Skip to content

Home Wanted Aims For 12% Affordable Housing By 2035

While walking or driving around Longmont, you might have noticed posters featuring diverse subjects holding up the sign "Home Wanted".
53192380_312969332578830_5132850235025915904_o

This content was originally published by the Longmont Observer and is licensed under a Creative Commons license.

While walking or driving around Longmont, you might have noticed posters featuring diverse subjects holding up the sign "Home Wanted". The initiative, which began in Boulder, aims to tackle the rising costs of housing by securing a total of 18,000 homes (or 12% of the housing inventory) as permanently affordable to low- and middle-income households by 2035.

As the Home Wanted website explains, more than 1 in 4 households in Boulder County currently devote 50% of their income to paying rent or mortgage. For this reason, Home Wanted was organized by the Boulder County Regional Housing Partnership (BCRHP) in 2016. A total of nine jurisdictions in the county joined forces.

One year later, an internal government effort was launched to figure out which strategies work for individual communities, what help already exists, and where Boulder County is in its ambition to provide more affordable housing. Authorities have since recognized that a variety of housing units are required for the community's diverse needs. As Mackenzie Sehlke, public affairs specialist for Boulder County, explained during a recent interview, there is no "one size fits all" option.

https://www.facebook.com/homewantedboco/photos/rpp.312968292578934/484978435377918/?type=3&theater

“The issue of housing affordability seems very big and very intimidating, as well as personally very difficult to many families,” Sehlke explained. “Our community is committed to getting our arms around this issue. We are going to get to that 12% affordability.”

During the interview, Sehlke clarified that expensive housing isn't just a government issue. “This is about providing homes and using our collective innovation and interest in this issue and the stories of the folks who are affected by the issue to come up with solutions," she said.

https://www.facebook.com/homewantedboco/photos/rpp.312968292578934/484978248711270/?type=3&theater

 “I’m very passionate about the initiative and it’s because I get to collect the stories from folks,” said the public affairs specialist. “Everyone needs a home and everyone has a story about finding housing in our community. It’s quite easy for us to forget that when we are talking about affordable housing, we forget it’s what everyone needs. It affects everyone: baristas, childcare workers, public officials, journalists...everyone needs a place they can afford.”

https://www.facebook.com/homewantedboco/photos/rpp.312968292578934/484977662044662/?type=3&theater

Recent metrics report that a total of 6,980 permanently affordable homes is located in Boulder County. Approximately 1,473 are “in the pipeline,” according to Selke. In Longmont, specifically, the following structures are being developed:

  • Brickstone/FarmHaus Apartments at 119 and 3rd Avenue will have 33 affordable homes out of 280 total rental homes – infrastructure under construction
  • Kinzie Apartments (2021 Kimbark) will be 44 micro-apartments with 10 deed-restricted as affordable – construction to begin in March/April
  • Fall River Senior Apartments (321 Homestead Parkway) just opened and is leasing – 60 units all affordable
  • Blue Vista Development (Quail Road and Hummingbird Circle) will have 26 homes for sale at affordable prices – 6 currently available, contact Elevations Community Land Trust for more information.  
https://www.facebook.com/homewantedboco/photos/rpp.312968292578934/484977375378024/?type=3&theater

Said Sehlke:

"There aren’t that many things we can invest in this society that are as impactful as safe, high-quality housing. We know that when you invest in housing, people are more likely to have healthcare, more stable access to nutritious food, people are more likely to thrive in a variety of ways (lower levels of diabetes, more stable family structures), they are often folks who suffering from housing insecurity are working.”

https://www.facebook.com/homewantedboco/photos/rpp.312968292578934/461525591056536/?type=3&theater

When asked if allowances will be made for “tiny homes” and alternative living vessels, Selkhe responded, “My favorite answer to this question is that the most important thing residents can do is to share their stories and their expectations about their housings, so that their elected officials and community members see them and their needs.”

She continued: “The campaign is designed to amplify the needs and the issues which are most interesting to the community members so we can develop new policies to address these issues.”

“Micro-units and more multi-family housing are needed and have been in the background as a conversation in our community; now that the campaign is launched, you are seeing communities like Lafayette look at zoning ordinances and see if tiny units can be part of their downtown.”

https://www.facebook.com/homewantedboco/photos/rpp.312968292578934/312969329245497/?type=3&theater

In conclusion, it is everyone who is affected by high housing costs and everyone who will benefit from efforts to ensure at least 12% permanently affordable housing by 2035. If you would like to share your story, please visit the website.