Empowering Realtors to Understand the Rules for Building in Boulder

 

For nearly 15 years, Principal Scott Rodwin and our team of experienced architects have been helping local Realtors to answer their clients’ big questions: “Can I do x with this property?” “And if so, how much will it cost & how long will it take?” The rules in the City and County of Boulder are extremely complex, challenging and constantly changing. Scott & Studio Director Jim Kadlecek offer a free 2 hour course four times a year through the Boulder/Longmont Realtor Association (BOLO). “Their class is one of our all-time most popular,” Veronica Precella, CEO of BOLO, said. “It provides an essential tool for our members when counseling their clients.” [click here to read more about it in Real Producers Magazine

 

Veteran's Community Project

 

This past summer we took the WHOLE TEAM to Longmont to blitz-build volunteer on an amazing philanthropic project, The Veteran’s Community Project. The first one was built last year in Kansas City, and is already transforming veteran’s lives. There are several more in progress around the country. The second one, organized in Longmont by our friend Rick Schwolsky, has 26 independent micro-homes ranged in a pedestrian neighborhood around a 3000 sf. “community house” which hosts extensive wrap-around support services for its residents, to help them get back on their feet and successfully transition into the regular housing market. Our dedicated Skycastle and Rodwin team included several veterans, and was led by Skycastle President Brandon David – it’s nearly done, but there’s still a little more to do. You can volunteer or donate to this worthy venture too.

 

Woodridge Property for Sale!

 

We are often asked if we have property available on which to build a custom home. Now we do!  13103 Woodridge, Longmont is an extraordinary, easily buildable 1 acre lot in the beautiful gated Woodridge subdivision. It has jaw-dropping permanently unobstructed views of Longs Peak, and the back-range; with private Open Space and giant Cottonwoods in the foreground. We’ve created a potential conceptual design to illustrate what is possible, but the buyer can create the dream home of their choice. Check out the listing here. Give us a call if you’re ready to build your forever home.

 

Unhoused Migrant Support

 

We’ve all seen the heartbreaking news articles - 35,000 Venezuelan migrants shipped by Governor Abbot of Texas to Denver as a political stunt. A politician using the most vulnerable people as pawns; dropping them off unannounced in random locations, without any support. While we may not be able to stop that, we can help provide immediate relief for some of their most basic needs. Our firm just sent a van full of warm clothes to Denver Human Services.

The Newcomers Fund is currently accepting monetary donations from the general public. Donations will go directly to the city’s nonprofit partners who are supporting migrants with resource navigation, shelter and other services. Here are other ways to help.

And on a related note, Colorado needs more housing….everywhere, but especially in Denver. We need every kind of housing, but more attainable housing most of all. Please help support a political environment where providing shelter to those most in need is our highest priority, and takes precedence over property taxes, traffic or crime. Creating the conditions for everyone to have a safe, supported and fulfilled life starts with housing.

 

Skycastle Construction - Meet the Team!

 

Skycastle Construction has been growing consistently over the last two decades (ranked #1 by Biz West last year), thanks to referrals from our past clients, our unique design/build process & a passionate dedication to quality & deep green construction. We’re excited to introduce you to our Project Managers & Site Supervisors: Kellie Norman, Matt Ellsworth, Liana Greenberg, TK Connor, Art Littlefield & Karl Klemmick, Todd Waln, Dave Monsees, Duane Harrison, Tim Anderson and green building veterans Tim Roddan & Jeff Medanich. With a total of 366 years of combined construction experience (an average of 26 years), we are grateful to have such a terrific team of seasoned professionals. The Skycastle/Rodwin combined crew is now 33 people strong, (shown above) and has 13 extraordinary deep-green custom homes currently under construction. Led by Skycastle President Brandon David, this amazing group has been refining their processes and working diligently with the goal of making Skycastle the best custom homebuilder in Boulder County.

 

Boulder ranked as the top emerging luxury market in the U.S in Q2 2023!

 

Interesting post from Mansion Global about the most emerging luxury markets in the country…

“Boulder, Colorado, ranked as the top emerging luxury market in the U.S. in the second quarter, according to the high-end cut of the latest Emerging Housing Markets Index from The Wall Street Journal and Realtor.com.” 

