- Golden United Housing Task Force
What do Golden's Candidates say about housing?
Updated: Oct 19
We asked all the 2023 candidates for Golden Mayor and City Council to answer these questions about housing:
What do you think is the most important housing-related issue in Golden and what steps will you take to address this issue?
Optional Question: The City of Golden used a state grant to conduct a Housing Needs and Strategies Assessment last year (see www.guidinggolden.com/housing-needs-and-strategies-assessment). What do you think are the three most important findings or recommendations of this assessment and how will you address each one?
Optional Question: The City of Golden recently opted-in to funding available through Proposition 123 and committed to a goal to create/preserve 26 affordable housing units per year over three years (see https://engagedola.org/prop-123). What partnerships will you pursue to reach this goal?
Mayoral Candidate responses:
Waquim Filsaime
Waquim Filsaime Response
I believe the most important housing-related in Golden is the limited amount of space we have for new housing infrastructure. The steps I would take to address this issue falls under my Golden Ambition Initiative agenda under the Compass Inclusion Sector.
The City of Golden is only 10 square miles, why is our city so small when there are tons of communities that carry our Golden name but not incorporated into the city? Our precious territory is rightfully ours and we need to reclaim our cherished jewels. With that being said, we would have to annex neighboring communities. The communities I have my eyes on would be Applewood, Evergreen, Kittridge, Indian Hills, Aspen Park, Idledale, Genesse & West Pleasant View.
With this amount of territory, we could develop a massive amount of affordable, mobile & luxury homes. We could also develop our very own international airport to divert traffic from DIA, we will have our very own Golden Metro Area and be the most highly intensive city in the world revolving around GDP and resident satisfaction. When people think of Colorado, they will instantly think of Golden instead of Denver.
Annexation can be initiated by request or by a city itself, but cities control whether it proceeds. The process will begin when the Filsaime administration adopts a resolution that defines each area to be annexed and sets a date for a required public hearing on the proposed annexation. We will also prepare a plan of services for the annexed area. The resolution describing the annexation, along with the proposed plan of services, will be mailed to each property owner in the annexation area. The notice will be mailed only to the address of record for the property owner, not necessarily to residents living on property owned by someone else. It will also be posted in public places, both in the city and the territory being annexed, and published online and in a newspaper.
After the public hearings for the plan of services and for the annexation itself, the administration will approve the plan of services and adopt a resolution to submit the question of annexation to a referendum of voters in the annexation area. The referendum will be held 30–60 days after the last publication of public notices.
We can also submit annexation questions to a vote of city residents. Both a majority of votes cast in the annexed territory and a separate majority of votes cast in the city are required to pass the referendum; either group can veto it.
Optional Question: The City of Golden used a state grant to conduct a Housing Needs and Strategies Assessment last year (see www.guidinggolden.com/housing-needs-and-strategies-assessment). What do you think are the three most important findings or recommendations of this assessment and how will you address each one?
The three most important finding I noticed in the assessment were the Commuting Patterns, Senior Housing Needed & Only one Student Housing infrastructure.
I would address the commuting patterns by expanding and regaining our invaluable unincorporated territories, with the more room we have for housing, more residents will work in our city businesses. Most of our workers do not live in the city and that speaks volumes.
There are a massive number of seniors in our community and a part of our housing goals we will include 20 new senior housing communities included in the plan by adopting zoning protections for senior living in dedicated areas.
I was very taken aback on how we only have one student housing facility when the current school is known for its robust engineering and over 10,000 students. The Filsaime administration will also adopt zoning protections for student living in 8 dedicated areas within our new region.
Optional Question: The City of Golden recently opted-in to funding available through Proposition 123 and committed to a goal to create/preserve 26 affordable housing units per year over three years (see https://engagedola.org/prop-123). What partnerships will you pursue to reach this goal?
The partnerships I would pursue would be with mobile home manufactures to offer discounted rates one mobile home parks to residents since the City of Golden would be its best participant. We would direct our residents to a specific manufacture and that will increase their revenue as well. We also would partner with different architects and construction companies to allure attractive contracts with our residents.
In addition, we would make it disadvantageous for corporations and private equity to buy and rent houses. Another resolution the administration would initiate, would be to partner with lending institutions to offer low interest housing loans to teachers and first responders to facilitate them settling within the city.
