Centennial Citizen 011923

Our in-depth look at the housing crisis

Trickling

A home means everything to Shelley Gilson, a 50-year-old single mother of three girls who works as a guest service agent at an airline.  “It’s one word: priceless,” she

said.

e rising cost of housing in the Denver area has made it di cult for her to a ord a home. She spent years bounding around working for low pay, including to several a ordable housing communities across the state.

Eventually, more than a decade ago, she found a home at Orchard Crossing Apartments in Westminster. It is an a ordable housing community that includes Section 8 housing, the federal government program that provides vouchers to low-income families, the disabled and elderly.

Council honors Chief Thompson

After 34 years of service, Glenn ompson, Chief of the Public Safety Bureau for Arapahoe County Sheri ’s O ce, is retiring.

Centennial City Council took a moment during its Jan. 10 council meeting to pay tribute to ompson, who had been the city’s liaison for the sheri ’s o ce since 2014.

“I, personally, have had the opportunity to work with Chief ompson for a long time,” Mayor Stephanie Piko said. “It has always been a privilege to work with you, sir, and I appreciate everything that you have done.”

Piko presented to ompson a framed picture that said “Gone Fishing” with signed thank-you notes from council members, as well as a wrapped shing pole.

“ ank you all so much,” ompson said. “You all have been a pleasure to work with.”

ompson’s law enforcement journey dates back to 1982, when he was 14 years old, according to the sheri ’s o ce January newsletter.

A freshman at Douglas County High School at the time, he joined the Explorer program at the Arapahoe County Sheri ’s O ce, which is an educational program for young people who want to learn more about a career in law enforcement.

ompson realized he wanted to become a police o cer after going on ride-alongs with his sister, who was a police o cer with the University of Colorado Boulder Police Department, according to the newsletter.

He graduated from the police academy in 1990 and began rising through the ranks, eventually

up:

housing is becoming less a ordable for more Coloradans

Seven Arapahoe County o cials sworn into o ce

Leaders reflect on challenges, future

Smiles gleamed, cheers abounded and tears were shed as seven Arapahoe County o cials were sworn into o ce Jan. 9 at Arapahoe County Fairgrounds and Event Center. e swearing-in ceremony marked the start of the terms of county ofcials who won the 2022 elections of Arapahoe County sheri , coroner, assessor, clerk, treasurer and two district seats on the Arapahoe Board of County Commissioners.

Four o cials — the sheri , coroner, assessor and clerk — are incumbents. e other three — two county commissioners and the treasurer — are new to their roles. All seven were the Democratic candidates in their respective races.

“We have some exciting times ahead and we have some challenges, which I know our newly elected (and) our continuing elected are up to that challenge,” said Nancy Jackson, former county commissioner for District 4 whose term ended that

Former District 2 County Commissioner Nancy Sharpe, whose term also ended that night, said Arapahoe County will be facing complex proje list includes the split of the 18th Judicial District, nding solutions to homelessness, studying the county’s water supply, and analyzing how the county can create more affordable and attainable housing.

“Now, we’re at that point where we must nd sustainable funding sources to avoid any cuts in services that negatively impact health, safety or the quality of life of our community and our residents. It’s a lot of work ahead,” Sharpe said. “ e board is looking forward to working with all of our elected o cials to make that happen.”

Commissioner Campbell-Swanson e Arapahoe Board of County Commissioners is made up of ve members, each representing a di erent district, who collectively control policy decisions and the budget for the county.

Newly-elected Jessica CampbellSwanson replaced Sharpe as county commissioner for District 2, which includes Centennial, Greenwood Village, a portion of Aurora and the unincorporated area in central Arapahoe County.

After being sworn in, CampbellSwanson said she was honored and humbled voters chose her to join the board, which now has a Democratic majority by 4-1, and she is prepared to dig deep and tackle challenges head on.

“We have a lot of work to do at the county to make a healthy, thriving and sustainable Arapahoe,” Campbell-Swanson said. “We have challenges and we have needs.”

She listed the challenges: una ordable housing, a mental health crisis, a degrading environment, shrinking water resources, economic inequities, inadequate public transportation, rising cost of living, a fractured

society and a constrained budget.

“And yet, I have hope and condence,” Campbell-Swanson said. “I have hope and con dence that the people of Arapahoe County are ready for elected o cials who will boldly, inclusively and assertively address these challenges and needs.

“I know that we can lower the cost of living, increase access to the services we need to be healthy, bring security and stability to residents, and heal wounds, and put us on the track to thrive sustainably.”

Commissioner Summey makes history

Leslie Summey replaced Jackson as the county commissioner for District 4, which includes portions of Aurora and the incorporated area in north Arapahoe County.

Her election made history, as she is the rst African American Arapahoe County Commissioner.

“ ere is a place for everybody, and that place is in Arapahoe County,” Summey said. “It doesn’t matter what you look like, it doesn’t matter where you come from, it doesn’t matter what you’ve been through — you can get there, and you can be of service to your community.”

Summey thanked those who supported her, including Jackson, who she spoke with in late 2017.

“I said, ‘Tell me about your gig. I want to serve.’ And she was so kind … and gave me so much information,” Summey said. “I would not be here without that conversation that planted the seed that said, ‘Yes, you can.’”

Summey said she is the third veteran of the U.S. military on the Board of County Commissioners, “and that means so much to me.”

When a person puts on their military uniform, they “become that person who is ghting for the disenfranchised,” she said. “And I bring that same feeling, and that same drive, and that same purpose to this position.”

“I want to be that person who is going to uphold all of the wonderful things of Arapahoe County, and who is also going to be able to get through the challenges that we know are coming,” she added.

Treasurer Westerberg aims to bring in more revenue

Michael Westerberg is Arapahoe County’s new treasurer, who is responsible for collecting, investing and disbursing county funds, as well as collecting property taxes and distributing the revenue to the county, other local governments and public entities.

He said it was an honor to be chosen by voters for the position.

“All the cool, fancy programs … that we’re trying to do, that we’re wanting to expand, that we don’t want to diminish, it all runs through the treasurer’s o ce,” he said. “What I really want to do is get some more revenue into the county. at’s really what we need to do.”

In November, Westerberg told Colorado Community Media that he would like to establish a public bank in Arapahoe County as a way to generate more revenue for the county.

Westerberg said he is thankful that he is good friends with many of the

county o cials.

“ e one thing I know about us is we’re gonna have some fun doing this and we all work hard,” he said. “We’re gonna get it done.”

Sheri Brown: ‘We are in the people

business’

Sheri Tyler Brown thanked his family, command sta , the men and women of Arapahoe County Sheri ’s O ce, and municipal partners, especially the City of Centennial, for their support over the past four years.

“We tackled challenges like building a new emergency operations center,” Brown said. “Arapahoe County used to open up their emergency operations center from a closet, and now we have a standalone emergency operations center, which was so vital in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic.”

e Arapahoe County Sheri ’s Ofce is the rst o ce in the nation’s history to achieve Triple Crown accreditation under four di erent sheri s, Brown said.

e Triple Crown Award, established by the National Sheri s’ Association, recognizes sheri ’s o ces that got simultaneous accreditation from the American Correctional Association, the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies and the National Commission on Correctional Health Care.

“ at is truly a testament not to who sits in the o ce of sheri , but to the men and women of the sheri ’s o ce who go out and do that work each and every day,” Brown said.

Other successes Brown mentioned were starting a therapy dog program and a co-responder program that pairs mental health clinicians with deputies to respond to calls related to mental illness, a behavioral health crisis, or emotionally-charged situations.

“We are in the people business,” he said. “I’m thankful that I had the last four years, and I’m thankful that I have another four years to serve the citizens of Arapahoe County.”

Clerk Lopez reflects on challenges, successes of last term

Arapahoe County Clerk and Recorder Joan Lopez wiped away tears after being sworn in.

“I’m so honored to continue this work and be voted in for my second term,” she said.

e clerk runs the elections process in Arapahoe County. e clerk’s o ce also records public documents, such as real estate records, and issues marriage and civil union licenses. It includes the county Division of Motor Vehicles, or DMV.

“ ese past four years, we went through a global pandemic, a man with a gun intimidating voters, multiple death threats, and much more. And yes, I still love this work,” she said. “I ran for this o ce to make change, and we have.”

Her o ce expanded voter access, won three national awards and digitized records back to 1861 so the public could access records online, she said.

“I don’t mean to toot my own horn, but we did a great job,” she said. “By ‘we,’ I mean … I didn’t do this alone.”

Lopez expressed gratitude to three directors who stood by her side for all four years, as well as to the people who helped her with her campaign and to her family.

“ ank you for everything. I appreciate it,” Lopez said.

Coroner Lear highlights importance of o ce, increase in workload

Coroner Kelly Lear’s 2022 run for reelection was a much busier campaign than she had seen in the past, she said, and it required a lot of educational e orts.

In November, Lear told Colorado Community Media that many people don’t know they vote for the coroner, and they don’t know the candidates running for coroner do not have to be doctors. During her campaign, she highlighted that she was the only physician on the ballot.

e coroner is elected to investigate deaths and issue death certicates, and it is the decision of the coroner’s o ce as to whether an autopsy will be conducted, according to Arapahoe County’s website.

Lear has worked as a forensic pathologist for Arapahoe County since 2004. A forensic pathologist is the medical doctor who performs autopsies to determine the cause and manner of a death.

A coroner, however, is not required to be a physician or forensic pathologist in Colorado.

“ is has been my life’s work. It is what I am passionate about, and it is why I trained as a physician,” Lear said after being sworn in.

She thinks it’s important for the coroner’s o ce to be a professional o ce.

“ is is a medical o ce,” she said. “We are providing a medical service.”

Her o ce has seen a big increase in its work over the past few years, she said, partly because of the fentanyl epidemic, the impact of COVID-19 and an increase in suicides.

“We do recognize, in my o ce, that our work represents loss, and that we are the final individuals to document a life and how it ended, and to provide answers to those who need them,” she said.

“Throughout my almost 20-year tenure with the Arapahoe County Coroner’s Office, our mission has been to provide the highest quality death investigation and autopsy services to the residents of Arapahoe County.”

Assessor Kaiser to prioritize community outreach

Incumbent PK Kaiser will serve another term as Arapahoe County’s assessor, whose job is to establish accurate values of all properties — residential, commercial, agricultural, vacant land and more — in the county.

The process is meant to ensure that the amount of taxes property owners pay is fair and equitable.

Looking to this term, Kaiser said his office will outreach to all residents to ensure everyone has equal access to the o ce and its services.

“As assessor, we will continue our policies of innovation, process improvement, workforce diversity and, above all, public respect which we have gained and maintained in (the) last four years,” Kaiser said.

He thanked his supporters, friends and family for their hard work throughout his campaign.

“I’m excited,” he said. “And I’m ready to serve you.”

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ARAPAHOE COUNTY 2023 Nominations

Water main project closes lanes on Bowles Avenue

Monthlong project starts

Several lanes of West Bowles Avenue are closed as Denver Water conducts a water main project, which started on Jan. 9 and will last approximately one month.

e road is reduced to one open lane in each direction between South Federal Boulevard and South Santa Fe Drive, according to a travel advisory from Denver Water.

Denver Water expects to invest $2.3 billion over the next 10 years in projects that will maintain, repair, protect and upgrade its system, according to Denver Water spokesperson Jose Salas.

“We are updating this main as part of those capital improvement projects to continue to ensure high

quality water… to 1.5 million people in the Denver metro area,” he said.

Crews are completing the installation of a new water main that extends from the north side of West Bowles Avenue into the Littleton

Golf and Tennis Club, he said. e club, which is operated by South Suburban Parks and Recreation, is located at 5800 S. Federal Blvd.

To nish up this project, crews are replacing a 12-inch cast iron water

main that was prone to leaks.

Littleton’s deputy director of public works and utilities Brent Soderlin said the lanes are closed because workers will have to dig a trench to work on the water lines.

When the project is complete, Littleton public works will inspect the construction site to make sure the crews correctly patch up the asphalt, Soderlin said.

e road closures are in e ect 24/7 for the duration of the project. Signage is in place at the construction area and travelers should expect delays and avoid the area if possible, according to the travel advisory.

Soderlin asked that commuters who pass through the area be patient during the course of the maintenance project.

Denver Water serves about a quarter of Colorado’s population, including all Littleton residents, according to its website.

O -duty o cer accused of assault

Suspended without pay

An Aurora police o cer, Douglas Harroun, was arrested the night of Jan. 11 for allegedly punching a physically disabled woman while

o -duty, according to a news release from the Arapahoe County Sheri ’s O ce.

In a statement, the Aurora Police Department said that at approximately 8:30 p.m. on Jan. 11, Aurora 911 received a call about a physical ght in the 15900 block of East Briarwood Circle, which is within the City of Aurora.

Aurora police o cers responded and learned one of the individuals involved was Harroun, according to the statement.

At about 9:30 p.m., Aurora police requested assistance from the Arapahoe County Sheri ’s O ce to investigate, the sheri ’s o ce said in its release.

Deputies responded to the scene and witnesses reportedly told deputies that “they observed a male punching a woman several times in the head and the face,” according to the release.

e victim is a 49-year-old female who is physically disabled, the sheri ’s o ce said in the release. She was transported to a local hospital to treat her injuries.

Deputies arrested Harroun, 32, on suspicion of felony assault, and he was taken into custody and booked into the Arapahoe County Detention Facility.

His bond was set at $25,000 and he

faces one charge of third-degree assault against an at-risk adult, which is a Class 5 felony, per the release.   In its statement, the Aurora Police Department said Harroun was placed on “immediate and inde nite suspension without pay” following his arrest.

e Aurora Police Department opened an internal a airs investigation related to the arrest, according to the police department’s statement.

Harroun was hired in 2020, according to the statement. Prior to his arrest, he was involved in a “nonfatal o cer-involved shooting” on Dec. 31, and he was placed on paid administrative leave following that incident.

“ e alleged actions Wednesday night are inconsistent with the Aurora Police Department’s core values,” said Art Acevedo, Aurora’s interim chief of police, in the statement. “We want to thank our partners at the Arapahoe County Sheri ’s O ce’s for responding and taking the lead on the investigation.”

Toddler reunited with parents after wandering into street Boy

found in Littleton

On Friday morning, a toddler was reunited with his parents after wandering out of his yard’s back gate into the street.

At 9:49 a.m., an employee of South Suburban Parks and Recreation called the Littleton Police Department reporting they saw a boy in the street alone, near the corner of South Gallup Street and West Caley Avenue. e employee, who was driving when he saw the child, immediately stopped, moved the child

out of danger and made the call.

O cers responded to the scene and stayed with the child, knocking on doors and looking for the parents, Poelman said.

In addition, the department posted a notice on their website, Twitter and Facebook asking community members to help the department nd the parents.

e parents of the child were out looking for their son when they saw the o cers with him and were reunited at 10:35 a.m., according to Poelman.

ere are no criminal charges related to the situation, she said.