“The luxury market in Boulder, it’s always existed but not nearly to the scale we’re seeing today,” said Steve Remmert, a founding agent at Compass Boulder, a city of around 100,000 people and a growing tech sector. And like many lifestyle-driven communities across the country, Boulder, a magnet for skiers and outdoorsy folks, saw a great uptick in value during the pandemic. 

“Now we’re on the other side of that, our market still continues to thrive,” he said. 

Each quarter, the luxury segment of the index pulls housing data for the top 10% of 60 metropolitan areas for the ranking, which takes into account information on the real estate market and other economic measures, analyzing a number of indicators to rank the most active luxury housing markets. 

Indicators include growth in housing supply and demand; median listing prices; a cost-of-living measure; small businesses; local property taxes; amenities; unemployment; wages; and the share of foreign-born residents—who contribute to the economic vitality and diversity of the area.  

Behind Boulder, the other emerging luxury markets span the breadth of the country. 

San Jose, Sunnyvale and Santa Clara, California, ranked second; St. Louis, which took first place last quarter fell to third; Dallas, Fort Worth and Arlington, Texas, ranked fourth; and Hilton Head Island, Bluffton and Beaufort, South Carolina, took the fifth spot. 

“This quarter’s list is really interesting in that I’m not sure there is a great, singular unifying theme across the top luxury markets,” said Danielle Hale, Realtor.com’s chief economist. 

Instead, there are a couple of different trends—in general, beach-towns which offer a laid back atmosphere have done well this quarter, as have outdoorsy areas, she said. 

“There are also a handful of larger cities that offer big job markets—half of the top- 10 are major metro areas with over a million residents, including San Jose, St. Louis, Dallas, Seattle (7th place), and San Diego (10th place). The unemployment rate in these areas is generally low, and combined with their large size, they offer a lot of opportunities for working households,” Hale said. 

“In this quarter’s luxury markets, the top performers tend to be either large major metros or outdoor meccas, or, in the case of some top areas, like San Diego, the best of both worlds,” she added. 
Boulder, only 25 miles north of Colorado’s capital Denver, is “a very unique town,” said Douglas Elliman’s Liza Hogan, who specializes in Aspen, Vail, Denver and Boulder’s luxury markets. “It has that small-town feel, but it’s got the sophistication you don’t find in small towns.”

“It checks all the boxes,” she said, from a strong sense of community, availability of outdoor pursuits and higher education and intellectual offerings—the University of Colorado’s flagship campus is in Boulder—to its proximity to Denver and picturesque locale.

There’s also a strong startup and business community, with companies like Apple, Google, Cisco and IBM all having offices in the town. 

“Some buyers just aren’t ready to let go of a business culture, they’re not ready to give up completely,” Remmert said, and Boulder’s amenities allow them to keep “their toe in the water,” he said. “We’re a mountain Silicon Valley.”

Luxury buyers from across the country, including major cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York and Chicago, are not only wooed by Boulder’s charms, but also its comparative value.

“Relative to the broader market, [Boulder is] still perceived as a bit of a value, and that’s fairly attractive,” Remmert said, especially in comparison to those pricey big-city markets many incoming buyers are moving from.

It’s also more affordable than some of its local neighbors. “The mountains have a huge allure, but it comes at a super-high price and it’s not as convenient,” Hogan added. “You could be looking at twice as much up in Aspen.” 

Average luxury prices—that is listings priced at $2.5 million and up—in Boulder rose annually in April, May and June, according to data from Compass. 

In June, the average sold price for a luxury home ticked up 9.4% from the same time last year to $3.9 million, the brokerage said.

A look at the very top end of the market revealed that no homes sold above $10 million in 2019 or 2021, but that four sold in 2020 and three sold in 2022, demonstrating the infancy of that ultra-luxury segment.  

“A few years ago, I’d have said $12 million to $13 million [is] an outlier. That’s not the case anymore,” Hogan said. “When people ask me about Boulder, I say ‘depending on where you want to live, $1 million is probably going to get you somewhat of a fixer upper.’” 

Underpinning home values in the mountain town is limited availability of stock, exasperated by geographic borders. 

“The beauty of our market and the No. 1 thing that has retained value is the constraints,” Remmert said. “We’ve got mountains to the west, open space to the east and growth restrictions in place. Boulder is what it is, we can’t over develop, it’s not possible here, we just don’t have that ability.” 

Like any property market, Boulder’s “is driven by supply and demand,” he said. “Our supply side is so constrained that regardless of what’s happening in the rest of the world” it’s hard to keep up with demand.