Joe MacDonald
Joe MacDonald Response
There is an interesting problem in golden as the population is approx..20k and the workforce is 20k; The problem is that the workforce cannot afford to live in Golden. This has become a problem with the police dept. as they have to live in surrounding towns and response time is limited due to travel time. I have talked to Kathy Smith who has devoted many hours to helping with affordable housing in Golden along with the homeless issue. I was surprised as she told me that they created affordable housing down by the high school; l went there and you could not tell as it looked really nice. I would like to use the property on 10thst. that was bought for seven million from Coors with the intent to build a number of government buildings (Which they realized would be too expensive) Could they use that property to offer to the workers of Golden and create affordable housing with Gov. low interest loans. They did this when I worked for the state for the workers of Summit County-If you worked for the state, You got a reduced rent to help the workers to live in the area without going broke. This made the work force very happy!
The homeless issue is a tough one as no one wants to work on it!! We have many expensive areas and countries that have made it happen in places like Tokyo, where the rents are high but they were able to offer low cost housing along with decreasing homelessness. We have different agencies that help the homeless (Coalition for the homeless) Joe Biden has put a federal program together that will pay 1000 dollars per month to the homeless for one year(the American rescue plan act) I would look at other states or countries to see what works and try to implement them. Golden has avoided the issue in hopes that it will go away and I can tell you that it only gets worse; 30 years ago; l was a truck driver and saw the beautiful city of San Francisco, Seattle, and Salt lake city- All three are now overrun with tent cities due to the fact that nothing was ever done. The only church in Golden that has helped the homeless has been the Methodist church across from Safeway; I would appeal to the churchs' to please become more involved as they have a tax-exempt status to help with societies downtrodden!! They could let them sleep indoors instead of the cold. I realize that there are many issues such as addiction, and many different mental issues; I would like to remind the churchs' that Jesus and Mohammad were both homeless and penniless; A church needs to show tender mercy!!!!!
Heather Schneider—no response
Charles Sturdavant—no response
Laura Weinberg
Laura Weinberg Response
Housing is a complex topic requiring partnership and collaboration to address needs which is why I am an active member of Jefferson County’s Housing Steering Committee as well as housing committees at the Metro Mayors Caucus and Colorado Municipal League. We are all working to address affordability and lack of supply as these are regional problems, not just Golden problems.
Golden’s housing prices continue to increase for ownership as well as rental making it unaffordable for many individuals to continue to live here. New for-sale housing is market-rate and in many cases built for large families rather than the smaller one and two-person households that are 67% of all Golden households. Golden’s biggest housing issue is ensuring we have the right supply of housing to meet the needs of the people in Golden.
In my second term as Mayor, I will continue to
· Advocate for the state to address construction litigation reform to bring condo development back as an important for-sale housing option, especially for first-time homebuyers and seniors interested in downsizing and staying in Golden.
· Work with City Council to adopt the recommendations from the housing task force on policies that will have the greatest impact on Golden’s affordable housing supply.
· Prioritize housing programs and partnerships that help Golden residents remain in their homes including eviction prevention and aging in place resources.
· Preserve existing housing in Golden and ensure the safety and livability of those units through the Healthy Housing Initiative.
· Partner with the county, other cities, private companies, non-profits, and Foothills Housing Authority to develop permanently affordable and workforce housing within or outside Golden limits.
· Engage with Colorado School of Mines on their plan to house half of their students on campus up from the current one-third of students.
· Pursue opportunities for public land to be used to address housing needs.
Optional Question: The City of Golden used a state grant to conduct a Housing Needs and Strategies Assessment last year (see www.guidinggolden.com/housing-needs-and-strategies-assessment). What do you think are the three most important findings or recommendations of this assessment and how will you address each one?
The Housing Needs and Strategies Assessment provides the best look at Golden’s current housing landscape. There are important findings about the housing stock as well as our changing demographics in the city. The recommendations need to be considered from a Golden perspective and with a look to prioritize them so the city can begin working on the most impactful ones.
