

I appreciate the deep diveinto housing in our community. From my time as a case manager, working with low-income and disabled individuals, I echo many of the concerns shared in these recent stories.

As an Arvada City Councilmember, my focus has been around housing, and while I love discussions around this topic, I wanted to share two actionable ideas that I hope we can support and push forward as a community.

First, we need to build out supply of a ordable units. While a ordable housing developments take years before someone can move in, a shorter-term answer is something called a landlord guarantee (or incentive) program. is is oneway cities can help build supply: by incentivizing new landlords to accept voucher recipients through a one-time bonus. Arvada could pay for this, or other plans should the city elect to participate in the recently passed ballot initiative Proposition 123, which provides funding for more a ordable units while also bolstering local rental assistance

Second, when someone moves into an a ordable unit with their voucher, they often stay there for years, if not decades, because it is so hard to nd another unit. Addi- tionally, since vouchers are income based, recipients often cannot make enough income to jump from public assistance to self-sustainability. For that reason, we should support nonpro t programs that support lowincome individuals shift from public assistance to self-sustainability. One program example of a self-su ciency model is Beyond Home, located right here in Arvada. Beyond Home’s model allows families on public assistance to learn essential life skills, take job training or certi cation courses, and accrue savings so they can move into their own home without the need for a voucher. us, freeing up a ordable housing units for the next individual or family that needs it.

I know it can seem like such a