Boulder has around three months of inventory, Hogan said, half of the inventory required to have what is considered a balanced market. 

“As long as there’s limited inventory it will continue to drive prices up, and Boulder has a very limited supply, and has now for decades,” she added. 

Looking ahead, “I don’t see any indication that [the market is] going to slow down,” Remmert said. “I think we’re going to return to a steady place, the pandemic ticked everything up. The new bar has been established.”

 

EMBODY COSTA RICA YOGA RETREAT & WELLNESS CENTER

 

Principal Scott Rodwin recently travelled down to Embody Costa Rica Yoga Retreat to help craft a Master Plan for this fledgling wellness center about 30 minutes west of San Jose. 

There’s a modest house, a large partially completed yoga shala, a stone labyrinth, and a wealth of giant flora on the one acre site. It’s located in the charming small town of Atenas, which is noted for having the best climate in the world.  The surrounding area abounds with Avatar-worthy trees, rivers, waterfalls and sublime secret swimming holes.

DTO (a well-known DJ & music-producer www.dtomusic.com) and Hemalayaa (yoga and retreat leader), are the wonderful Owners; they’re fluent in Spanish and are deeply embedded in the local tico community. The easily accessible site is in a mixed rural neighborhood, bounded by a creek and woods, a boutique hotel and a jungle hillside of custom homes.

During a weeklong visioning process, Scott & the owners created a campus site plan that includes a dozen charming casitas, a spa, an office & boutique, a commercial kitchen, café, & dining patios, two pools & a waterfall, a firepit, palapas, teacher/retreat leader guestrooms, a recording studio, a treehouse platform, a large terraced permaculture garden and extensive landscaping. 

Several of these components are already under construction. The retreat is currently operating, and as they add more of these planned facilities, their offerings will continue to grow.

They are currently accepting investors – if you’ve ever dreamed of co-owning a beautiful eco-yoga retreat, feel free to contact Hemalayaa (embody@hemalayaa.com) for more information.

 

Colorado Green Home Tour 2023 - September 9th

 

Come see 8 amazing green homes from Superior to Louisville, Boulder to Nederland on Sat. Sept. 9th. Hosted by the Colorado Green Building Guild, this annual event gives you educational insight and inspiration into a wide range of sustainable design strategies and products. See examples of: earth block, Passive House Certified, sustainable landscaping, energy retrofitting, natural plaster, all-electric, net-zero, off-grid, fire resilience, small footprint, straw bale insulation, and more! Special treats this year include the ability for you to get to ride in an EV to the homes, and a Happy Hour Wrap party at Alpen. They also still need volunteers for the tour (free tix!)


 

Month of Modern 2023!

 

The annual MoM is a whole month of cool activities. Pechakucha (interesting mini-presentations tonight at Etown!), technical educational classes for designers, a Hoby Wagner home tour and Boulder’s Hottest Wrap Party. If you love modern architecture and stimulating conversations about good design, check it out!

 

 

Jim promoted to Senior Associate

 

Jim Kadlecek has been with Rodwin Architecture for the last 8 years and is our Studio Director. We are delighted to announce that he has been promoted to Senior Associate. Jim has been a fantastic Project Manager on over a dozen homes and commercial projects. He also is the lead mentor for all our new staff, is a regular juror at CU’s Environmental Design Program, and co-teaches our Understanding the Rules seminar. A Northern Colorado native, Jim has 45 years of experience in design, real estate and construction. When he’s not at work you’ll find Jim cycling or playing with his grandkids… and on a good day, both. And beyond all his skills, we appreciate his compassion, his honesty, his calm wisdom and his wonderful sense of humor. We are very lucky to have him help lead our team!

 

Rodwin Architecture & Skycastle Construction Volunteer Weekend!

 

We had a great time last weekend volunteering at the Veteran’s Community Project of Longmont - a fantastic organization which is building homes for Veterans, and a cause very close to our hearts. Located on a 2-acre property, approximately 13 miles northeast of Boulder, the VCP Village will feature 26 tiny houses and a 3,000-square foot Community Center. Each single residency home will be 240-square feet; the Village's five family homes are 340-square feet and can sleep up to 7.