Since City Council’s review of the Affordable Housing Committee recommendations in May, additional considerations have come to light. The state law regarding growth limits has been signed and Golden will no longer be enforcing our growth ordinance. The work from sustainability regarding new codes for net zero homes has not yet been adopted. Golden City Council decided not to refer a ballot question regarding a charter amendment to allow the exemption of affordable housing from the prohibition of financial support for projects. Golden has also submitted its baseline for the Prop 123 funding as the state continues to implement rules for the funding.
Given the work already done and acknowledging the ongoing work at the state, below are my top three priorities from the Assessment.
· Parking requirements for permanently affordable housing: Implementing the recommendation around parking requirements for permanently affordable multifamily units. In January 2023, I asked the city staff for parking counts at the newest permanently affordable housing project in Golden, the Flats at Ford Street. Parking requirements had been an issue when the project was going through approval and fewer units were built in order to meet the parking requirements. Car counts on the fully leased property have shown less than 60% utilization of the parking provided.
Foothills Regional Housing Authority builds and manages properties like the Flats around Jefferson County and has data regarding how many cars their residents have and how much parking is needed. Requiring more parking than is necessary causes projects to have a higher cost and jeopardizes the ability for an affordable housing project to move forward.
· Rental Registry: The City of Golden was selected as one of six cities in the country as part of the National League of Cities Healthy Housing Initiative. I have been working with the team on this effort and have learned how other cities and their residents have benefitted from a rental registry. Landlords register properties and provide contact information for emergencies and service of notice. This is a first step to understanding more about the types and quality of properties rented in Golden. Golden can model its program from other successful cities and should prioritize staff time to develop our own program.
· Affordable Housing in Commercial Zoning: Planning Commission should prioritize looking at a policy to exempt the commercial requirement for projects that are 100% permanently affordable housing in commercial zones. The new zoning code for commercial areas adopted this year did not consider the impacts if properties were redeveloped at 100% residential. There may be commercial areas that have the infrastructure to support residential and other areas that do not. A review of possible policy changes by Planning Commission would include community input on the impact of 100% housing in commercial areas.
Optional Question: The City of Golden recently opted-in to funding available through Proposition 123 and committed to a goal to create/preserve 26 affordable housing units per year over three years (see https://engagedola.org/prop-123). What partnerships will you pursue to reach this goal?
Developing trusted relationships is a key responsibility of being the Mayor. I was elected to the Colorado Municipal League Executive Board. I am the current Vice Chair of the Metro Mayors Caucus. I am a board member of the Jefferson County Economic Development Corporation and a member of the Jefferson County Housing Steering Committee. Housing has been a priority topic for all these organizations. Whether pushing for legislative policy at the state level or collaborating on a new affordable housing project, working together is the only way to address housing needs and I plan to continue the work.
· Strengthen existing partnerships with the County and other municipalities to support affordable housing projects wherever they can be developed. Foothills Housing Authority has been an excellent partner on their properties in Golden including the latest, Flats at Ford Street. They have multiple projects under development each year across the county that the city could support.
· Look for opportunities to partner with Habitat for Humanity on for-sale permanently affordable housing. I volunteer with Habitat and last year worked in Wheat Ridge. Some of the projects are on large parcels of land with a lot of units and others are smaller infill projects. Habitat would fill a gap with for-sale permanently affordable housing that is not currently available in Golden.
· Consider land banking in Golden and a partnership with Elevation Land Trust. I first heard from Stefka Fanchi at Elevation on a national “Cities Creating Lasting Affordability through Land Trusts” webinar in September 2020. I worked with the city to bring Stefka to a Council meeting to raise awareness about land trusts and Elevation to a broader Golden audience. Stefka served on the city’s Affordable Housing Committee this year.
· Partner with private companies and developers to build affordable housing. The Clayworks project is an example of a private company investing in workforce housing. Major employers and property developers are potential partners to address housing needs.
· Work with Colorado School of Mines on their plans to increase housing on campus. Student housing may be eligible to be counted towards new affordable units or may allow for existing rental housing in the city to be preserved as affordable.
City Council, District 1 responses:
Matt Duncan
Matt Duncan Response
What do you think is the most important housing-related issue in Golden and what steps will you take to address this issue?
