APRIL 17 / MAY 15, 2019
REDSTONE • REVIEW
PAGE 11
HOUSING Celebrating the first Habitat for Humanity duplex home dedication in Lyons By Amy Reinholds Redstone Review
tom options). Monthly mortgage payments including taxes and insurance will range from about $650 to $850 for all the homeowners in Lyons, depending on income and household size. Applicants to purchase all six of the Lyons homes were selected by April 2018, and several friends and family members helped donate volunteer hours over the past year to count toward each household’s “sweat equity.” All Habitat for Humanity homeowners complete about 250 volunteer hours per adult in each household, which includes attending financial and home-ownership classes, as well as working on construc-
former Lyons Trustee Dan Greenberg with the hope that affordable housing in Lyons was possible, and that group worked earnestly in 2014 and 2015. And then after the LYONS – After four years of writing failed vote for the Bohn Park proposal in March 2015, a this column, I’ve learned a lot about new Lyons Special Housing Committee volunteer Tom affordable housing, planning and landDelker suggested that Ferguson subdivide land he was use processes, and stories about planning to buy from Valley Bank that spring and sell approaches that have worked in other some of it to Habitat for Humanity. Ferguson and his LLC communities. But most of all, I’ve partners invested in the Valley Bank land originally and learned that affordable housing takes a then completed the PUD and subdivision process before long time, and it requires community selling the residential lots to Habitat for Humanity. The members, non-profits, town Lyons Board of Trustees led by Mayor John staff, and elected officials who O’Brien voted in June 2015 to wave utility conReinholds don’t give up. nection fees that the town has control over for On April 7, we had a chance to celebrate the six future Habitat for Humanity homes. The one of those organizations that persevered in total of about $173,500 in savings helped Lyons when Habitat for Humanity of the St. Habitat for Humanity meet its permitting and Vrain Valley held a dedication for the first fees budget for the Park Street homes. duplex at 112 Park St. When the Board of Trustees approved final Lyons lost about 76 to 94 flood-destroyed rezoning and subdivision for the Habitat homes since the September 2013 flood. In March homes in July 2016, I noticed not only how 2015, a proposal for using part of Bohn Park to tired everyone seemed, but I was impressed by build subsidized, affordable Boulder County all the thank-yous shared at that meeting. Housing Authority rental homes and some Mayor Connie Sullivan thanked Dave Habitat for Humanity affordable for-sale homes Emerson, Executive Director of Habitat for (a total of 50 to 70 homes overall) was rejected in Humanity of the St. Vrain Valley, and the a town vote, 614 to 498. But Habitat for applicants / property owners Ferguson and his Humanity of the St. Vrain Valley did not give up business partner Jerry Moore, for staying at on the Town of Lyons, continuing the discussion the table with the Town of Lyons for the long about possible available land in Lyons, and evenrezoning and subdivision process, which starttually purchasing in the fall of 2016 land to build ed in the fall of 2015. Ferguson thanked his six homes at Second and Park St. from Craig Planet Bluegrass business partners for their Ferguson and his Planet Bluegrass partners. support. In addition to his financial investFor Habitat for Humanity staff, an Americorps ments as a business partner, Moore invested a team that helped build, and other volunteers and The first Habitat for Humanity duplex on Park Street was dedicated on April lot of time in negotiations and documentadonors, the April 7 dedication was a celebration 7. At left and right, new owners Monica English and daughter Lunihan, and tion preparations. Lyons Housing Recovery of the 99th and 100th homes built by Habitat for Cassie and Zoe Walters. In the middle, David Emerson, Executive Director of Coordinator Cody Humphrey dedicated a PHOTO BY CATHY RIVERS Humanity of the St. Vrain Valley, an event they Habitat for Humanity of the St. Vrain Valley. bulk of this time to this project during his had been planning for months. For the commushort appointment with the Town of Lyons. nity of Lyons, five and a half years after the flood disaster, it tion of their own and their neighbors’ homes, or working And Rosi Dennett, the town planner who picked up was a celebration of the first new affordable housing con- at the Habitat ReStore in Longmont. where two other town planners had previously worked structed after years of determination. For two families who The preference policy gave first preference for appli- on that application, also deserves thanks for all her purchased the homes, Cassie Walters and Monica English, cants displaced as a result of the flood disaster of 2013, work during that challenging time. it was a celebration of a new start after years of uncertain who maintained their primary residence in the Lyons You can read all my coverage of Habitat for Humanity in housing situations, gratitude for an affordable mortgage, area (80540 zip code) at the time of the flood. For Lyons in the four years of archives on my blog at lyonscoland a new future for their children. I had the honor of pre- income level requirements in Lyons, preference is for oradonews.wordpress.com/tag/habitatforhumanity/page/6/. senting a key to Monica English. applicants at 60 percent of area median income or below. Thanks to all the volunteers – both from Lyons and comFor everyone who attended that event, it was a joyful The permanently affordable restriction means that munities across the region – who built on weekends or time to pause and appreciate the milestone of the com- homeowners who sell their homes in the future must sell weekdays starting in January 2018. Later this spring and pleted building and to recognize the work of the past four to qualified buyers who are in that same income range. summer the other two duplexes are expected to be finished. years. Looking back at the wide range of emotions expeThis accomplishment in Lyons required a combination To volunteer, no specific experience is needed, and training rienced about affordable housing in that time, that sunny of community members, non-profits, town staff, elected is on the job for each 9 a.m.to 4:30 p.m. volunteer shift. On Sunday in April was a time to breathe a sigh of relief and officials, and future homeowners who persevered. the website at www. stvrainhabitat. org / construction, after appreciate everyone’s hard work. We wouldn’t have arrived at this day without a wide clicking FLOOD REBUILD-LYONS, volunteers can Habitat for Humanity is a non-profit that acts as a range of people who helped with individual steps in the review all volunteer days with openings and sign up for one builder and a lender of no-interest loans for homeowners. journey that helped make these homes a reality. The Lyons or more of the specific days they are available. To donate Mortgages are about $150,000 (depending on some cus- Housing Recovery Task Force formed after the flood by online, go to www. colorado gives. org / rebuildlyons. COMMENTARY: AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN LYONS
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