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VCP Village provides everything a Veteran needs to live with dignity and safety; trauma-informed design with new furniture, appliances, housewares, bedding, and utilities, free of charge. More importantly, VCP Village provides sanctuary and the emotional space needed for the Veteran and VCP’s Veteran Support Services team to thoroughly address the underlying causes of his or her homelessness.

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Using VCP's proven one-on-one case management model, Village residents and VCP’s specially-trained case managers work together to achieve incremental, lasting results in the areas of health and wellness, education, employment, financial literacy, and the development of a personal support network.

 

Once desired goals are met, VCP assists each Veteran in securing a permanent housing solution and continues follow-up case management for a year. Each Veteran is allowed to take the entire contents of his or her tiny home as they transition to a new life.

 

Guest Blog: Marshall Fire homes being rebuilt twice as fast as national post-disaster average

 

Reposted from boulder beat:

It’s spring in Boulder County. Flowers are blooming, trees budding.

Something else is sprouting in the Marshall Fire burn area: Houses. Dozens of them, being built anew after 2021’s devastating blaze, twice as fast as the national average for rebuilding following a natural disaster.

Building professionals say that’s thanks in large part to the efforts of the local governments to simplify and demystify the rules, prioritize Marshall Fire victims and put them on a fast track to a new home. 

As a result, 495 of the 1,096 lost homes have been cleared to begin rebuilding, according to municipal dashboards. Thirteen 13 families have been able to move back home, with many more expected to join them throughout the summer.

“By September 15, we anticipate having at least 100 families back home” in Louisville alone, said Lisa Ritchie, the city’s planning manager. “It’s been all hands on deck.”


Making it easier

On average, it takes five years for just 25% of homes to be rebuilt after they are destroyed in a natural disaster. That’s according to the American Institute of Architects National Disaster Recovery Committee, and Scott Rodwin, president of Boulder-based Rodwin Architecture and director of the AIA for Northern Colorado.

Rodwin, who has five clients in various stages of rebuilding, recently co-presented to the AIA Colorado board on the Marshall Fire progress, followed by a driving tour of the burn area. He estimates that, by the two-year mark, some 250 homes will be complete — hitting that 5-year average three years early.

As of now, 45% of homes destroyed have been granted building permits.

Boulder County: Building permits issued for 57 of 157 destroyed homes (36%)

Louisville: Building permits issued for 247 of 550 destroyed homes (45%)
Plus another 10% in review, and 4 households moved home

Superior: Building permits issued for 191 of 389 destroyed homes (49%)
9 households back home

The FEMA-led debris removal, the first of its kind in the state, helped tremendously, Ritchie said, finishing in six months. When lots were cleared and rebuilding started in the fall, Superior, Louisville and Boulder County were prepared with a streamlined process, beefed-up staffing and reduced fees and taxes for Marshall Fire rebuilds.

Planning and building staff from the three municipalities also meet frequently with residents to identify and address whatever issues arose in the process. Superior’s town board went from two meetings a month to two or three per week. 

“We upped the amount we were interacting to make sure we were nimble enough to execute anything we knew needed to get done,” said Superior Mayor Mark Lacis. “We reached out to community and said, ‘If there’s anything we can do to make this easier, we want to hear about it.” 

In Boulder County, everyone is assigned their own individual rebuilding coordinator, according to Kim Sanchez, deputy director of community planning and permitting.

“They are that point of contact,” Sanchez said, to address issues, provide updates and answer questions. “So there’s just one person that the property owner has to deal with.”

‘Bending over backward’

Boulder County had an advantage over Superior and Louisville, in that they already had a set of rules to govern what happens after a natural disaster. It’s Article 19, developed after the 2010 Fourmile Fire. With each new destructive event, it’s been amended. 

“Unfortunately, we have sections for each of the disasters we’ve experienced: Fourmile, the 2013 flood, the CalWood Fire,” said Sanchez. “Right away, we went to work writing provisions for the Marshall Fire.” 

Among other things, Article 19 guides rebuilding. Crucially, it allows applicants to skip a lengthy site review process if they stay within certain parameters. 

Not having to do site review “shaves half a year off,” Rodwin said. With other changes the county has made to prioritize Marshall Fire rebuilds, the time spent in permitting has been drastically reduced.

Prior to the Marshall Fire, the “fastest possible path” through the county’s regulatory process “was 11 months,” Rodwin said. “Sometimes it took 2,3 years: You had to wait in line just to get an appointment to meet with anybody.” 

Post Marshall Fire, “we’ve been getting building permits approved in under two weeks.”