“We’re so thankful it all worked out,” Poelman said.

Small fire extinguished at Damascus Grill

Neighborly gesture plays part

On the afternoon of Jan. 10, Marsha Jones walked across her shop’s parking lot to the neighboring business with a single red rose.

She delivered it to the employees at Damascus Grill, a Middle Eastern restaurant at 1399 W. Littleton Blvd., where there had just been a small re.

At 2:56 p.m. on Jan. 10, South Metro Fire Rescue received a call from Damascus Grill reporting the re. e caller told emergency responders there were people working on the roof when they saw the smoke.

According to Eric Hurst, a spokesperson for the re department, a re investigation found that the roof repair workers

were using a propane torch, which accidentally ignited an air lter in the swamp cooler.

ere was only light smoke when crews arrived, according to Troy Zinn, a batallion chief on the scene. Hurst said the re was extinguished by the workers on the roof before crews arrived.

ere was no damage to the building’s structure and no injuries occurred, Hurst added.

Damascus Grill is a family business, according to employee Yassir Kassir, whose father owns the building. Another employee con rmed there were no customers in the restaurant when the re started.

For neighboring business owner Jones, the situation inspired a neighborly gesture even though no large damage was done.

“I’m sure they’re hurting,” she said. “It’s all we could know to do, right? A ower makes people feel better.”

One message you can absorb.

Meth detected in Englewood Public Library

Facility is closed

e Englewood Public Library and portions of the Englewood Civic Center have been temporarily closed after test results found levels of methamphetamine contamination, the city announced Jan. 11.

According to the city’s website, four restrooms were tested — two in the library and two on the second oor of the civic center — as well as other areas in the library and civic center. QUEST Environmental, a Colorado-based environmental consulting rm, conducted the tests.

On Wednesday morning, the city received preliminary test results that showed there were levels of methamphetamine contamination that exceeded state thresholds in the restrooms and the north entrance lobby of the civic center, said Chris Harguth, the city’s director of communications.

After receiving these results, the city decided to temporarily close the library, the north civic center lobby and the second- oor restrooms at the civic center.

“ e restrooms in the library and the restrooms on the second oor of the civic center were of the greatest concerns and will probably require more extensive remediation,” Harguth said. “We’re looking at a remodel, essentially, of the restroom areas.”

e remediation process will likely involve the removal of contaminated surfaces, walls, ductwork, drywall and exhaust fans, Harguth said. Remediation will be done on the library restrooms and the two restrooms on the second oor of the civic center.

According to the city’s website, other spaces in the library also tested positive for “lower levels of contamination” and will need “specialized cleaning” rather than remediation.

“All of this will be in accordance with health and safety requirements set by the state of Colorado and Arapahoe County Public Health,” he said.

In an email on Jan. 12, Harguth said the Englewood Department of Public Works and Arapahoe County’s new public health department “were in communication immediately following the release of the preliminary testing results and communicated multiple times

throughout the day.”

Arapahoe County Public Health said in a Jan. 12 news release that it is working closely with Englewood to “assess and provide direction regarding the clean-up of methamphetamine (meth) residue” from locations within the library and civic center.

“Additional testing is planned, and test results will inform next steps,” Arapahoe County Public Health said in the release. “Health risks to the general public are considered low and visitors should comply with all posted signage and avoid all closed areas while remediation is in progress, which may take several months. “

On Jan. 11, Harguth said it was unknown how long the areas will be closed, as the city still needed to identify a contractor to do the remediation work.

“Our goal is just to complete the work as quickly as possible and get the library open as quickly as possible,” he said.

“ e test results we received today are troubling, and we immediately began working to remediate a ected spaces with the goal of reopening the library as soon as possible,” City Manager Shawn Lewis said in a Jan. 11 news release. “We want to

thank our valued library patrons for their patience as we work to ensure our library is safe for everyone.”

Why did Englewood do the testing?

Testing for methamphetamine contamination began the week of Jan. 2, Harguth said.

e city decided to do the testing for two reasons — the news that a Boulder public library had methamphetamine contamination in late December as well as a recent increase in sta and patron reports of drug use at the Englewood library.

“Based on what happened in Boulder, based on concerns from sta , it really prompted the city to conduct this testing,” Harguth said.

Harguth said he spoke with the library director and “there’s denitely been an uptick in reports over the past, like, four months” of drug use in the library.

e city recently increased funding for additional library sta and contracted with a new security rm, Allied Security, that is conducting more surveillance inside and outside the library, Harguth said.  ose interested in learning more and reading the city’s answers to frequently asked questions can visit: englewoodco.gov/restroomclosure.

Nominations open for Arapahoe County youth awards

March 3 deadline

Nominations are now open for the Arapahoe County Mayors and Commissioners Youth Awards, which recognizes high school seniors in the county each year for overcoming obstacles and challenges in their lives.

Students who live and attend school in Arapahoe County within traditional classroom settings, group homes, alternative schools and emancipated youth are all eligible for the award, according to the city’s website. Winners are selected by a committee comprised of county elected officials.

Each winner will receive a postsecondary education scholarship worth $500 to $2,000 to be used in 2023, according to county spokesperson Anders Nelson. The scholarship can be used at vocational, two- or four-year schools, according to the city’s website.

“Arapahoe County prides itself on investing in our future and opportunity for the next generation,” Nelson said. “That’s where our support needs to be. Grooming the next generation of leaders and thinkers to be as educated as possible is very important to the county.”

Teachers, counselors and school administrators may submit applications to nominate students, as long as they are not related to the

student. Students related to county employees are not eligible.

According to nomination instructions on the website, a nominator must explain how the student has helped their community and how they have overcome challenges. In addition, the student must write a three-paragraph essay describing what they have learned from overcoming challenges and their future plans and dreams.

Applications will be judged based on the student’s “desire to rise above adversity, determination to create positive change within their environment and the positive contributions and service to their communities and families,” the website says.

Nominators can submit applications through the county’s website until March 3 at 5 p.m.

In the spring, the county and the awards program sponsors will organize an in-person ceremony to present awards to the recipients, Nelson said. Last year, 16 students received the award and an additional seven students were recognized during the event ceremony, according to the website.

“It is such an honor to be able to further the education of our young citizens of Arapahoe County through scholarships,” District 1 Commissioner Carrie WarrenGully wrote in an email statement. “These students have persevered through tough times. We are proud to be represented by students who demonstrate determination for positive change.”

Wildfire risk is so high some homeowners can’t get insured

Last resort coverage considered

State lawmakers are preparing to introduce a bill in the legislature that would create a quasi-governmental program o ering basic home insurance to the growing number of Colorado homeowners who say they can’t get coverage from private companies because the risk of wild re is growing.

e Colorado Division of Insurance has elded dozens of calls and emails, many of them since August, from Coloradans who say they have

been turned down by private home insurers. e situation presents the specter of nancial calamity for people whose homes are their primary asset and for communities that lean on real estate as an economic engine.

Without home insurance, it’s impossible to secure a mortgage, which dramatically limits who can buy or sell a home. ere’s also immense nancial risk in owning a property without insurance coverage.

e problem is especially acute in high country communities, but Coloradans who live on the Front Range, particularly those near where the Marshall Fire destroyed more than 1,000 homes in December 2021, are also reporting problems securing coverage for their properties.

The Marshall fire: One year later

It has been one year since the Marshall re destroyed hundreds of houses and businesses in parts of Louisville, Superior and Boulder County. One year of sorting through what was lost. One year of trying to create a new normal. And one year of making a new home.

“We can see the handwriting on the wall that we’re starting to have a problem,” said state Rep. Judy Amabile, a Boulder Democrat who is taking the lead on the prospective legislation, which is expected to be introduced at the Capitol after the legislature reconvenes next month for its 2023 lawmaking term.

Colorado one of a few states that do not have a so-called home insurer of last resort, or “fair plan,” cre-

CHIEF

becoming a lieutenant in 2007. By 2012, he was appointed captain.

In 2014, David Walcher, the Arapahoe County sheri at the time, appointed ompson to Bureau Chief of the Public Safety Bureau, putting ompson in charge of more than 300 employees.

ompson was also responsible for managing the contract for law enforcement services for the City of Centennial — a contract worth $33 million, according to the newsletter.  Piko described ompson as reli-

ated by the government. Michael Conway, Colorado’s insurance commissioner, said that’s because Colorado hasn’t needed one — until now.

Colorado’s three largest wild res by acreage all happened in 2020. And before that the 2012 Waldo Canyon re and 2013 Black Forest re, both in El Paso County, each destroyed hundreds of homes. en came the Marshall re, Colorado’s most destructive in terms of the number of homes destroyed. More than $2 billion in insurance claims are expected to be led in connection with the Marshall re.

“We just haven’t had natural disasters of the magnitude of states

able, forthcoming and committed to the partnership between the city and the sheri ’s o ce.

During his career, ompson also helped develop the co-responder program, implement a new Special Response Team to assist in getting rearms and drugs o the streets, expand the School Resource O cer Unit, and launch the Uni ed Metropolitan Forensic Crime Laboratory, per the newsletter.

“Your dedication — not only to the City of Centennial, but to the entire community — is apparent in every action that you take,” Piko said. “You support us, you support the citizens. And so, we would like to take this opportunity to congratulate you.”

Drought has eased in Colorado

Recent increases in precipitation have brought much of Colorado out of drought and led to a solid start for winter snowpack in the mountains. Meteorologists are hopeful this could lead to a successful wet season, and even ease drought conditions this summer — but they aren’t making any calls just yet.

e latest U.S. Drought Monitor report indicated that 40% of Colorado was o cially drought-free, a signi cant improvement from 0% this time last year. 9News meteorologist Chris Bianchi said the improvement was more than welcome.

“We’re not looking at just a blip in terms of drought impact,” Bianchi said. “ is is a substantial improvement.”

Heavy snow, mostly west of the Continental Divide, has helped in recent weeks, Bianchi said, but the entire state hasn’t been covered by snow. Still, Colorado is in a much better position overall, he said.

At the end of December, drought conditions were logged in about 86% of the state. e week of Jan. 3, most of the eastern plains still was dry, with severe or extreme conditions recorded along the state border.

As of Wednesday, statewide snowpack is at 127% of the median level and well above average in all river basins except the Arkansas and Upper Rio Grande, according to the Natural Resources and Conservation Service’s weekly Snow Survey. Colorado State Climatologist Russ Schumacher said these conditions have him cautiously optimistic.

“ e mountain snowpack in the winter is critical, because that’s our big natural

reservoir of water serving both Colorado and the downstream states,” Schumacher said. “At least at this point in the snow accumulation, the numbers all look really good.”

ere’s also reason to be hopeful for good runo from the mountains in the spring, he said. After a wet summer in 2022, especially in the high country, Colorado entered the winter with better-hydrated soil than the past several years, according to Schumacher. is means that more snowmelt will make it to the rivers instead of being absorbed by the ground.

Schumacher is still waiting to see what the rest of winter has in store. When it comes to predicting drought conditions later in the year, precipitation levels this early aren’t the best indicators, he said. Experts will know much more by April, when total snowpack accumulation is clearer and they

can predict water levels in the rivers more accurately. For now, he said, the winter is at least o to a promising start.

Bianchi is also waiting to see what the coming months bring. e heart of Colorado’s wet season, from late February to the start of spring, will have a much greater impact on drought conditions and wild re risk for the rest of the year, he said. ese early-season precipitation levels are not a de nitive sign, especially not for communities on the Front Range, he said.

“ is would be like the Broncos being at 14-nothing at halftime,” Bianchi said. “A great start, zero qualms about it. e problem is, it’s still only halftime.”

Dr. Benjamin Hatchett, a hydrometeorologist with the Nevada-based Desert Research Institute, said it was very encouraging to see areas with more severe drought classi cation

improve on the Drought Monitor, even if they didn’t lose classi cation entirely. He’s also glad to see the Rocky Mountains with less drought, since their runo sustains so many downstream communities in the western U.S.

However, for a droughtstricken state like Colorado to recover substantially and replenish local reservoirs, consistent improvement in precipitation over the long term has to happen, Hatchett said. Otherwise, in the big picture, nothing will change.

“To get out of those problems, we’re going to really need not just one year, but back-to-back, probably three or four years of really good winters,” he said.  e likelihood of consistently exceptional precipitation over the long term is low, he admitted. In the short term, though, this weather certainly isn’t bad news. Coloradans can expect storms to continue feeding

the snowpack over the next 10 days or so, according to Hatchett. en things look like they may dry out a bit. And for the rest of the winter, he said, forecasting models are much less accurate — in other words, only time will tell.

But Colorado is in a good spot. Even if things dry out more than expected in the coming months, Hatchett said, the state’s head start on snowpack accumulation will be an important advantage.

“We’ve built up a bit of a bu er right now. at’s good,” he said. “We’ve got some snow in the bank.”

is story is from e Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned news outlet based in Denver and covering the state. For more, and to support e Colorado Sun, visit coloradosun.com. e Colorado Sun is a partner in the Colorado News Conservancy, owner of Colorado Community Media.

Dry January: giving up drinks for a month

People all over Colorado are spending the month of January sober; here’s why

Chances are if you’re on social media, you’ve heard of “Dry January,” the trend of giving up alcohol for the rst month of the year. According to some Colorado residents, the challenge isn’t new, but it is worth a try.

Kara Rowland, a 39-year-old Denver resident, is on her third year of the challenge. She has family at home in D.C. taking on the challenge with her, but as far as her local Colorado group goes, she’s doing it alone.

“Out here it really is a solo effort,” Rowland said. “You can’t go a block here, especially in downtown Denver, without hitting a brewery.”

It’s not just the city that experiences the alcohol-heavy social culture. Steve Indrehus is the director of brewing operations at Tommyknocker Brewery in Idaho Springs. He said alcohol was a big part of older generations, like his.

Others continue to sound o on social media, explaining their reasons for going sober all year long, and saying the social landscape in society doesn’t exactly make it easy.

Indrehus thinks now however, he’s starting to see a shift.

“ e younger generations aren’t leaning on alcohol as hard for social interaction,” he said.

“Dry January” is a phenomenon Indrehus has seen grow over the years, even beyond the month.

“ e non-alcoholic category is entering our culture and becoming a stable part of our culture,” he said.

Tommyknockers has ventured into the category, o ering a NA version of its most popular beer, the Blood Orange IPA.

Indrehus himself is participating in “Dry January,” explaining

that he can already see a di erence in his focus and sleep. He said he also likes the aspect of leaving his comfort zone.

“I like uncomfortable, challenging things,” he said.

Indrehus said there are some misconceptions about NA beer, mainly in that people expect it to be cheaper. He explained that it’s actually the opposite.

“Most people would think NA beer would be less expensive because it doesn’t have alcohol, but it’s actually more expensive,” he said.

