JULY 9 - 16, 2025
THE DEFINITIVE SOURCE FOR GRAND JUNCTION BUSINESS & COMMUNITY NEWS SINCE 1994
VOLUME 32, ISSUE 26
THEBUSINESSTIMES.COM
Task force’s goal is to increase attainable housing supply Brandon Leuallen
A
The Business Times
mid a growing housing crisis, the Grand Junction City Council is launching a Housing Affordability and Attainability Code Task Force to examine and remove regulatory barriers that make it difficult to build homes for working families. According to the agenda packet from the June 3 city council workshop, the task force will be community-led, with city staff serving in a support-only role to provide technical assistance and coordination, not direction. In contrast to past committees, this group will report directly to the city council rather than channeling findings through staff. The Grand Junction Planning Commission may engage separately or be invited to provide additional input on potential code changes. Mayor Cody Kennedy said the task force is an effort to address the barriers the city can control, especially before investing in larger subsidies for affordability. He suggested the city should first “get out of its own way” by identifying regulations that make housing less affordable despite the city’s stated goals to improve access. During the meeting, Kennedy highlighted how an unnecessarily slowed-down process can increase the cost of a home. See HOUSING on Page 6
Making Coffee Monumental
Monumental Coffee Co. in Clifton hopes to provide a ’90s coffee shop vibe for customers — See story, Page 2
Landon Balding, left, and Jackie Balding opened Monumental Coffee Company, 575 32 Road, on May 27 with a soft opening. The location had been home to Grand Valley Insurance until Landon’s mom sold the business in July 2024. “All of a sudden we had this building sitting here,” Landon said, “and we’re like, ‘What should we do with this? Should we lease it out? Or should we try to put a business in here?’ And we talked about several different ideas, and it just kind of got thrown out, like really impulsively, ‘Why don’t we do a coffee shop?’ And to be honest, my wife didn’t say no.” Photo by Tim Harty.
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