“It’s not a perfect process,” he said, “but the county is really trying hard, bending over backward.”

The Lombardo family and their building team celebrate the groundbreaking of their new Passive House in Louisville, 15 months after they lost their home in the Marshall Fire. (Courtesy photo)

Rebuilding greener

Louisville also set a goal of 10-15 days for first review of a building permit. The city’s chief building official, who typically doesn’t handle building permits, sets aside Thursdays to process them for Marshall Fire victims, Ritchie said. “Sometimes Wednesdays, too.”

There are exceptions. Production builders, developing multiple properties at once, are sometimes pooling all the applications and submitting them together. But, generally, things are moving much more quickly than usual. 

The permit for Casey and Kevin Lombardo’s Louisville home took eight weeks — a bit longer than they initially thought. But the city’s first pass did indeed take two weeks from when it was submitted. 

The extra time was to address the Lombardos’ plan to build a Passive House, an energy-efficient structure that relies primarily on design, shading and ventilation for heating and cooling. After the family fled the Marshall Fire, they watched former neighbors quickly begin planning to rebuild. 

They were overwhelmed, having bought their previous homes already finished. It wasn’t until they attended a webinar from the Colorado Green Building Guild  that “something clicked,” as Casey said. 

“Seeing this possibility of this other type of home, that excited us,” she said. “That was a turning point.”

Added Kevin: “I went from, ‘I don’t want to have anything to do with this,’ to ‘I want to be deeply involved.’”

The Lombardos are not alone in pursuing greener rebuilds. Planners for Louisville and Superior said 70% of properties are meeting or exceeding the most recent energy codes, despite the towns exempting Marshall Fire homes from them.

Extensive rebates from the state and Xcel Energy made it financially feasible, builders said. Passive Houses like the Lombardo’s come with an extra incentive: They’re more resistant to fire.

“From the moment we decided to build, we decided we always want to look back at this time and say we did everything we could, we made the best choices,” said Casey. “We didn’t just throw up a house because we wanted a house.”

A rendering of the Lombaros’ in-progress rebuild, Sunflower Passive House. (Courtesy image)

‘We need everybody’

Not everyone will be able to rebuild. Most properties were under-insured relative to the cost of new construction. The area’s relative wealth meant that some families could cover the difference themselves, with second homes to move into in the meantime. 

Others don’t have that option. Sanchez said many of the folks who haven’t yet started the process in unincorporated Boulder County are still dealing with their insurance.

“Most still had a two-year stipend for living expenses,” she said, “A lot of people were riding that out and still working on their settlements.”

As the clock ticks down, Louisville is preparing for an increase in the number of applications it receives, anticipating 10 or so each week this summer, up from two or three per week now. 

Assuming the permitting process continues to be smooth in all three jurisdictions, the biggest slowdown may be in the actual construction, plagued by supply and labor shortages.

“To build 1,000 houses, we need everybody,” Rodwin said. “We need people coming in to help from all around the state in order to get people back in their homes in a reasonable time. We need every factory in all of Colorado building wall panels.”

And as more people move back into what are essentially construction zones, there will be the need to balance the currently relaxed rules for worksites with the needs of families living in a neighborhood. Louisville is planning for that now, Ritchie said.

“There’s still a million barriers” for these families before they return home.

In addition to the increased workload, Ritchie and other city officials are making time to attend as many move-ins as they can for returning households. Superior’s mayor went to one Wednesday afternoon; he’s committed to attend “every single one that I can.”

“We’re a small enough town that we can do something like this,” he said. “I can actually commit to attending 391.”

“It’s hard to work in these tragedies,” said Boulder County’s Sanchez, “but it’s really gratifying work for the planners to help someone through this.”

The Lombardos’ groundbreaking was Monday, April 3. Their building team, architects and landscape designers were there, with champagne and framed blueprints and gold-painted shovels for the Lombardos’ two boys. 

“There’s still a lot to go,” Kevin said. “But I’m hopeful.”