Essentially, brewers like the team at Tommyknockers have to go through the process of making beer but then take the alcohol out, which takes more time, labor and money.

Rowland, a self-proclaimed craft beer enthusiast, has been exploring NA options during the month.

“I went to dinner with a friend last Saturday and the restaurant had some NA options,” she said.

“ ere’s some, if I gave it to you, you would not know it’s a NA beer.”

Besides taking the month to get perspective of her drinking habits, Rowland said she’s also seen positive e ects on her body.

“I think having zero alcohol improves your sleep,” she said.

She also noticed a renewed glow in her complexion.

“Maybe it’s a placebo e ect, but I look in the mirror and I swear my skin looks a little better,” she said.

Dr. Manan Shah, ENT and Chief Medical O cer at Wyndly, said the improvements in sleep are just one real side e ect of “Dry January.” He explained that better sleep is one of the biggest bene ts he sees from giving up alcohol.

“Alcohol a ects your sleep, even if you only have one or two drinks, your sleep will markedly improve if you drop alcohol,” he said.

Shah added that dropping the drink can also help decrease your risk of cancer, improve sex drive, help weight loss and support a healthy immune system.

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Thu 1/26

Platt

Enough already

Ea rlier this month the news dropped that President Joe Biden was not so perfect in handling classi ed documents. Same as his predecessor Donald Trump.

As the story unfolded throughout the week, it became clear that our president has indeed done the same thing he chastised Trump for. For me, I have a number of issues with the entire situation. First, it’s frustration. How does this issue continue to come up? Hillary and her server. en, Trump and his barrage of documents at Mar-aLago. And, now, Biden. How are the leaders we elected so stupid that understanding the point and importance of classi ed documents is too damn hard?

Second, I have issues with the responses from both sides of the aisle. When Hillary was questioned about her server it was the media and Republicans picking on her. When Trump’s issues came — it was Democrats and the Department of Justice ganging up.

Now, with Biden, interestingly, it’s the same old thing. Democrats have an excuse saying it’s not as bad as Trump. Republicans calling for raids and answers, saying Biden should be treated no di erently than Trump.

At the end of the day, our behavior toward picking one side or the other has created this ongoing mess. Neither side has to respect policy or rules because they will get a pass from their own.

e lack of accountability is a problem. Both sides of the aisle need to start standing up and saying wrong is wrong and stop nding excuses to allow something to continue happening. Trump is in the wrong for having the documents. Biden is wrong for having the documents. Both are wrong and it should not matter which side of the political aisle they serve.

In reality, we look ridiculous as a country. Our leaders can’t leave classi ed documents where they should be. Our law enforcement agencies can’t seem to manage a situation fairly and professionally.

In the end, we have classi ed materials thrown throughout the country and no leadership stepping in to do the obvious. e obvious being review the ongoing issue and create policy and measures to stop it from happening anymore.

Why isn’t that happening? Because leadership would have to stop bickering, pointing ngers and nally say there’s a problem and an answer is required to prevent future issues.

A continued e ort to treat classi ed documents as just another piece of paper is going to get worse and at some point, the materials being taken for granted and treated carelessly might be way too important and get in the wrong hands.

is isn’t a story to spin, ignore or avoid — steps must be taken to tell all politicians the rules matter when it comes to protecting our classi ed documents and information and should be respected. If our leaders have lost perspective so much that they do not understand what classi ed materials are — maybe a Top Secret 101 class is in order.

elma Grimes is the south metro editor for Colorado Community Media.

WINNING

Our focus controls our balance

As a part of his workout, he included time standing on in atable balance discs in between sets of weightlifting. His goal was to maintain his balance on the disc for 45 seconds while standing on each leg. Sometimes he stayed in balance for more than 45 seconds, and other times he lost his balance quickly. As I watched his routine, I became curious. When we both nished our workout, I approached him to ask about his workout and goals for the balance disc.

He shared with me that he was using the balance disc for several reasons. He wanted to make sure he was working on the little muscles around his ankles and knees. And he also felt like it improved his balance when walking, hiking, gol ng and skiing. en I asked him about why he was able to remain standing on one leg on the balance disc sometimes for a minute or more, and other times he lost his balance early or in just 10 or 15 seconds.

AUDREY

ERIN

LINDSAY

His response didn’t shock me. He shared that when he was able to maintain his focus on staying in balance on the disc, he could stay on for longer periods of time. He always stood in front of a mirror in the gym and would center his eyes on his chest in the re ection. e times when he achieved the greatest success were when he remained focused on his position. However, he said that when he lost his balance early it was because he allowed his mind to drift onto other things going on in his life.

How many of us lose our balance in life when we allow ourselves to become distracted? We all want balance, yet too often we wind up being our own worst enemy as we spread ourselves too thin. When we do this, we invite distraction into our lives, knocking us o balance and out of harmony. And when we nd ourselves feeling like we have lost it and balance is nowhere to be found, we should remember the lesson from my friend in the gym and reacquire our focus. e rst thing we need to do is to understand our priorities and where we want

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A new year, a clean slate

As we usher in 2023, we say “good riddance” to the market mayhem of 2022.

calendar year.

FINANCIAL STRATEGIES

“A year to forget” is how one of our research partners dubbed 2022. Despite a modest rebound for many asset classes during the fourth quarter, 2022 turned out to be one of the worst years on record for multi-asset portfolios. ere were very few investment categories that posted positive returns for the full year. According to Ned Davis Research, it was the rst time on record that both the S&P 500 Index and the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index lost more than 10 percent in a

NORTON

FROM PAGE 12

balance and harmony in our lives. Once we are completely aware of what is truly important to us, then we can align our expectations and boundaries so that we don’t give way to the distractions that pop up. And most importantly, after establishing our priorities and setting our boundaries, is that we remain focused on the people, activities and things in life that bring us the greatest joy and satisfaction.

Let’s face it, distractions come at us all day long, life happens. ey come in the form of calls, texts, emails, news, social media, unexpected circumstances and situations. We can never completely avoid being sidetracked, but we can minimize our chances of being distracted by knowing and own-

ABOUT LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Colorado Community Media welcomes letters to the editor. Please note the following rules:

• Email your letter to letters@coloradocommunitymedia.com. Do not send via postal mail. Put the words “letter to the editor” in the email subject line.

• Submit your letter by 5 p.m. on Wednesday in order to have it considered for publication in the following week’s newspaper.

• Letters must be no longer than 400 words.

• Letters should be exclusively submitted to Colorado Community Media and should not submitted to other outlets or previously posted on websites or social media. Submitted letters become the property of CCM and should not be republished elsewhere.

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is means there was nowhere to hide. Both conservative and aggressive investors likely lost money. Some bond funds, normally considered the safer haven in a portfolio, were down double digits for the year as interest rates pushed higher. e good news is you might be earning a little more on your bond or money market yields.

Brett Lapierre, CFA cites stubbornly high in ation and aggressive rate hikes from most of the world’s central banks as two main reasons for the di cult year and weak performance across the nancial markets. e Russia/Ukraine con ict also added to the volatility, although it helped energy-related assets post positive results for the quarter and year. China shutting down for much of the year hurt exports and supply chains.

ing our priorities and remaining focused on those.

Not taking the time to think through and commit to what is most important to us is like trying to drive somewhere that we have never been without GPS or a map. And as the old quote by Lewis Carroll goes, “If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there.”

Where are we missing our balance? Is it at home? At work? In our relationships? If we could improve the harmony in our lives, where would it create the greatest impact? For me, my balance comes when I remain focused on the ve Fs in life: my faith, family, friends, tness and nances, and in that order. And now thanks to my new friend from the gym, I can add the sixth F, focus.

Are you nding balance in the most important areas of your life? Would a little more focus and less

“ e U.S. economy showed more signs of slowing despite rebounding during the third quarter and likely seeing positive gains for the fourth quarter. e labor market remained one of the bright spots in the U.S. economy as the year ended, but the risk of a recession unfolding over the next 12 months remains elevated in my view,” says Lapierre.

During the fourth quarter, markets got a little reprieve with in ation data further improving and the Federal Reserve slowing down its rate hiking campaign. But the Fed has not quite nished raising rates yet. Nevertheless, interest rates were a little steadier during the fourth quarter than earlier in the year with the 2-year U.S. Treasury yield nishing at 4.41%, up 19 basis points on the quarter, while the 10-year U.S. Treasury yield nished at 3.88%, up 5 basis points on the quarter. For the

distractions help you nd your balance? I would love to hear your story at gotonorton@gmail.com and when we can maximize balance by minimizing distractions, it really will be a better than good life.

year, yields were up 363 basis points and 225 basis points, respectively. is is signi cant movement in the xed income world where many retirees are invested. Designing custom portfolios this year will be crucial for investors, especially if you were able to tax-loss harvest last year. You have a clean slate to begin a new strategy in a new year that ts with your nancial plan. Don’t wait to get in front of your advisor while the year is young.

Brett Lapierre, CFA, is Senior Investment Strategist for Mariner Wealth Advisors

Patricia Kummer has been a certied nancial planner professional and a duciary for over 35 years and is Managing Director for Mariner Wealth Advisors, an SEC Registered Investment Adviser.

Michael Norton is an author, a personal and professional coach, consultant, trainer, encourager and motivator of individuals and businesses, working with organizations and associations across multiple industries.

• Publication of any given letter is at our discretion. Letters are published as space is available.

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• Please don’t send us more than one letter per month. First priority for publication will be given to writers who have not submitted letters to us recently.

• Submit your letter in a Word document or in the body of an email. No PDFs or Google Docs, please.

• Include your full name, address and phone number. We will publish only your name and city or town of residence, but all of the information requested is needed for us to verify you are who you say you are.

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• Do not use all caps, italics or bold text.

• Keep it polite: No name calling or “mudslinging.”

The Long Way Home Examining the impacts of the housing crisis

People across the metro area are struggling to a ord a place to live. Minimum wage earners might spend upwards of 60% of their paychecks on rent. Many millennials, now entering their 40s, have accumulated less wealth than prior generations and are struggling to nd a rst home they can a ord. At the same time, those who might sell, baby boomers, are prone to hold onto their homes, unable to downsize in the supercharged market. ese and other factors, including homelessness, a history of racial disparities where 71% of white Coloradans own homes but only 42% of Black Coloradans do, and a slow down in building that began more than a decade ago during the Great Recession, add up to constitute what some experts call a crisis in housing a ordability and availability.

Over the last six months, two dozen journalists, editors and sta at Colorado Community Media worked to answer questions on why this is happening, how

TRICKLING UP

FROM PAGE 1

From work to school to neighborhood events, the program has created a way for Gilson’s family to be a part of a community. With housing and communities come resources, though not all are created equal.

Gilson explained that in her prior communities — predominantly lower socioeconomic status and people of color — it resulted in a lack of resources, such as academic and mental health.

at’s why she moved to Westminster, where she has lived for 12 years.

“I wanted my kids to have a stable education and stable housing,” she said.

It’s not just low-income residents who struggle to a ord housing. Across the metro area and along the Front Range, rising in ation and mortgage rates, a long-term building slowdown and increasingly crowded cities and towns have combined to create what some observers and experts say is a housing crisis.

More and more people throughout the metro area are nding the cost of renting or buying a home eating up signi cant portions of their budgets.

“ at’s the No. 1 reason that people move, is they can’t keep up with their rent (and) utilities payments,” said Heidi Aggeler, manag-

we got here and what the solutions are. e work to nd the answers carried our journalists along the Front Range to talk to mayors, housing authorities, experts and, most importantly, lower- and middle-class families experiencing the crisis rst hand.

Our reporters and editors also held focus groups, talking directly to prospective homebuyers, like the single mom worried that another rent increase could land her in her car and the real estate agent who understood the problems but worried about a lack of solutions.

Over the next four weeks, Colorado Community Media provides an in-depth look at how the current crisis impacts our communities. In Week 1, e Long Way Home breaks down how we got here. On Week 4, we look at how local, state and federal governments are investing millions of dollars into a range of possible solutions — from helping the homeless to a ordable housing programs.

ing director and co-founder of Root Policy Research, a Denver-based community planning and housing research rm.

ere’s a term for it: “cost-burdened,” which describes households paying more than 30% of their income on housing. A little more than 700,000 households in Colorado are cost-burdened, most of which are renters, according to a November 2021 report from Root Policy Research.

“We’ve never done a very good job of housing extremely low-income people and families and helping to move them out of poverty,” Aggeler said. “We’ve never had enough resources to adequately address that.”

People who make $25,000 or less a year have long faced a housing crisis on some level, Aggeler said. But now, the number of people who make more money and are feeling the pinch of high housing costs is growing.

It has become increasingly common for middle-income households with incomes of roughly $35,000-$75,000 to experience cost burden, according to Root Policy Research.

As long as Colorado continues to be an attractive place for people to move to, invest in and retire, Aggeler thinks housing challenges will continue.

ere are also too few options for would-be buyers. Many nd the cost of single-family homes beyond their reach but have few options a

Contributors to theproject include:

step below that, such as condos.

“If you believe that Colorado will be a place that employers will continue to want to move to, then I think … the outlook may not be good unless we accelerate production and density and fund housing at the level that is needed,” Aggeler said.

The cost of housing

Practically every community in the metro area is facing its own housing a ordability and availability issues. South of Denver, in Lone Tree, Mayor Jackie Millet said there is a “housing crisis.”

“I think it varies in severity throughout our state, but I do think it is a problem that is a ecting all of Colorado,” she said. “ ere’s so much supply pressure on our market right now that we have, then, created this crisis.”

Not everyone is describing it as a crisis, but those who use that word point to the numbers across the metro area, as the costs of singlefamily homes and townhomes have skyrocketed.

Northwest of Denver, in Arvada, the median sale price of a singlefamily home was $667,000 as of late 2022, according to the Colorado Association of Realtors. at’s up by 71% from 2017, when the price was around $390,000.

e story is similar in Brighton, northeast of Denver, where the median sale price increased by approximately $225,000 over that period.

Littleton, south of Denver, saw an increase of approximately $300,000 in the price of single-family homes from 2017 to 2022.

Lone Tree saw an increase of $473,750.

“What we have seen is our housing prices doubling and our wages have not been keeping up,” Millet said.

From 2000 to 2019, median rents rose at a faster rate than median renter household incomes did “in every Colorado county and city with 50,000+ residents,” according to Root Policy Research.

Many residents want a home of their own, Millet said.

“ at was our ultimate goal, and that is also the way most of us accumulated wealth,” she said.

When the cost of buying or renting is too high, however, people cannot establish these roots, she added.

Supply versus demand

One of the main causes of the rise in cost-burdened households and lack of a ordable housing is that production has failed to keep up with demand.

ere was a 40% decrease in the number of homes built between 2010 and 2020 in Colorado, according to the 2022 “A ordable Housing Transformational Task Force Report.”

