STANDARD BLADE B R I G H T O N
SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1903
75cI
VOLUME 120
Issue 05
WEEK OF FEBRUARY 2, 2023
Our in-depth look at the housing crisis
Adams County celebrates health department Commissioners, health board notes opening of five locations, website STAFF REPORT
High home prices, lack of supply sever metro residents from communities Lower- and middleincome people struggle to live where they 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 bar-
tender finally 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 at Jake’s Brew Bar in Littleton since 2012. “This is where I want to be,” Laney said. “My friends and family are Jake’s.” In numerous counties, residents — spanning a range of employment from the service industry to teaching — have faced the brunt of what many officials are calling a housing crisis. The median price of a single-
Adams County officially opened the doors to its five new health department offices Jan. 3 but officials celebrated the new department Jan. 24. “Building a Health Department from the ground up is a monumental task, but with the dedication and hard work of our team, we were able to accomplish it in just nine months,” said County Manager Noel Bernal. “It required diligent planning, strong leadership, and a relentless focus on our collective goal: onboarding nearly 200 employees, launching five locations, and investing in this new department through a $27 million budget. This herculean undertaking is a testament to our commitment and to providing quality public health services for our community.” The new department is responsible for promoting and protecting the health of all residents in Adams County through a variety of programs. Adams County Health debuted its new website at https://adamscountyhealthdepartment.org/ on Dec. 23 and officially launched on Jan. 1, opening the doors to five locations on Jan. 3. “But we were focused on onboarding over 200 employees on Jan. 3 and delivering services and programs immediately,” Public Information Officer William Porter said. “We wanted to have this celebration
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