— Shay Castle, @shayshinecastle or on Mastodon at toot.bldrweb.org/@shayshinecastle

 

Tackling the Housing Crisis

 

One thing that nearly everyone knows about the economy is that housing has become dangerously unaffordable. It’s due to a combination of forces starting with the fact that it is estimated that the US is roughly 5 million housing units short of the current demand (other major factors include: COVID supply-chain price increases; unbalanced Construction Defect laws that obstruct the building of condominiums; a shortage of skilled contractors due to attrition from the Great Recession; and high mortgage interest rates). In Colorado, we’re in immediate need of roughly 175,000 homes. Here in Boulder County, the tragic and sudden loss of a 1000 homes in the Marshall Fire turned the pressure on the housing market up to a boil. Throughout the state, until the supply is dramatically increased, there will be too much demand to ever bring prices back down to a sustainable and attainable level.

 

In Gov. Polis’ recent State of the State address, he indicated a new statewide awareness of the vital importance of housing and the current crisis that we are in: “Housing policy is economic policy. Housing policy is transportation policy. Housing policy is water policy. Housing policy is public health and equity policy.” The Colorado Senate is calling this “the year of housing”, and there is a bill working its way through the Colorado legislature designed to remove roadblocks to building housing. The American Institute of Colorado just amended its core mission imperatives to focus specifically on housing. Nearly every municipality in the state is working on an action plan to combat homelessness, provide workforce housing and help ordinary folks to be able to afford to live there. I think it’s not too much of a stretch to say this is the biggest housing push the country has seen since our G.I.’s returned from WWII. 

 

There are dozens of specific things we can do to improve the situation immediately including: changing zoning to allow duplexes and triplexes where now only single family homes can exist; allowing Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU) everywhere; allowing creative new forms of housing like tiny home communities, cohousing, and co-ops; re-zoning to allow developers to create the “missing middle” (denser than single family homes & less dense than high rises);  eliminating red-tape and obstacles in the Planning & Zoning and Building Permit processes; and adding density to transit corridors…we know how to do all these things right now.

 

While there is always a balance of civic priorities to address: water, global warming, traffic, social justice, air quality, and so many more...at this moment in time there seems to be a broad consensus that we all need to pull together to house people better.

 

Please read this terrific article by John Tayer, Exec. Dir. Of Boulder’s Chamber.  Housing is fundamental. 

Locally we have a number organizations that advocate for progressive housing policies to make housing more attainable, sustainable, and available. Check out Boulder Housing Network newsletter &  Better Boulder

 

While there is a strong awareness that we need more housing and need to make it more attainable, there is considerable debate about the best strategy to do that. There are concerns that the new CO State bill will usurp local planning & zoning control – the bill was recently amended to give more control back to the cities and towns, but it is still pushing all municipalities to step up and create more housing. 

There are concerns that Colorado might not have enough water to support this many people (estimated to be 10 million by 2050), and that is a serious and valid concern, but do keep in mind that agriculture uses over 70% of the Colorado River’s water. All buildings (residential, commercial, recreational and industrial) use only 6.7%. Additionally, waterwise landscaping and low-flow plumbing fixtures can make both new and existing housing very water-efficient.

There is concern that housing displaces native ecosystems and historic farming. This can be true, especially with urban sprawl. The current housing bill focuses specifically on densifying already developed areas, maximizing its sustainability, supporting public transportation & compact walkable mixed-use neighborhoods, and minimizing its carbon footprint and impact on the natural environment – a strategy formally supported by groups like the Sierra Club.

We as a society are always seeking to keep ourselves in balance. At the moment, one of the things that is furthest out of balance is our lack of ability to house ourselves. 

 

Guest blog: 'Housing is Fundamental', John L. Tayer, President and CEO, Boulder Chamber

 

‘As a young kid, I remember advertisements for a program that worked to provide free books to kids, Reading is Fundamental (RIF). The premise of RIF, which still thrives to this day, is that access to books and encouragement for children to read is the foundation for literacy and all that means for future education advancement and economic mobility. While providing access to homes isn’t as simple as giving away free books, it’s just as fundamental.

Child welfare advocates certainly will make the case that stable shelter also is critical for educational attainment. With a different lens, business leaders recognize the dearth of accessible housing as the main barrier to securing sufficient workforce talent. And for those who strive to reduce homelessness, not surprisingly, they find that accessible housing is the solution. I could go on — noting that professionals in fields ranging from health care, social justice, environmentalism, to human nutrition all agree — housing is fundamental to achieving their respective missions.

Locally, groups such as the Boulder Chamber and Better Boulder have been carrying this message for quite some time. It has been, at times, a lonely battle. The forces aligned against our efforts have their own alternative messaging that typically paints further housing development as contrary to well-established benefits for the environment, affordability and mobility. And, of course, there is the oft murmured threat to “neighborhood character.”