Susan Daggett, executive director of the Rocky Mountain Land

Use Institute, said the crash of 2007 a ected housing supply. People left the construction industry and many companies went bankrupt.

“ e housing market bottomed out, people left the construction industry, a lot of people went bankrupt,” she said.

At the same time that housing development slowed, Colorado’s population grew.

“In the meantime, the population has grown tremendously and the supply just hasn’t been able to catch up with that demand,” Daggett said.

In 2010, Colorado had a population of 5,029,196, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. By 2022, the population was estimated at 5,839,926 — a roughly 16% increase.

As of June 2021, Colorado’s for-sale housing inventory was 13% of what is needed for a functioning sales market, according to Root Policy Research’s report. A functioning sales market means there are enough units so that people can move easily, such as being able to upsize or downsize, Aggeler said.

To return the housing market to a functioning level, Colorado would need an average of 44,250 units built each year until 2030, according to the report, published in November 2021. is would be 1.6 times the state’s current production levels.

Ted Leighty — the CEO of the Colorado Association of Home Builders, an a liate organization of the National Association of Home Builders — said, overall, depending on who is talking, Colorado is somewhere between 175,000 to 200,000 units short of demand.

“ at’s really challenging to come back from, especially, you know, the pace by which we were able to produce new housing in Colorado,” Leighty said.

He hates to use the word “crisis” when discussing housing in Colorado, describing it instead as a major challenge.

Leighty explained the challenge comes down to the ve L’s — lumber and other building materials, labor, land, loans and access to capital, and local government. All have played roles in slowing down housing construction, especially since the Great Recession, leading to higher demand and decreased a ordability.

“ ese are always our main cost drivers for residential construction,” Leighty said. “All ve of those right now, and have been, unfortunately, for the last several years, been huge challenges for us.”

He said high lumber costs and some supply chain issues have improved marginally recently, but they still pose problems for developers.

Also, there is a labor shortage.

“We’ve seen a little bit of uptick in (the) labor participation rate for construction, but not nearly enough,” Leighty said. “We’ve got an aging skilled labor demographic, and we haven’t done a great job replacing that labor with younger, skilled laborers.”

In addition to training the laborers of the next generation, Leighty said a “sound immigration policy” could help bring more workers to projects.  “ ere’s a pretty big de cit, and we

need to do all we can, policy standpoint and otherwise, to increase labor,” Leighty said.

During the pandemic, there was a perception the housing market was hot, Leighty said.

“It was the most challenging hot market ever on record — to source materials, to source labor, to get projects through the pipeline was immeasurable in how di cult it was,” Leighty said.

The market cools

But there are signs the hot market is cooling.

Lending issues have recently risen to the top of many homebuyers’ concerns. Leighty cites concerns for in ation, economic uncertainty and rising interest mortgage rates.

Imagine a $500,000 home that roughly a year ago a person could buy at a 3% rate, Leighty said. eir monthly payment might be around $2,600.

By July 2022, as rates rose to roughly 5%, the payment for the same house would rise to $3,500. at’s an increase of more than 34%.

“So, how do you get back down to that $2,600, you know, something that’s more achievable for the average home buyer?” Leighty asked rhetorically.

In December, rates on a 30-year xed mortgage were more than 6.5%, according to Bankrate.

Higher mortgage rates caused a spike in cancellation rates for homesale contracts last summer, reaching above 40% — causing further disruptions, Leighty said.

“By the time the home was ready, or maybe even wasn’t ready yet, they knew what their debt-to-income ratio was going to be and that it had increased immensely, and they could no longer a ord it, so they canceled,”

he said.

By comparison, the cancellation rate was 13% in July 2021 and 18% in 2019.

Due to these high cancellation rates, it is likely there will be fewer homes on the market in the next few quarters, Leighty said, further exacerbating housing issues.

Yet Matthew Leprino, a spokesperson for the Colorado Association of Realtors, explained there’s an upshot for some potential homebuyers. ere are more homes available now than in years past as the market reacts to the changing economy.

“ e story that I’ve been telling a lot of clients lately is, ‘Yeah, you can pay a higher interest rate now than you were a year ago, but you’re paying $100,000 less for the house,’” he said. ere are more properties available now than any time since October of 2019, he said.

“It’s a better time to buy now than in the last three years,” Leprino said.

A balanced market’s months’ supply of inventory stands at about four months. For the metro area, October 2022 was the rst time that number hit two months or above since October 2019.

e metro Denver area hasn’t reached a balanced market for housing since at least 2014, when the Colorado Association of Realtors started tracking that data — and Leprino suspects it’s been much longer than that.

“Number one, houses are a lot more expensive than they used to be,” Leprino said. “Number two, there’s not enough of them.”

The role of local governments and zoning

Local governments have played a huge role in the lack of housing supply and lack of a ordability in

Colorado, Leighty said.

He notes they play a role through their regulations, land use zoning and entitlement process and their fees.

Zoning can be a signi cant factor in the housing issues people see today, Aggeler of Root Policy Research said. It refers to when a city or county divides its land into di erent sections and designates an intended use for each, such as industrial or residential development.

“Really, the problem, it’s very simple: ere’s a scarcity of housing for people of all income levels,” said Pat Cronenberger, vice chairperson for South Metro Housing Options, the City of Littleton’s public housing authority. “Colorado is a popular place. People want to be here, and we have restrictive zoning laws that really don’t make it easy to build housing.”

“And that’s all contributed to high rents and big, skyrocketing home prices,” she said.

One of the more controversial zoning issues across the metro area is how dense a city can build.

“People are very afraid of adding units, very afraid of density — and I think probably overly so,” Aggeler said. “We should be zoning artfully, in a way that preserves what we love about communities but also provides opportunity for other people to live there.”

Leighty said some local elected ofcials have expressed concerns that if they approve denser housing units, they could be recalled “because there’s so many people that believe we have — we’re growing too fast.”

“But the numbers belie all of that,” he said. “Our net migration is still positive.”

Net migration refers to the di erence between the number of immi-

The perfect storm: Many factors led to today’s housing crisis

Kim Howard of Evergreen has been in her 2,600-square-foot home for 40 years. Now alone, the 70-yearold is looking to downsize and move closer to Denver, but she can’t nd a smaller home with the same or lower mortgage payments.

She feels guilty staying because she knows the house is a perfect size for a young family, but she’s staying because she can’t a ord to move. Rising interest rates in the last year aren’t helping, since that increases monthly payments on any home she could buy.

“I’m going to wait it out … because it has to make economic sense,” Howard said. “I can’t a ord to move, and that puts a damper on those who want to move in. We need more a ordable housing for retired and rst-time buyers instead of large, expensive homes that we can’t a ord.

“I feel kind of guilty. (Young families) are desperately looking to start their lives, and we senior citizens can’t a ord to move. Unless someone provides for those rst-time home buyers and for seniors who want to downsize, it’s not going to happen.”

Howard’s story is typical of the issues faced by many in the metro area when it comes to housing. While it seems like the crisis came on suddenly, it cannot be attributed to one moment or incident. Instead, think of it like the spokes on a bicycle wheel, with the center being the current housing situation.

Each spoke contributes to rising costs and shrinking availability, starting with the Great Recession that began in 2007, the loss of builders and labor, the dichotomy of home ownership between baby boomers and millennials, and more recently the pandemic, the consequences of the Marshall Fire and the popularity of short-term rentals.

Couple all that with population increasing in metro Denver, and it’s a recipe for disaster for many: higher home prices, increasing number of unhoused, lack of places to both buy or rent, frustrated home buyers and more.

A perfect storm has combined to create what many experts say constitutes a housing crisis throughout the Denver area and into the foothills — from Brighton to Empire and everywhere in between. It’s been brewing since the Great Recession more than a decade ago that created a harsh economic downturn, pushing skilled workers who built homes out of their careers.

It’s been exacerbated by a rising younger population and part-time residents who converted residences in some of the state’s most attractive settings into vacation homes, the skyrocketing costs of homes and increases in interest rates.

“ ere’s no incentive in the traditional market structure that we have around housing to build for those

who are struggling economically,” said Phyllis Resnick, executive director and lead economist for the Colorado Futures Center, an independent, nonpartisan, academic nonpro t. “We think (the housing market) is feeling unhealthy for folks because housing that is a ordable to lower-middle to low-income households is still very di cult to nd and isn’t probably being built at the rate it’s needed.”

Great Recession

e metro area’s housing challenges start with the Great Recession that began in late 2007, part of a national trend where the housing market crashed. Before the recession, rising home prices, loose lending practices and low interest rates were the norm. When the economy soured, many homeowners could not keep up with their payments, prompting a rash of foreclosures.

According to real estate data company RealtyTrac, 6.3 million homes went through foreclosure in the United States from January 2006 to April 2016, more than double the norm of around 250,000 foreclosures per year. According to the Colorado Department of Local A airs, from 2006 to 2016, Colorado saw 299,775 foreclosures.

With foreclosures came a glut of available homes that ooded the market, according to real estate agent Gaye Ribble with e Ribble Group, a real estate rm that o ers home-buying services across the metro area. In the Denver metro area at the peak of the recession, 45,000 homes were on the market, Ribble said, when a balanced market is roughly 10,000 to 12,000 homes.

“As a result, builders were reluctant to get back in and buy land, buy materials, pay wages and build — all the capital expenses they incur before selling a single home,” said Tupper Briggs with Madison & Co.

Properties, a real estate agent for more than four decades. “ ey did not add to the supply of housing for years.”

In other words, Ribble said, “builders stopped building homes because of the glut, and some builders went out of business because of the lack of work.”

Loss of tradespeople

e Colorado Futures Center bears out what Ribble noticed. A 2018 study by Resnick and Jennifer Newcomer, research director, examined the factors contributing to the growing cost of housing in Colorado. Much of it could be traced to the Great Recession.

e decrease in units built after the recession was linked, in part, to limited amounts of developable land, rising material costs and little incentive to build entry-level housing, according to the study. A bigger issue turned out to be the closure of several local construction companies and the related issue of a shortage of labor in specialty trades.

“Labor was short, it was a mixed story on materials, and there were some regulatory barriers, but I think we came away thinking that part of the biggest problem was we lost a lot of people in the development and building ecosystem,” Resnick said.

According to a 2014 report published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Housing: Before, During and After the Great Recession,” construction industries experienced signi cant job losses during the recession.

From 2003 to 2013, for example, the residential construction industry experienced a 26.8% decrease in employment, which the report said was “precipitated by the recent recession.” e report also showed from 2003 to 2013, the number of businesses in the residential construction industry decreased by

10.8%.

Lone Tree Mayor Jackie Millet said she thinks the recession absolutely impacted the growth of housing.

“ e bottom fell out of the market, the tradespeople — we lost people in the trades, we didn’t have people coming into the trades, and we lost that time,” Millet said. “And it’s, you know, cyclical, so we have been playing catch-up ever since then.”

Ted Leighty, the CEO of the Colorado Association of Home Builders, said the Great Recession made a lot of people more cautious, including banks, lenders and builders.

ere were fewer land developers coming out of the recession, he said, so more builders have had to become their own land developers.

“ eir access to capital and their cost of capital has increased greatly since the recession,” Leighty said.

Ribble added: “Not only every year are we lagging (in home construction), but we were never able to make up for six years with no new construction. During that time, population continued to increase.”

Population growth, interest rates

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the seven-county metro area has seen a substantial rise in population in roughly the past decade. Douglas, Arapahoe and Adams County each grew by more than 80,000 people, with Je erson County gaining more than 45,000 people.

When the Federal Reserve lowered interest rates to move the United States out of the Great Recession, many more people who wanted to buy a home could. Rates remained low as the economy rebounded. at increased demand across the housing market. As demand rose, prices across the metro area began to skyrocket, creating a crunch. Fewer homes were available and many people were simply priced out of the market.

Real estate agents interviewed by Colorado Community Media agree that the Federal Reserve should have increased the ultra-low interest rates to keep the market more balanced.

Baby boomers, millennials and short-term rentals

Adding to the housing challenges is stagnation. Baby boomers, those nearing retirement age and older, aren’t leaving their homes. Meanwhile millennials, some now new to Colorado and in their 40s, are looking to get into their rst home and sometimes even a second home such as a short-term rental that can be used for both vacation and added income..

Boomers, many of whom are empty nesters, aren’t downsizing for many reasons. While some simply don’t want to move, others want to downsize but can’t nd a good deal on a home in the community they want.

Low Rate of Pay:

How minimum wages are failing to keep pace with housing costs

In recent years, minimum wages have slowly increased, with Denver reaching $17.29 an hour, and the suburbs surrounding the city being lower, based on the state of Colorado’s minimum of $13.65 an hour.

While workers have welcomed the increases, apartment rental prices have outpaced those gains for workers, with almost 60% of a minimum wage worker’s paycheck expected to go to a landlord.

at’s the highest proportion in a decade, and a calculation that doesn’t include other expenses, such as utilities.

“We’ve seen over the years that the minimum wage actually erodes over time, and periodically has to be readjusted,” said economist Markus Schneider.

Schneider, chair of the Economics Department at the University of Denver, said these cost-of-living adjustments to the minimum wage do help workers — both Denver and the state make adjustments to their minimum wages — but despite increases, the adjustments don’t completely stave o the consequences of rising in ation and skyrocketing housing costs on low-income workers.

Even after a decade, workers are still forced to dedicate too much of their salaries to housing, and it’s only worsened.

A “living wage” is what is needed to keep up with the costs of living, the “very ne line between thenancial independence of the working poor and the need to seek out public assistance or su er consistent and severe housing and food insecurity,” according to MIT’s Living Wage calculator. MIT describes it “as a minimum subsistence wage.”

For the metro area, that living wage is $19.62, well above the state minimum wage and even Denver’s. e cost-of-living adjustment that both minimum wage rates are tied to is called the Consumer Price Index — a “positive step in the right direction,” according to Schneider.

“At the same time, the minimum wage is below a living wage,” Schneider said. “It’s, at best, going to keep it in proportion.”

at means the disparities won’t grow as badly as they could, but will still not keep up with a living wage.

In 2010, the state minimum wage was $7.24 an hour. Rent for a studio in the metro area was $638, according to U.S. Housing and Urban Development fair market rent data.

at came out to half of a worker’s wages, which the National Low Income Housing Coalition — a nonpro t that aims to end the a ordable housing crisis through policy and data research — deems una ordable, as is anything upwards of 30% of wages spent on rent and utilities. e coalition considers paying upwards of 30% as placing workers at risk for homelessness.

By 2023, the situation had only grown worse for minimum-wage

workers. While their wages rose to $13.65 an hour, metro-area studio apartment rents hit $1,390, meaning workers have to pay almost 60% of their wages to keep a roof over their head.

Part of the gap between the index increases and rent is inequality, Schneider said.