With these words in his State of the State address, though, Gov. Jared Polis is signaling a new statewide awakening to the fundamental importance of housing: “Housing policy is economic policy. Housing policy is transportation policy. Housing policy is water policy. Housing policy is public health and equity policy.” Gov. Polis went further to articulate the very same agenda many of us have fought to achieve here in our region: “This means that we need more flexible zoning to allow more housing, streamlined regulations that cut through red tape, expedited approval processes for projects like modular housing, sustainable development, and more building in transit-oriented communities.” 

I could barely contain my enthusiasm in media coverage of the governor’s ambitious housing agenda, offering these sentiments: “We applaud the governor’s focus on housing and transportation in his State of the State. In Boulder, home ownership is beyond the means of more than 60% of our residents. The remainder of Colorado isn’t far behind with housing prices skyrocketing. If our businesses want to continue to attract a diverse, competitive workforce, we need innovative solutions that create the kind of housing they can afford. There are nearly 110 days left for lawmakers to craft a solution this year; it’s time to get all hands on deck.”

Indeed, the Boulder Chamber is ready to get on deck as the legislature begins to turn these housing themes into legislative policy. We know moving initiatives forward that create more opportunities for accessory dwelling units, expedite permit approvals, and remove growth caps will challenge jealously guarded traditions of local control, from quarters in our own community to powerful representatives of city government authority, like the Colorado Municipal League. Already we hear familiar concerns regarding “one-size-fits-all” approaches and offers to step to the plate with creative local solutions as counters to the imposition of statewide mandates. 

Let the negotiations begin, but let’s not take our eye off the ball! 

The stakes are enormous for our economy and communities, which is reflected in the broad ranging support for the governor’s housing agenda. In speaking about the effort, former Boulder County commissioner and current executive director the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project, Elise Jones, offered these thoughts from an environmental-focused perspective: Colorado is grappling with dual climate and housing affordability crises.  . . . The benefits of smart growth and compact development are immense, including more affordable housing types closer to jobs and transit, reduced climate and air pollution, more walkable and transit-friendly neighborhoods, less driving, and better protection for open spaces and water supplies.”

Similarly aligned with the Boulder Chamber on the economic-focused side of the housing support equation is my Denver Chamber colleague, JJ Ament. His comments are short and sweet: “Access to housing is an economic issue and a top priority for the business community to ensure we have a stable workforce.” I’d add to that a workforce that has more convenient mobility options, more funding to support a comfortable lifestyle, and on. 

Regardless of who’s saying it, the message is clear: Housing is fundamental. Let’s build it.’

John L. Tayer, President and CEO, Boulder Chamber of Commerce.

 

Marshall Fire Rebuilding Begins

 
 

One year since the horrific Marshall fire people are starting to rebuild. Of the roughly 1000 homes lost, building permits have been issued for approximately a quarter of those houses. We are assisting five families to get back into their homes; we began construction on the first last month, and the other four will start in the coming month. Boulder County has done an impressive job helping owners to navigate quickly through the process. The Colorado Green Building Guild and other local organizations have stepped up to help bring resources and education to those affected. Xcel, Community Foundation, private companies and the State have all offered significant financial assistance. On the more challenging side, nearly all insurance companies underinsured their homeowners and are not offering enough for people to rebuild the same size house that they had. Many are still negotiating the total settlement, and that makes it incredibly hard for people to budget, plan, design and start construction. Lastly, there is a severe shortage of local architects, tradespeople and general contractors to help people rebuild. But all in all, the community has truly rallied around those who lost their homes, and the monumental task of rebuilding is robustly underway. By this time next year we hope and believe that hundreds of families will be starting to make their way into their new homes.

Cecelia Kane promoted to Senior Associate

 
 

Cecelia Kane (formerly Daniels) has been an architectural designer and Project Manager with the firm for the last eight years, and we are proud to announce her promotion to Senior Associate. Cecelia has helped lead the design and project management of a number of our award-winning, deep green houses, and has successfully guided our clients through the challenging process of realizing their dream home, with genuine care and personal attention. An actual Colorado native, Cecelia brings the best of our beautiful environment into each of her houses. In addition, she has been an invaluable mentor for newer staff, and has made countless essential contributions to our firm’s Best Practices.