CPI is calculated by looking at how much change there is in the average price of household items, food, energy, rent, electronics and more, weighted by how big that category is in the household budget.

is calculation is for the entire metro area, though. With di erent parts having di erent wages and costs of rent, the CPI can become skewed for some.

“ e CPI for Colorado is going to be very responsive to what’s happening in Denver just because that’s the big population center,” Schneider said. “We know that Denver has actually had a hotter housing market, and housing is a big component of what that living wage means.”

However, higher minimum wages do not cause rents to increase, in his view.

“ ere’s really not much evidence for it — in the ranges that we’re talking about raising minimum wages,” he said. “If we raised it by a factor of two, or even of ve, then yes, that’s probably a big thing. But we’re talking about just getting closer to a living wage — I’m very skeptical that it’s a big e ect.”

“Certainly not a big impact on the price aspect, because even when people get up to that living wage, it’s really only going to impact relatively cheap housing, and relatively bottom end of the rent market — you’ll see some of those rents go up a little bit. But the average rent in Denver isn’t going to budge much.”

is leads to CPI not adjusting enough for the lowest wage earners in the metro area, and not keeping up with their rising rents. As Schneider said, the adjustments are better than nothing, but still do not set

minimum-wage workers to earn a living wage — a goal that, since more than a decade ago, has only become further away.

“When people make more money, particularly at the bottom end, when we’re talking about pushing poverty line or at least well below the living wage, they’re likely to move to a nicer neighborhood or closer to a nicer school, which means the rents in the places that they were living won’t be a ected that much,” Schneider said.

According to MIT, a “livable wage” for Colorado is about $19.16 an hour, and the Denver-Aurora-Lakewood metro area “livable wage” is even higher at $19.62 per hour. Current minimum wage in the state is far less at $13.65 an hour, with Denver’s being $17.29 per hour. Both the state and Denver may be increasing minimum wage year over year to follow in ation or cost of living, but they may never actually reach a “livable wage” when they are already so far behind.

Colorado state’s minimum wage, and Denver’s own minimum wage, rise incrementally based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI). is is functionally a measurement of the cost of living, measured by the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics. It includes food, housing costs, transport, medical care and recreation among others, all broken down to smaller parts like gas, and electric bills. MIT’s “living wage” considers many of the same categories, but is stricter.

“ e living wage is the minimum income standard that, if met, draws a very ne line between the nancial independence of the working poor and the need to seek out public assistance or su er consistent and severe housing and food insecurity,” according to MIT’s Living Wage calculator. “In light of this fact, the living wage is perhaps better de ned as a minimum subsistence wage for persons living in the United States.” eir calculator uses Fair Market Rents (FMRs) — which “represents the cost to rent a moderately-priced

dwelling unit in the local housing market” — along with local utility prices, to determine housing costs.

According to e National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC), a nonpro t that aims to end the a ordable housing crisis through policy and data research, anything upwards of “the generally accepted standard of spending no more than 30% of gross income on rent and utilities,” is considered una ordable housing, though. is brings needed wages, according to NLIHC, even higher than MIT’s livable wage that already lies on the razor’s edge of nancial independence and public assistance.

Other major costs in MIT’s calculation are food and transportation, which take up another $9,160 per year — $4,153 and $5,007 respectively. Housing, food and transport together take up 75% of their salary — which leaves some room for the $4,814 cost for “clothing, personal care items, and housekeeping supplies,” and $2,768 for medical care, but none for the $7,929 in annual taxes.

MIT speci es that the calculation “accounts only for the basic needs of a family. It does not account for what many consider the basic necessities enjoyed by many Americans,” such as dining out and other forms of entertainment, but it also “... does not provide a nancial means for planning for the future through savings and investment or for the purchase of capital assets.”

And this is all for single adults without children. A single adult with one child brings the livable wage from $20.61 an hour to $39.96.

NLIHC’s “Out of Reach” reports use “housing wage” as the wage a full-time worker must make to a ord FMRs without spending over 30% on rent. For a studio apartment in Denver with an FMR in 2022 of $1,236 per month, the “housing wage” would be $23.77 an hour before taxes — 1.5times what a minimumwage worker currently makes. is is even higher than MIT’s $20.61 an hour “livable wage” for a studio apartment and even includes utilities, as MIT’s wage is only enough to be on the brink of nancial ruin.

Based on NLIHC’s metric, no housing in Denver is actually “affordable” to a minimum-wage worker. It may never reach this point either.

Denver’s 2020 minimum-wage ordinance began with increasing minimum wage to $12.85 per hour in January 2020, then $14.77 in January 2021, then $15.87 in January 2022, and $17.29 this year.

From now onward, it’s tied to CPI. According to the ordinance, “the Denver minimum wage rate shall increase by an amount corresponding to the prior year’s increase, if any, in the Consumer Price Index …” But this wage is already below the “living wage” determined by MIT, so staying on par with the CPI will only ever keep the minimum wage stable, not increase its value.

According to Jackie White, a real estate agent in the Conifer and Evergreen area for nine years, if a baby boomer sells a home for $1.5 million, that person isn’t going to find a home about half the size for $750,000.

“That doesn’t feel good to them,” White said. “Add to that, because of low inventory of homes, kids can’t afford to buy homes in the communities they grew up in, so there are fewer multigenerational families in one community. Kids can’t easily check in on their parents.”

Many millennials can’t afford homes that are for sale. That eventually will change as baby boomers are forced to sell as they age, White said.

As Ribble noted: “In 18 years, this issue will resolve itself because baby boomers won’t be in their homes any longer.”

But at that point, some millennials will be in their 60s. For that generation, the dream of home ownership is still alive for many, Briggs said.

“The millennial demographic is larger and more powerful than the baby boomers,” Briggs said. “They are the bulge in the snake, and we baby boomers are sitting on our homes, getting old and not moving.”

Short-term rental ownership is becoming more popular, especially among millennials.

“Close to 50% of buyers (in Clear

Creek County) ask if it can be a short-term rental,” said Josh Spinner, longtime Clear Creek County real estate agent.

More recent issues

The COVID-19 pandemic brought a new trend. Many people were able to work from home and some decided to move out of urban areas to more scenic, less populated towns, real estate agents said.

“Whoever would have thought home prices would have gone up during COVID?” Spinner asked rhetorically. “Who could have predicted that? In addition to artificially low interest rates, we had a lot of artificial stimulus money. It defies logic that prices would go up in a pandemic.”

The Colorado Futures Center study agreed.

“The disruption of COVID and the almost complete lack of (market) churn really distorted supply with respect to what was available for sale,” Resnick said.

“We believe, and we’re still working through all of this, that was a somewhat significant contributor in the run-up in prices.”

Briggs said the transition to people working remotely wasn’t an easy one.

“The seeds of remote work were there before COVID,” he said.

“People started looking at their living arrangements and decided they wanted an office in their homes. They discovered if they work remotely, they could work where they wanted. They decided to get out of the city and into the suburbs or bedroom communi -

ties.

“They no longer were commuteoriented in making (home-buying) decisions. Instead, they were quality-of-life focused because they were able to do that. That created a surge in people moving from one place to another.”

The COVID-19 pandemic didn’t help, Millet in Lone Tree said, as well as the subsequent supplychain issues.

“The demand has continued to increase that whole time, and supply has been falling further and further behind,” Millet said. “When you don’t have enough supply, price goes up — and that’s the space that we’re sitting in.”

Then toward the end of the pandemic, the Marshall Fire in Boulder County took place, burning 1,100 homes. That added to the situation — many families looking for temporary or permanent housing, further depleting the number of homes on the market.

Building homes

City and county planners say they are seeing more builders wanting to build residential developments recently, but they are facing several issues.

“There’s a housing shortage because we can’t get homes built fast enough,” said Chris O’Keefe, Jefferson County planning director. “In Jefferson County, we have a lot of land but not a lot of land that is shovel ready.”

He noted that it doesn’t help when members of the community don’t want new high-density residential development near them.

“Recently we’ve seen some areas

where … developers have wanted to rezone for higher density,” O’Keefe said. “The community sometimes is not supportive of higher density.”

In Clear Creek County, little developable land is available, and most of the building permits are for single-family homes.

“Over the last 20 years, buildingpermit applications that we are seeing for single-family homes indicate that homes are getting larger and more expensive,” said Fred Rollenhagen, community development director for Clear Creek County. “We are not seeing as many smaller or middle-class type homes like what we saw 20 years ago.”

Lakewood, for example, also doesn’t have large parcels available for residential development except in the Rooney Valley along C-470, where a residential development is under construction with plans for 1,200 homes when complete.

“As a first-tier suburb of Denver, our vacant land is minimal,” said Paul Rice, manager of planning and development assistance for the City of Lakewood. “Other than the Rooney Valley, there are not a lot of development opportunities that are easy.

“A developer has to work to make a project successful. Lakewood is not an easy place to develop. Most everything is redevelopment. Developing land is a matter of aggregating property to create property that can be redeveloped.”

CRISIS

What’s to come

A 2022 analysis from Newcomer and Resnick on housing affordability in Colorado found that the share of housing affordable to people making the median Colorado income dropped 25% between 2015 and 2020. The same research found that statewide housing prices would need to fall by 32% to return to the affordability levels the state saw in 2015.

“Market correction alone will not restore relative affordability without considerable market pain,” the 2022 analysis concluded.

Newcomer said it wouldn’t be easy for the housing market to become more balanced.

“We do need to find ways to build, essentially, a parallel market that’s incentivized differently,” Newcomer said. “The normal constructs of housing development in the full market don’t incentivize doing anything differently. We have, especially with this disruption because of the pandemic and supply chain issues, these elevated costs from material goods to labor and so on. It’s going to be really hard for those to come back down in the overall market environment now.”

production may look like in 2023, Leighty said a lot of it depends on mortgage rates.

“Will we see a recession? What will we see that necessarily starts to bring down the federal funds rate and then, you know, brings down the mortgage rates?”

Leighty asked, highlighting the uncertainty of the future.

The Colorado and U.S. economies are projected to avoid a recession in 2023, but the “path for continued expansion is narrow” and “a wide array of unforeseen shocks could push the economy into a downturn,” according to the Colorado Legislative Council Staff’s December 2022 Economic and Revenue Forecast.

Leighty thinks 2023 may start slowly for home builders.

“Builders, they’ll move cautiously on land acquisition until there’s probably more clarity, especially in (interest) rates,” he said.

Real estate agent Briggs thinks the relationship between home buyers and sellers is changing.

When projecting what housing

TRICKLING UP

“Although we’ll probably see more price negotiation in specific transactions, housing values will not decline overall, and there certainly won’t be a crash,” Briggs said. “But the days of multiple offers and over-asking selling prices are numbered. We can also expect it to take longer to sell as buyers sharpen their pencils when considering an offer.” FROM

grants and the number of emigrants throughout the year.

“That’s how you’re going to attack this issue, right, is allowing greater density — taking down the land costs a little bit by being able to do more with less as far as more construction on less land,” Leighty said. “Zoning plays a huge role in our ability to bring new product on the market.”

A lot of communities in Colorado are mostly single-family homes, resulting in lower density and forcing developments to sprawl out.

With the dominance of singlefamily homes, many communities in Colorado face a “missing middle,” meaning there are not a lot of diverse housing options such as townhomes, cottage courts, accessory dwelling units and duplexes.

Part of the reason for that is because of a policy change, Leighty said.

“We made it really, really easy to sue for what they call ‘construction defects’ on multifamily forsale condominiums,” he said.

Multifamily for-sale condominiums went from roughly 20% of the market to about 2% of the market when going into the recession, Leighty said. By 2017, it rose to about 12% of the market, but then the pandemic hit.

“If you kept that 20% pace of condominiums, you wouldn’t be in the same situation you are now. You wouldn’t necessarily be in market equilibrium, right? But you wouldn’t be … 200,000 units shy either,” Leighty said.

Condominiums are a really important product, he said, as they provide places for young professionals and families to achieve homeownership and for empty nesters to downsize.

“That product has been absolutely missed in this marketplace and it has certainly contributed to our inability to keep up with demand,” Leighty said.

Lone Tree Mayor Jackie Millet said in 2004, she served on the city’s planning commission and approximately 20% of the new buildings were condos.

“To my recollection, in Lone Tree, we haven’t seen one in probably 15 years. And the ones that are being built in the metro region are either — they’re very, very expensive,” she said. “That was our supply of entry-level housing, and it is no longer being produced.”

Millet thinks the constructiondefects law played a significant role in the supply of the entrylevel housing market. She also knows of residents who wish to remain in the community and want to downsize, but cannot find any affordable options.

Typically, Millet believes the markets should resolve the issues themselves.

“But in my opinion, the markets have been corrupted by a number of things,” Millet said. “And so I do feel at this point, we must do something other than just complain about it, because we’ve seen it increase as a priority issue for our residents and our businesses.”

“If we just keep complaining about it, which is what we’ve been doing, without taking any kind of action to increase the supply of housing that people can afford, the problem is just going to get worse.”

like the Gulf Coast states in particular,” Conway told e Colorado Sun. “It was probably a year and a half ago that I was in front of one of the insurance committees at the state legislature and they asked if we had (homeowners’ insurance) availability problems in the state that I was worried about, and I honestly could say at that point that no we didn’t. We didn’t have issues.”

But late in the summer his ofce started to hear complaints from homeowners that they couldn’t get their properties insured. What really sounded the alarm was when independent insurance agents started telling state regulators they couldn’t nd coverage for their clients. If they can nd coverage, it can sometimes be outrageously expensive.

Jim Kinser, an insurance broker in Steamboat Springs, told e Sun about a single-family home in Routt County that was previously insured for an annual premium between $3,000 to $4,000. When a new owner bought the property over the summer and planned to remodel the house, no insurance company would write them a homeowner’s policy until the house was renovated with re-resistant materials and brush cleared from its perimeter. e home was uninsured for months in the meantime.

In Pitkin County, home to Aspen, Kniser said a homeowner’s coverage was not renewed by their insurance company and no other carrier would provide coverage at any price.

“It’s getting to be more and more difcult to nd carriers who will say ‘yes,

we’ll take it,’” Kinser said. “And people need insurance.”

State Sen.-elect Dylan Roberts, an Avon Democrat, said di culty obtaining property insurance is “the No. 1 thing I’m hearing from my constituents.” In the high country, where there’s already a housing crisis, there are fears that homeowners insurance problems and rising costs could further limit the lack of a ordable places to live.

Conway says the legislature must act fast to prevent Coloradans from having to go without coverage.

“If the issues that we’re seeing now aren’t remedied by the private insurance market fairly expeditiously, we are going to have to set something up pretty quickly,” he said.

But the private insurance industry is urging caution, saying that if Colorado acts too fast and makes mistakes, insurance companies may pull out of the state altogether.

“ e stakes are very high,” said Carole Walker, executive director of the Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association, an industry trade group. “It just feels like we’re rushing to the solution without adequately studying it. If there is going to be a fair plan or last-resort legislation this year, let’s make sure we’re basing it on really being a very targeted solution at a targeted problem.”

Walker said that anecdotes alone shouldn’t drive the legislature. “We certainly have to understand what our gaps are and what our problems are,” she said.

And given the high stakes, the debate over a state-run or state-created property insurance program could be one of the most technically complicated and politically heated policy battles

at the Colorado Capitol in 2023.

How it works in other states

State-run or state-created insurers of last resort started cropping up in the 1960s in coastal and urban areas where property owners faced high risks — from riots, res and hurricanes — and couldn’t get traditional coverage from private insurance companies, said Mark Friedlander, a spokesman for the Insurance Information Institute, another insurance industry trade group.

ere are such programs in 32 states and the District of Columbia. While each operates di erently, they generally fall into two groups: plans subsidized by taxpayers and plans funded by private insurers.

e plans are often costlier and o er less coverage than the average private insurance policy, Friedlander said. “ ey typically do not include liability coverage, which is a component of a standard home insurance policy,” he said.

e purpose of the plans is simply to ensure that people can get some level of coverage — hence the “insurer of last resort” moniker.

Florida’s Citizens Property Insurance Corporation is the biggest statemanaged property insurance program in the U.S. In August, the nonpro t funded by policyholders surpassed 1 million policies and became the largest property insurer in the state. Nearly 28 million people live in Florida.

Homeowners are only eligible for coverage from the Citizens Property Insurance Corporation if they cannot get coverage from a Florida-authorized insurance company or if the premiums from a Florida-authorized insurance company are more than

20% higher than the premiums for comparable coverage from Citizens.

In California, homeowners can only get insurance under the state’s “FAIR Plan” if they can’t get coverage from a private company after a “diligent search.” And homeowners must repeat that search annually. e policies o ered under California’s plan are handled by private insurers who operate in the state, who are required to cover a proportion of FAIR Plan policies equal to their share of normal policies in California.

“For most homeowners, the FAIR Plan is a temporary safety net — here to support them until coverage o ered by a traditional carrier becomes available,” the FAIR Plan website says. As of 2020, less than 3% of California residents were covered under the plan.

e private insurance industry often points to the Citizens Property Insurance Corporation as an example of a state-run property insurance program gone wrong because of how many people left the private market to seek coverage from Citizens. Insurance companies use customer premiums to create a pool of money from which they can pay out claims. Fewer customers means a smaller pool.

Florida’s legislature met for a special lawmaking term in December to tweak the program and set aside billions for initiatives aimed at bolstering the private insurance market.

“Google Florida and their plan and it will be what not to do,” Walker said.

Conway said he is starting from the premise that a state-run or created property insurance program in Colorado should not compete with the private insurance market.

SEE WILDFIRES, P31

Valor girls defeat Grandview

from title game

ere was nothing at stake except for maybe pride, but the Valor Christian girls

Now.com Class 6A state rankings, romped to a 78-41 victory over the defending

runaway win. Grandview’s leading scorer, 6-foot-3 sophomore

Sienna Betts. who was averaging 22.4 points a game, did not play. She was on the bench with a boot on her

ree players paced the way for Valor.

Senior Macey Huard, a 6-2 senior who will be joining her sister Haley on the University of Montana

basketball team next season, scored 19 points with ve rebounds.

Emma Lytle, a 5-7 junior had 14 points, seven steals and ve assists. Rylie Beers, a 5-11 sophomore, also had 14 points and made six steals.

Rock Canyon hangs tough in loss to Highlands Ranch

Two girls basketball programs, separated on the court over the years by a lot more than the two miles that separate them on the map, collided Jan. 13 in the Denver suburbs.

One was Highlands Ranch, a perennial Colorado girls basketball power that hasn’t endured a losing season in recent memory and features a legendary coach who just recorded her 700th win with the Falcons a few weeks ago.

e other was Rock Canyon, a program that hasn’t tasted a winning season since 2013 and is breaking in a young, rst-year coach.

No contest, right?

Well, not exactly. Although Highlands Ranch won 53-47 at home in what was both teams’ 6A/5A Continental League opener, the Jaguars displayed a ght and a grit and an o ensive and defensive savvy not seen out of the program in years past.

Rock Canyon’s players have always possessed talent and a desire to win, coach Eric Bartoszek said. e di erence this year? ose qualities are nally surfacing for everyone to see and appreciate — like David being freed from a block of marble by Michelangelo.

“It’s our job as coaches to bring the best out of our girls. It’s all about them. ey’re the ones who are putting in the work and the e ort,”

Bartoszek said of his Jaguars, who last beat Highlands Ranch in 2013. “ ey’re bought in. And when you buy in and give it your all, good things happen.”

On the other side of the scorer’s table, longtime Falcons general Caryn Jarocki, who has steered Highlands Ranch to seven state titles, two state runner-up nishes, 18 Final Four appearances and 14 league championships in her storied career, also noticed a di erent Rock Canyon team on Jan. 13.

“I think they played more intensely than they have in the past, for sure,” said Jarocki, now in her 26th season with the Falcons. “I think they’re better shooters than they’ve been in the past. ey

gave us a ght.” at ght was on display early as Rock Canyon (10-4, 0-1) pressured Highlands Ranch (9-3, 1-0) into three rst-quarter turnovers and held the Falcons to just one eld goal through the game’s rst 8 minutes to take a 10-5 lead.

A teardrop bucket from Brooke Harding and an Emily Courchaine free throw midway through the second quarter gave Rock Canyon what proved to be its last lead of the night, though, at 17-15.

Maddie Groth’s driving layup evened the score and a pair of Ezra Simonich free throws 49 seconds later pushed the Falcons ahead 19-17 — a lead they never relinquished.

Highlands Ranch closed the half on a 7-1 run — courtesy of Groth’s 2-pointer, three Simonich free throws and Tori Baker’s pull-up jumper — to take a 22-18 lead into the locker room.

“We were only outrebounding them by one at halftime,” said freshman Isabella Shumpert, who scored a game-high 16 points. “When we came out in the second half, we had the mentality to really crash the boards and get our momentum going.”

Highlands Ranch did just that, ultimately winning the rebound game — always a point of emphasis for Jarocki — by seven.

e Falcons also used the

Boys basketball teams in the Continental League opened conference play on Jan. 12 with five teams ranked in the CHSAANow.com Class 6A poll.

Second-ranked Rock Canyon edged No. 10 Highlands Ranch 57-55 as the Jaguars swelled their overall record to 13-1.

Aidan Peck, a 6-foot-7 senior, had a double/double for Rock Canyon as he scored 13 points and pulled down 11 rebounds.

Gavin Hershberger chipped in 11 points for Rock Canyon, which hit 53% of their field goal attempts.

Jeremy Jacob was the high scorer for Highlands Ranch’s balanced attack with 13 points. Aiden Krusoe had 12 points and Payton Tereick 11 markers.

Mountain Vista vs. Castle View

Third-ranked Mountain Vista won its 11th game in 12 outings with a 77-52 victory over Castle View.

Sophomore Cal Baskind connected on five 3-point shots and finished with 23 points to spark the Golden Eagles attack.

ThunderRidge vs. Legend

Defending state champion underRidge (10-4) trailed by two points at halftime but

the No. 5 Grizzlies rallied to post a 78-59 win over Legend in a game played on Jan. 13.

Charlie Spann scored 25 points to pace underRidge, which also got 21 points from Kael Carney and 14 from Tommy Wright. Andrew Crawford, the league’s leading scorer with a 21.8 average, had eight points.

Regis vs. Chaparral

No. 8 Regis Jesuit used 23 points by Damarius Taylor to down Chaparral 64-44.

Chaparral’s Gavin Carter, who entered the contest with a 20.4 scoring average, had 27 points to take game scoring honors.

Valor vs. Columbine

Valor Christian, ranked seventh in the Jan. 9 poll,ran its record to 2-0 in the Je erson County League with a 69-60 win over Columbine on Jan. 13.

Sophomore Cole Scherer scored 28 points for the Eagles, who saw their season record climb to 7-6.

Lutheran wins one, loses one

Lutheran, ranked ninth in the Class 4A poll, notched a 64-40 Pikes Peak League win over Cheyenne Mountain on Jan. 12 but lost, 61-55, to No. 8 Resurrection Christian in a non-league encounter on Jan. 14. e Lions are 9-4 on the season.

ROCK CANYON

FROM PAGE 22

break to switch up their defensive approach, shifting from a zone look to a trap defense. Jarocki’s plan appeared to work, too, as the Falcons held Rock Canyon to just nine third-quarter points, extending their lead to 37-27 in the process.

e Jaguars clawed to within ve points on two occasions midway through the fourth quarter, but Highlands Ranch had an answer — either from the free-throw line or from the oor — every time the Jaguars started to inch closer.

“ e way we played tonight, against one of the best teams in the state, in the history of the state,” Bartoszek said, “if we can play that way the rest of the season, good things are going to happen.”

Nella Castaneda scored a team-high 15 points for the Jaguars. Harding nished with 12 points while Courchaine and Sienna Pillsbury each chipped in six.

For Highlands Ranch, Simonich scored 14 points, Baker ended the night with 13, Groth had six and Kniyah Dumas added four.

VALOR

FROM PAGE 22

Grandview saw its season record slip to 7-5. Valor improved its record to 11-1 with a 6729 romp over Chat eld on Jan. 14.

Huard scored 30 points and had seven steals in the win as the Eagles shot 57% from the eld and forced Chat eld into 36 turnovers.

Creek vs. Rangeview, Doherty

In other top girls games coming o the rst full week of action after the holiday break, fourth-ranked Cherry Creek (10-3) beat Rangeview 53-31 on Jan. 9 and downed Doherty 53-41 on Jan. 12.

In the win over Rangeview, sophomore sisters Tiana and A’Neya Chambers led the way for the Bruins. Tiana had 16 points, six rebounds and six assists while A’Neya had 12 points, ve rebounds and four assists

Highlands Ranch vs. Denver East

No. 5 Highlands Ranch (9-3) dropped a 6656 decision to Denver East on Jan. 10. However, the Falcons used a big third-quarter scoring surge to down Rock Canyon 53-47 in the Continental League opener on Jan. 13.

Lutheran takes two wins

Lutheran, ranked fourth in the Class 4A poll, raced to a 50-23 lead and whipped Cheyenne Mountain, 64-40, on Jan. 12 in a Pikes Peak League contest. e Lions (11-1) downed Resurrection Christian, 58-39, on Jan. 14.

ELZZ

Pianist to perform with Arapahoe Philharmonic

The Arapahoe Philharmonic will perform at Lone Tree Arts Center at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 18. Pianist Lorraine Min will appear with the orchestra in a concert called “Rhythm and Blue” featuring Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue.” Tickets $12 to $17. Included: Beethoven’s 7th. arapahoe-phil. org/events/concerts/rhythmandblue.

“The Sound of Music” will play at the PACE Center through Feb. 4. Sensory friendly performance: Jan 22. parkerarts.org/event/thesound-of-music.

Garden sculptures

Denver Botanic Garden sculptures Jan. 29-May 29: “Peace Walking” by Melanie Yazzie and “Renewal” by Tamara Kosteaovsky. Walk through the outdoor gardens in winter, as well as enjoying the tropical glass house. 1007 York St., Denver.

New local play

Town Hall Arts Center, 2450 W. Main St., downtown Littleton: “In the Trenches,” by Kristina and Graham Fuller. New local work, Broadway-bound. Jan. 20-29. 303794-2787. x 5; townhallartscenter. org.

Naturalist training

Community naturalist training to begin at the Audubon Nature Center, 11280 Waterton Road, Littleton. Feb. 10-April 7. Travel with Audubon: “Iceland: Land of Fire and Ice.” May 25-June 3 and June 8-17. Free Bird Field Trips each month: 303-979-2473. Must pre-register. frontrangebirding. com, denveraudubon.org.

Littleton Museum

Littleton Museum, 6028 S. Gallup St., Littleton, hosts “Nature’s Blueprints: Biomimicry in Art and Design” Feb. 3-March 15. Feb. 17-May 14 is “Christopher Warren: REinterpreting REcreating Nature.” Artist talk Feb. 17 at 4 p.m. Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 303795-3950.

Lakewood show

Performance Now eatre Company presents the musical “Little Women” through Jan. 22 at Lakewood Cultural Center, 470 S. Allison Parkway. 303-987-7845, lakewood.org/Government/Departments/Community-Resources/ Arts-and-Culture/Lakewood-Cultural-Center.

Littleton Symphony

Littleton Symphony will perform at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 10 at 5894 S. Datura St., Littleton, Littleton United Methodist Church. “Happy Birthday Sergei.” 303-933-6824, littletonsymphony.org.

Eugene O’Neill

Cherry Creek eatre Company performs at the Mizel Community Center, 350 S. Dahlia St., Denver. Next: “A Moon for the Misbegotten” by Eugene O’Neill, Feb. 3-26. cherrycreektheatre.org.

Englewood concert

Englewood Arts Presents: Silver’s Birthday Concert, Jan. 21 (not 28) at 2 p.m. in Hampden Hall, 1000 Englewood Parkway, Englewood Civic Center. Cellist Silver Ainomae with CSO musicians. Program tbd.

Art in Littleton

A ordable Art continues through Feb. 6 at Town Hall Arts Center, 2450 W. Main St. in downtown Littleton, with works by Littleton Fine Arts Guild members, who also host a New Members Show at the nearby Depot Art Gallery.

Help Wanted

WATER AND SANITATION

DISTRICT UTILITY ASSISTANT, Location: Larkspur, CO

This is a part-time position, up to 30 hours per week. This is a great opportunity to work into a full-time assistant manager position. Starting pay ranges from $25.00 and up per hour, commensurate with experience and training. Applicants are required to have good skills in computer data entry, ten key, and the ability to use Word and other standard Microsoft applications. Applicants must also have good customer service skills and the ability to handle payments in a secure and accurate manner.

Applicant must be bondable and qualified to receive Notary Public status in the State of Colorado.

Please submit an application along with your resume for consideration. Resumes without a completed application will not be accepted.

Submit your documents to Diana Miller, District Manager at dmiller_ ppwsd@comcast.net. You can also mail your documents to Perry Park Water and Sanitation District, 5676 Red Rock Drive, Larkspur, CO 80118. You can download an application and view the job description by visiting our website at www.ppwsd.org. Perry Park Water and Sanitation District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Help Wanted

DRIVER

Class B CDL propane delivery truck driver for Spring Valley Gas, Elizabeth.

P/T & F/T positions; responsible for propane delivery and customer service.

HazMat/Tanker endorsement.

Propane certification a plus. Insurance age requirement 26 with clean MVR. SVG is building a team, not just a job!

Starting salary based on experience & qualifications. Call 303-660-8810.

LEGITIMATE WORK AT HOME

No Sales, no Investment, No Risk, Free training, Free website. Contact Susan at 303-646-4171 or fill out form at www.wisechoice4u.com

BOOKKEEPER

Titan Concrete, Inc. nA flatwork construction company in Sedalia, Co has an opening in Bookkeeping - Quickbooks - Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable.

Weekly Payroll - 25 employees. Handle day to day office business. $25.00 per hour.

Part time - 20-30 hours a week - Flexible Not Remote.

Email resume to: Augie@titanconcreteinc.com

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CLASSIFIED LINE ADS: MONDAY, 5 P.M.

SERVICE DIRECTORY: THURSDAY, 5 P.M.

LEGALS: THURSDAY, 3 P.M.

Merchandise

Firewood

Donate Your Car to Veterans Today! Help and Support our Veterans. Fast - FREE pick up. 100% tax deductible. Call 1-800245-0398

HughesNet– Finally, super-fast internet no matter where you live. 25 Mbps just $59.99/mo! Unlimited Data is Here. Stream Video. Bundle TV & Internet. Free Installation. Call 866-499-0141

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DENTAL INSURANCEPhysicians Mutual Insurance Company. Covers 350 procedures. Real insurancenot a discount plan. Get your free dental info kit! 1-855-526-1060 www.dental50plus.com/58 #6258.

Medical

Attention oxygen therapy users! Inogen One G4 is capable of full 24/7 oxygen delivery. Only 2.8 pounds. Free info kit. Call 877-929-9587

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Eliminate gutter cleaning forever! LeafFilter, the most advanced debrisblocking gutter protection. Schedule free LeafFilter estimate today. 20% off Entire Purchase. 10% Senior & Military Discounts. Call 1-833-6101936

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PUBLIC NOTICES

FORECLOSURE SALE NO. 0554-2022

Legals

Public Trustees

COMBINED NOTICE - PUBLICATION

CRS §38-38-103

FORECLOSURE SALE NO. 0573-2022

To Whom It May Concern: This Notice is given with regard to the following described Deed of Trust:

On November 8, 2022, the undersigned Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in the County of Arapahoe records.

Original Grantor(s)

CROSS CREEK 3, LLC

Original Beneficiary(ies)

INDICATE CAPITAL FUND 1, LLC

Current Holder of Evidence of Debt

INDICATE CAPITAL FUND 1, LLC

Date of Deed of Trust March 08, 2022

County of Recording Arapahoe Recording Date of Deed of Trust March 10, 2022

Recording Information (Reception No. and/or Book/Page No.) E2027456

Original Principal Amount $896,000.00

Outstanding Principal Balance $896,000.00

Pursuant to CRS §38-38-101(4)(i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: Failure to pay principal and interest when due together with all other payments provided for in the evidence of debt secured by the deed of trust and other violations thereof.

THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN.

SEE EXHIBIT A ATTACHED HERETO

Also known by street and number as: 3190 WEST BOWLES AVENUE, LITTLETON, CO 80123.

THE PROPERTY DESCRIBED HEREIN IS ALL OF THE PROPERTY CURRENTLY ENCUMBERED BY THE LIEN OF THE DEED OF TRUST.

NOTICE OF SALE

The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, described herein, has filed Notice of Election and Demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust.

THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that I will at public auction, at 10:00 A.M. on Wednesday, 03/08/2023, at The East Hearing Room, County Administration Building, 5334 South Prince Street, Littleton, Colorado, 80120, sell to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of the said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)' heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys' fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will issue to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law.

First Publication: 1/12/2023

Last Publication: 2/9/2023

Name of Publication: Littleton Independent

IF THE SALE DATE IS CONTINUED TO A LATER DATE, THE DEADLINE TO FILE A NOTICE OF INTENT TO CURE BY THOSE PARTIES ENTITLED TO CURE MAY ALSO BE EXTENDED;

DATE: 11/08/2022

Susan Sandstrom, Public Trustee in and for the County of Arapahoe, State of Colorado

By: Susan Sandstrom, Public Trustee

The name, address, business telephone number and bar registration number of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is:

Robert T. Cosgrove #12217

Burns, Wall and Mueller, P.C.

303 East 17th Avenue, #920, Denver, CO 80203-1299 (303) 830-7000

Attorney File # 3190 WEST BOWLES AVENUE

The Attorney above is acting as a debt collector and is attempting to collect a debt. Any information provided may be used for that purpose.

©Public Trustees' Association of Colorado Revised 1/2015

EXHIBIT “A” 0573-2022

Attached to and forming part of the Deed of Trust to Public Trustee, Security Agreement, Assignment of Leases and Rents and Financing Statement, dated March 8, 2022, from Cross Creek 3, LLC, a Colorado limited liability company as Grantor, to the Public Trustee of the County of Arapahoe, Colorado, for the use and benefit of Indicate Capital Fund 1 LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, as Beneficiary. Description of Property: LOT 1, BLOCK 1, WATSON LANE

SUBDIVISION FILING NO. 1, ACCORDING TO THE CORRECTIVE PLAT RECORDED SEPTEMBER 5, 2002 AT RECEPTION NO.

B2164681, COUNTY OF ARAPAHOE, STATE OF COLORADO. Also Known As: 3190 West Bowles Avenue Littleton, CO 80123

Legal Notice NO. 0573-2022

First Publication: 1/12/2023

Last Publication: 2/9/2023

Name of Publication: Littleton Independent

COMBINED NOTICE - PUBLICATION

CRS §38-38-103

FORECLOSURE SALE NO. 0561-2022

To Whom It May Concern: This Notice is given with regard to the following described Deed of Trust: On November 4, 2022, the undersigned Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in the County of Arapahoe records.

Original Grantor(s)

Gregory J Hoffman, a married person and Louise B Hoffman, a married person

Original Beneficiary(ies)

Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. ("MERS") as nominee for Coldwell Banker Mortgage, Its Successors and Assigns

Current Holder of Evidence of Debt NewRez LLC, F/K/A New Penn Financial, LLC, D/B/A Shellpoint Mortgage Servicing Date of Deed of Trust January 22, 2010

County of Recording Arapahoe

Recording Date of Deed of Trust January 25, 2010

Recording Information (Reception No. and/or Book/Page No.) D0007694

Original Principal Amount $417,000.00 Outstanding Principal Balance $320,976.95

Pursuant to CRS §38-38-101(4)(i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: Failure to pay principal and interest when due together with all other payments provided for in the evidence of debt secured by the Deed of Trust and other violations thereof

THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN.

LOT 5, GREENWOOD HIGHLANDS FILING NO. 2, COUNTY OF ARAPAHOE, STATE OF COLORADO

Also known by street and number as: 4 Windover Road, Greenwood Village, CO 80121.

THE PROPERTY DESCRIBED HEREIN IS ALL OF THE PROPERTY CURRENTLY ENCUMBERED BY THE LIEN OF THE DEED OF TRUST.

If applicable, a description of any changes to the deed of trust described in the notice of election and demand pursuant to affidavit as allowed by statutes: C.R.S.§ 38-35-109(5)

LEGAL DESCRIPTION HAS BEEN CORRECTED BY SCRIVENER'S AFFIDAVIT RECORDED 09/28/2022 AT RECEPTION NO. E2098930 IN THE RECORDS OF ARAPAHOE COUNTY.

NOTICE OF SALE

The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, described herein, has filed Notice of Election and Demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust.

THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that I will at public auction, at 10:00 A.M. on Wednesday, 03/08/2023, at The East Hearing Room, County Administration Building, 5334 South Prince Street, Littleton, Colorado, 80120, sell to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of the said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)' heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys' fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will issue to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law.

First Publication: 1/12/2023

Last Publication: 2/9/2023

Name of Publication: Littleton Independent

IF THE SALE DATE IS CONTINUED TO A LATER DATE, THE DEADLINE TO FILE A NOTICE OF INTENT TO CURE BY THOSE PARTIES ENTITLED TO CURE MAY ALSO BE EXTENDED;

DATE: 11/04/2022

Susan Sandstrom, Public Trustee in and for the County of Arapahoe, State of Colorado

By: Susan Sandstrom, Public Trustee

The name, address, business telephone number and bar registration number of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is:

Erin Croke #46557

Steven Bellanti #48306

Holly Shilliday #24423

Ilene Dell'Acqua #31755

McCarthy & Holthus LLP 7700 E Arapahoe Road, Suite 230, Centennial, CO 80112 (877) 369-6122

Attorney File # CO-22-926956-LL

The Attorney above is acting as a debt collector and is attempting to collect a debt. Any information

provided may be used for that purpose.

©Public Trustees' Association of Colorado Revised 1/2015

Legal Notice NO. 0561-2022

First Publication: 1/12/2023

Last Publication: 2/9/2023

Name of Publication: Littleton Independent

COMBINED NOTICE - PUBLICATION CRS §38-38-103 FORECLOSURE SALE NO. 0533-2022

To Whom It May Concern: This Notice is given with regard to the following described Deed of Trust: On October 14, 2022, the undersigned Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in the County of Arapahoe records.

Original Grantor(s) CAROL A. RIGDON

Original Beneficiary(ies)

MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC., AS BENEFICIARY, AS NOMINEE FOR LIVE WELL FINANCIAL, INC., ITS SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS

Current Holder of Evidence of Debt REVERSE MORTGAGE FUNDING LLC Date of Deed of Trust February 23, 2017

County of Recording Arapahoe Recording Date of Deed of Trust March 02, 2017

Recording Information (Reception No. and/or Book/Page No.) D7024666

Original Principal Amount $381,000.00 Outstanding Principal Balance $135,149.13

Pursuant to CRS §38-38-101(4)(i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: Failure to pay principal and interest when due together with all other payments provided for in the evidence of debt secured by the deed of trust and other violations thereof.

THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN.

LOT 12, BLOCK 2, UHLMAN SUBDIVISION SECOND FILING, COUNTY OF ARAPAHOE, STATE OF COLORADO.

Also known by street and number as: 3296 S FOX ST, ENGLEWOOD, CO 80110.

THE PROPERTY DESCRIBED HEREIN IS ALL OF THE PROPERTY CURRENTLY ENCUMBERED BY THE LIEN OF THE DEED OF TRUST.

NOTICE OF SALE

The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, described herein, has filed Notice of Election and Demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust.

THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that I will at public auction, at 10:00 A.M. on Wednesday, 02/15/2023, at The East Hearing Room, County Administration Building, 5334 South Prince Street, Littleton, Colorado, 80120, sell to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of the said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)' heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys' fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will issue to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law.

First Publication: 12/22/2022

Last Publication: 1/19/2023

Name of Publication: Littleton Independent

IF THE SALE DATE IS CONTINUED TO A LATER DATE, THE DEADLINE TO FILE A NOTICE OF INTENT TO CURE BY THOSE PARTIES ENTITLED TO CURE MAY ALSO BE EXTENDED;

DATE: 10/14/2022

Susan Sandstrom, Public Trustee in and for the County of Arapahoe, State of Colorado

By: Susan Sandstrom, Public Trustee

The name, address, business telephone number and bar registration number of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is:

Amanda Ferguson #44893

Heather Deere #28597

Toni M. Owan #30580

Halliday, Watkins & Mann, PC 355 Union Blvd., Ste. 250, Lakewood, CO 80228 (303) 274-0155

Attorney File # CO11046

The Attorney above is acting as a debt collector and is attempting to collect a debt. Any information provided may be used for that purpose.

©Public Trustees' Association of Colorado Revised 1/2015

Legal Notice NO. 0533-2022

First Publication: 12/22/2022

Last Publication: 1/19/2023

Name of Publication: Littleton Independent

COMBINED NOTICE - PUBLICATION CRS §38-38-103

To Whom It May Concern: This Notice is given with regard to the following described Deed of Trust:

On November 1, 2022, the undersigned Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in the County of Arapahoe records.

Original Grantor(s) Julie Brown

Original Beneficiary(ies) WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A. Current Holder of Evidence of Debt COLORADO HOUSING AND FINANCE AUTHORITY Date of Deed of Trust April 20, 2007 County of Recording

Arapahoe Recording Date of Deed of Trust April 23, 2007

Recording Information (Reception No. and/or Book/Page No.) B7050779

Original Principal Amount $174,166.00

Outstanding Principal Balance $151,376.16

Pursuant to CRS §38-38-101(4)(i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: Failure to pay principal and interest when due together with all other payments provided for in the evidence of debt secured by the deed of trust and other violations thereof.

THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN.

LOTS 13 AND 14, BLOCK 21, SHERIDAN SUBDIVISION, COUNTY OF ARAPAHOE, STATE OF COLORADO.

Also known by street and number as: 1810 W Girard Ave, Englewood, CO 80110.

THE PROPERTY DESCRIBED HEREIN IS ALL OF THE PROPERTY CURRENTLY ENCUMBERED BY THE LIEN OF THE DEED OF TRUST.

NOTICE OF SALE

The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, described herein, has filed Notice of Election and Demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust.

THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that I will at public auction, at 10:00 A.M. on Wednesday, 03/01/2023, at The East Hearing Room, County Administration Building, 5334 South Prince Street, Littleton, Colorado, 80120, sell to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of the said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)' heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys' fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will issue to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law.

First Publication: 1/5/2023

Last Publication: 2/2/2023

Name of Publication: Littleton Independent

IF THE SALE DATE IS CONTINUED TO A LATER DATE, THE DEADLINE TO FILE A NOTICE OF INTENT TO CURE BY THOSE PARTIES ENTITLED TO CURE MAY ALSO BE EXTENDED; DATE: 11/01/2022

Susan Sandstrom, Public Trustee in and for the County of Arapahoe, State of Colorado

By: Susan Sandstrom, Public Trustee

The name, address, business telephone number and bar registration number of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is:

Alison L Berry #34531

N. April Winecki #34861

David R. Doughty #40042

Nicholas H. Santarelli #46592

Lynn M. Janeway #15592

Janeway Law Firm, P.C. 9800 S. Meridian Blvd., Suite 400, Englewood, CO 80112 (303) 706-9990

Attorney File # 22-028628

The Attorney above is acting as a debt collector and is attempting to collect a debt. Any information provided may be used for that purpose.

©Public Trustees' Association of Colorado Revised 1/2015

Legal Notice NO. 0554-2022

First Publication: 1/5/2023

Last Publication: 2/2/2023 Name of Publication: Littleton Independent

records.

Original Grantor(s) Jessica M. Lujan-Ladow AND Joseph N. Ladow

Original Beneficiary(ies)

Ent Federal Credit Union

Current Holder of Evidence of Debt Ent Federal Credit Union Date of Deed of Trust December 17, 2015

County of Recording Arapahoe Recording Date of Deed of Trust December 22, 2015

Recording Information (Reception No. and/or Book/Page No.) D5145653

Original Principal Amount $55,000.00 Outstanding Principal Balance $55,436.44

Pursuant to CRS §38-38-101(4)(i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: Failure to pay principal and interest when due together with all other payments provided for in the evidence of debt secured by the deed of trust and other violations thereof.

THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN.

THE SOUTH 73.5 FEET OF THE NORTH 148.5 FEET OF THE EAST 125 FEET OF THE WEST 155 FEET OF THE EAST 300 FEET OF BLOCK 31, WINDERMERE - GALLUP'S SUBURBAN HOME SUBDIVISION , COUNTY OF ARAPAHOE, STATE OF COLORADO

Also known by street and number as: 5978 S. Louthan St, LITTLETON, CO 80120.

THE PROPERTY DESCRIBED HEREIN IS ALL OF THE PROPERTY CURRENTLY ENCUMBERED BY THE LIEN OF THE DEED OF TRUST.

NOTICE OF SALE

The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, described herein, has filed Notice of Election and Demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust.

THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that I will at public auction, at 10:00 A.M. on Wednesday, 03/08/2023, at The East Hearing Room, County Administration Building, 5334 South Prince Street, Littleton, Colorado, 80120, sell to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of the said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)' heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys' fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will issue to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law.

First Publication: 1/12/2023

Last Publication: 2/9/2023

Name of Publication: Littleton Independent

IF THE SALE DATE IS CONTINUED TO A LATER DATE, THE DEADLINE TO FILE A NOTICE OF INTENT TO CURE BY THOSE PARTIES ENTITLED TO CURE MAY ALSO BE EXTENDED;

DATE: 11/08/2022

Susan Sandstrom, Public Trustee in and for the County of Arapahoe, State of Colorado

By: Susan Sandstrom, Public Trustee

The name, address, business telephone number and bar registration number of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is: Peter M. Susemihl #494 Susemihl, Mcdermott & Downie, PC 660 Southpointe Ct. Suite 210, Colorado Springs, CO 80906 (719) 579-6500

Attorney File # 5978 S LOUTHAN ST

The Attorney above is acting as a debt collector and is attempting to collect a debt. Any information provided may be used for that purpose.

©Public Trustees' Association of Colorado Revised 1/2015

Legal Notice No. 0577-2022

First Publication: 1/12/2023

Last Publication: 2/9/2023

Name of Publication: Littleton Independent

COMBINED NOTICE - PUBLICATION

CRS §38-38-103

FORECLOSURE SALE NO. 0540-2022

To Whom It May Concern: This Notice is given with regard to the following described Deed of Trust: On October 21, 2022, the undersigned Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in the County of Arapahoe records.

Original Grantor(s)

Sterling J Steed and Amber K Steed

Original Beneficiary(ies)

On November 8, 2022, the undersigned Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in the County of Arapahoe

Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems Inc. ("MERS"), as beneficiary, as nominee for Paramount Residential Mortgage Group, Inc., Its Successors and Assigns

Current Holder of Evidence of Debt NewRez LLC, F/K/A New Penn Financial, LLC,

“I think it’s kind of a misnomer to call (these programs) an insurer of last resort,” he said. “It puts the idea in people’s head that it’s going to actually be in a true insurance company. And they’re really not. ey’re really kind of a safety net for people that are organized by their state governments in order to help them in the situation where they can’t nd homeowners insurance coverage.”

at may be cold comfort for Coloradans who are paying exorbitant costs for property insurance.

Jim Noon is the former treasurer of the Bu alo Ridge-Bu alo Village condominium complex homeowners association in Summit County. He thought a tree clearing near the 270unit complex — called a re break — that stopped a wild re in 2018 would prevent the complex’s insurance rates from climbing too high.

Earlier this year, the HOA accepted a $200,000 property insurance bid and paid the amount.

“ en, three days into the coverage, they just said nevermind and handed us the check back,” Noon said.

He said the insurance agent hadn’t looked to see if the complex was in an area at risk for wild re before agreeing to provide coverage.

Scrambling to nd a new insurer, the HOA found a carrier that o ered insurance for about $1 million. It covered only half of the total value of the complex if it burned to the ground, Noon said, and the policy didn’t cover wind or water damage.

Others are struggling to get the

insurance they feel is adequate for their home.

Tim Anderson, who lives in Steamboat Springs, spent nearly $1 million to build his 3,000-square-foot house in 2016, complete with custom brickwork and cabinets, and a sauna. One insurance agent argued it would cost $349,000 to rebuild his home, while another said it would cost $500,000.

“How is that possible? When I built this house ve years ago, it cost me roughly $900,000, a million dollars. It’s not possible the house can be rebuilt with $350,000. at’s just laughable,” Anderson said.

Eventually, Anderson — who has worked as an insurance underwriter for 40 years — found a local agent who understood local building costs and insured his home at $1.8 million.

“You can nd the insurance,” he said. “ e problem is getting insurance to the proper value.”

“We haven’t settled on anything yet”

Views on whether Colorado needs a government property insurance program have shifted rapidly.

Gov. Jared Polis, during a debate hosted by e Sun and CBS4 in October, said he wasn’t sold on a staterun or created homeowners’ insurance program being a good idea for Colorado. His main priority, he said, is to reduce the risk of wild res.

“ ere’s proven technologies to do that, whether it’s simply taking down trees and brush around your home, construction materials, especially in the wildland-urban interface near open areas,” he said. “And if we do that successfully, we will be able to drive down insurance rates for every Coloradan.”

Now, Conway — a member of Polis’ cabinet — has made the gov-

Public Notices

D/B/A Shellpoint Mortgage Servicing Date of Deed of Trust September 09, 2016

County of Recording Arapahoe Recording Date of Deed of Trust September 13, 2016

Recording Information (Reception No. and/or Book/Page No.) D6102260

Original Principal Amount $270,000.00

Outstanding Principal Balance $236,787.92

Pursuant to CRS §38-38-101(4)(i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: Failure to pay principal and interest when due together with all other payments provided for in the evidence of debt secured by the deed of trust and other violations thereof.

THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN.

LOT 20, BLOCK 2, SOUTHGLENN NINTH FILING, COUNTY OF ARAPAHOE, STATE OF COLORADO

Also known by street and number as: 7333 S Washington Circle, Centennial, CO 80122-1402.

THE PROPERTY DESCRIBED HEREIN IS ALL OF THE PROPERTY CURRENTLY ENCUMBERED BY THE LIEN OF THE DEED OF TRUST.

NOTICE OF SALE

The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, described herein, has filed Notice of Election and Demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust.

THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that I will at public auction, at 10:00 A.M. on Wednesday, 02/22/2023, at The East Hearing Room, County Administration Building, 5334 South Prince Street, Littleton, Colorado, 80120, sell to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of the said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)' heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys' fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will issue to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law

First Publication: 12/29/2022

Last Publication: 1/26/2023

Name of Publication: Littleton Independent

DATE: 10/21/2022

Susan Sandstrom, Public Trustee in and for the County of Arapahoe, State of Colorado

By: Susan Sandstrom, Public Trustee

The name, address, business telephone number and bar registration number of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is:

Erin Croke #46557

Steven Bellanti #48306

Holly Shilliday #24423

Ilene Dell'Acqua #31755

McCarthy & Holthus LLP 7700 E Arapahoe Road, Suite 230, Centennial, CO 80112 (877) 369-6122

Attorney File # CO-22-945118-LL

The Attorney above is acting as a debt collector and is attempting to collect a debt. Any information provided may be used for that purpose.

©Public Trustees'

GIVEN

NOTICE

ernor’s administration intimately involved in the discussions over how to create an insurer of last resort in Colorado.

ere are signs Republicans in the legislature, who are traditionally opposed to government growth, won’t necessarily ght the proposal.

“I do think it is an appropriate role for government to have some kind of a backstop,” said state Sen.-elect Mark Baisley, a Woodland Park Republican who represents an area west of Colorado Springs that’s prone to wild res. “While I hate for the government to get any more involved than necessary in private industry, I think we do need to work pretty aggressively with insurance companies to get them to provide the coverage that people need.”

Baisley is separately working with Amabile on underinsurance issues in Colorado.

e conversations around how Colorado’s state-run or state-created property insurance program would be formed are still in a relatively early stage.

“ ere’s a lot of di erent ways to do it and we haven’t settled on anything yet,” Amabile said. “ ese policies are not going to be deluxe policies. It’s going to be very bare bones. It’s going to be limited coverage and it’s going to be expensive.”

She said Colorado lawmakers will look to other states as they draft Colorado’s plan. “ ere’s good and bad parts to what they’ve done,” Amabile said, pointing to Florida and California.

ere has been talk of requiring homeowners to mitigate wild re risk around their property as a prerequisite to getting insured under the state program.

Conway said his o ce has already been having conversations with experts around the country.

“It’s been decades since anybody has stood up a fair plan,” he said, “so nding people who actually have useful knowledge has been a little bit di cult.”

Generally speaking, he said, startup costs have been funded by assessments — or fees — on private insurance companies. Conway said the assessments have been relatively small.

Walker, with the Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association, warned that any added costs for private insurers would likely be passed onto consumers. at means higher prices for people whose homes aren’t necessarily facing wild re risk.

“If you pay for this through reassessments or surcharges, those are all costs that are passed on,” she said.

Walker urged Colorado lawmakers to have caps on how much coverage the state property insurance plan would o er to make sure the program is nancially sound. New Mexico, for instance, only covers residential properties for up to $250,000 and up to $1 million for commercial properties.

“We want to address problems that we have and not create problems that we don’t have,” she said.

e Colorado legislature convenes for its 2023 lawmaking term Jan. 9.

is story is from e Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned news outlet based in Denver and covering the state. For more, and to support e Colorado Sun, visit coloradosun.com. e Colorado Sun is a partner in the Colorado News Conservancy, owner of Colorado Community Media.

all interested persons will be given an opportunity to be heard concerning the above-described SDPZ22-001, Alamia Power / Specific Development Plan with Zoning. The agenda will typically be posted by the Friday afternoon preceding the hearing and can be viewed on our website at https://arapahoe.legistar.com/Calendar. You can also listen to, or speak at, the meeting by calling 1-855-436-3656. To join the speaking queue, press *3 on the telephone keypad.

More information about this proposal is available at the offices of the Arapahoe County Public Works and Development Department, Planning Division, 6924 S Lima St., Centennial CO 80112 (please call ahead to schedule an appointment if you plan to walk-in), by calling 720-874-6650, or by emailing planning@arapahoegov.com during regular business hours (8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday).

Joan Lopez, Clerk to the Board

Legal Notice No. Arap 1143

First Publication: January 19, 2023

Last Publication: January 19, 2023

Publisher: Englewood Herald Littleton Independent and the Centennial Citizen

County, whose claim has not been paid by Vance Brothers, Inc. or any of its subcontractors may file a claim with the Board of County Commissioners of Arapahoe County, 5334 S. Prince St., Littleton, CO 80120, at any time up to and including February 17, 2023.

This Notice is published in accordance with §3826-107, C.R.S., and all claims, if any, shall be filed in accordance with this statutory section. Failure on the part of any claimant to file such verified statement and/or claim prior to the aforementioned date for filing claims shall release Arapahoe County, its officers, agents and employees from any or all liability, claims, and suits for payment to Vance Brothers, Inc.

Joan Lopez, Clerk to the Board

Legal Notice No. Arap 1142

First Publication: January 19, 2023

Last Publication: January 26, 2023

Publisher: Englewood Herald Littleton Independent and the Centennial Citizen

Public Notice

NOTICE OF FINAL SETTLEMENT

2022 Concrete Catch-Up Program Project No. 22-04-01

Notice is hereby given, pursuant to Section 38-26107, C.R.S., that the City of Centennial, Colorado (the “City”) will make final payment at the hour of 10:00 a.m. on February 10, 2023 (the “Final Settlement Date”) to the following contractor:

NOTICE

No’s. 1 through 3, generally

Sealing Transverse and Longitudinal Cracks, ¼” to ¾” in width, on various roads in the unincorporated areas of Arapahoe County.

Any person, co-partnership, association of persons, company or corporation that has furnished labor, materials, team hire, sustenance, provisions, provender or other supplies used or consumed or any of its subcontractors or that has supplied rental machinery, tools, or equipment to the extent used by Vance Brothers, Inc. or any of its subcontractors in or about the performance of the work done within unincorporated Arapahoe

STONE AND CONCRETE INC. 5500 E. 56th Ave, Commerce City, CO 80022 (hereinafter, the “Contractor”) for and on account of all work completed by the Contractor on City Project No. Project No. 22-04-01, including for purposes of this Notice of Final Settlement on (the “Project”).

1. Any person, co-partnership, association of persons, company or corporation that has an unpaid claim against the Project for and on account of the furnishing of labor, materials, or other supplies used or consumed by the Contractor or any subcontractor in or about the performance of said work, may at any time up to and including the Final Settlement Date, file a verified statement of the amount due and unpaid on account of such claim.

2.Any such claim(s) shall be filed with the City Clerk at 13133 East Arapahoe Road, Centennial, CO 80112 prior to the Final Settlement Date.

3.Failure on the part of any claimant to file such

verified statement or claim prior to the Final Settlement Date will relieve the City from any and all liability for such claim.

Legal Notice No. 530957-60957

First Publication: January 19, 2023

Last Publication: January 19, 2023

Publisher: Littleton Independent and the Centennial Citizen Public Notice

NOTICE OF FINAL SETTLEMENT

TRAFFIC ENGINEERING COMMUNICATIONS UPGRADE PACKAGE 3 PHASE 2

Project No. 21-08-04

Notice is hereby given, pursuant to Section 38-26107, C.R.S., that the City of Centennial, Colorado (the “City”) will make final payment at the hour of 10:00 a.m. on February 10, 2023 (the “Final Settlement Date”) to the following contractor: Paonia, Inc. 5055 List Drive Colorado Springs, CO 80919

(hereinafter, the “Contractor”) for and on account of all work completed by the Contractor on City Project No. 21-08-04, including for purposes of this Notice of Final Settlement on (the “Project”).

1. Any person, co-partnership, association of persons, company or corporation that has an unpaid claim against the Project for and on account of the furnishing of labor, materials, or other supplies used or consumed by the Contractor or any subcontractor in or about the performance of said work, may at any time up to and including the Final Settlement Date, file a verified statement of the amount due and unpaid on account of such claim.

2.Any such claim(s) shall be filed with the City Clerk at 13133 East Arapahoe Road, Centennial, CO 80112 prior to the Final Settlement Date.

3.Failure on the part of any claimant to file such verified statement or claim prior to the Final Settlement Date will relieve the City from any and all liability for such claim.

Legal Notice No. 530958-60958

First Publication: January 19, 2023

Last Publication: January 19, 2023

Publisher: Littleton Independent and the Centennial Citizen