Golden is a great and desirable place to live. That appeal coupled with our geographic limitations and being a college town is spiking both home prices and rental rates. Some of these market conditions are outside the control of our citizens and I think that should be our first focus. How do we maintain a similar quality and standard of living for our current neighbors. For any new development, I think we need to look to our community to understand what they feel is best for their neighborhoods and build plans around those opinions. Utilizing the Housing Needs and Strategies Assessment will be a helpful tool in guiding our next steps as a city. My approach to addressing these issues is facilitating conversations between the city and those seeking to find solutions to housing needs. I believe that bringing people to the table of diverse opinions and approaches is a great way to create the best options for all. I’d be relying on the community, city staff, and local organizations devoted to our housing related issues/needs to create solutions that are in the best interest of Golden.
Jacob Luria
Jacob Luria Response
What do you think is the most important housing-related issue in Golden and what steps will you take to address this issue?
I have learned a lot about life for residents at our manufactured home communities over the past two years when I have run for office and how unique their fight for affordable housing is. Honestly, I still have a lot to learn and am not sure I have the perfect answer on this issue. But I generally believe in the idea of decentralization on many of these issues.
Just as was done for a community in northern Golden and others in this state, the people of the community should own the land their homes sit on. Unfortunately, many of these large rental conglomerates just don’t seem to care about their residents because of how many rentals they manage. Private property is an essential right of our people and since those who are closest to an issue care the most, we must work to make those in the communities the land and property owners. Besides working to have community owned and operated communities we should review laws and regulations that might lead to increased cost of construction of manufactured homes and operating costs. The residents, not the government, should decide what infrastructure is needed and not needed.
I will work to encourage local businesses to connect more with our manufactured home communities to provide the services needed, including building of new units. My only issue with proposition 123 is by issuing the number of units I am worried these units will be over budget and take too long to build. The number of units that are built should come from the market need which there clearly is. We may want to look for more land to build another community if the need is there. There is un-incorporated territory and if the city council does not have the authority to set aside some of that land then I will push the city council to arrange with Jefferson County to obtain the land needed.
After reading the Housing Needs and Strategies Assessment it shows what I think most of us understand. That the cost of housing is rising, which is becoming a heavy burden on the middle- and lower-income earners. Plus, space in Colorado in places like Golden is limited and balancing new housing while keeping the beautiful views in Golden. I think ultimately deregulating building and zoning laws would help provide housing that is more affordable. Plus cutting property and other taxes like food will keep more money in everyone’s pockets and help put that money to other costs. I don’t like the idea of new taxes to pay for housing when there is a market for new housing already and removing laws and regulatory burdens would benefit the communities we currently have.
I don’t have all the answers and will engage with community members for solutions. I will always bring an open mind to these issues and will always work to protect the rights of all Golden residents.
Lisa Vitry
Lisa Vitry Response
An important housing-related issue in Golden is the low inventory of low-income renter housing units.
According to the Housing Needs and Strategy Assessment, Golden has approximately 250 publicly assisted multi-family rental apartment units. These units serve households at or below 60 percent of Area Median Income (“AMI”) and are estimated to represent about 10 percent of all apartment units (2.9 percent of all housing units) within Golden.
If any new development is approved, I would ask the city staff to offer subsidies, if fiscally possible, to builders to support low-income renter housing units.
Creating a Resident Owned Community at Golden Terrace would assist in maintaining affordable rent. I would encourage staff to develop and maintain a high level, agile plan to support this community with this purchase if, Equity LifeStyle Properties (ELS) was to provide a purchase opportunity in the future.
Optional Question: The City of Golden used a state grant to conduct a Housing Needs and Strategies Assessment last year (see www.guidinggolden.com/housing-needs-and-strategies-assessment). What do you think are the three most important findings or recommendations of this assessment and how will you address each one?
1. Golden is primarily a built-out community.
a. I would address this by ensuring focus on strategies for sustaining current low-income renter housing, and housing for fixed income and at-risk community members.
2. Anticipating the need for a greater amount and variety of "senior housing” services.
a. I would address this to include, but not be limited to, the following:
i. If fiscally possible- explore providing condominium-type services for single-family developments.
ii. As single-family homeowners age, services more frequently available in multi-family condominium projects such as maintenance and repairs, yard care, snow removal, and related services will apply to single-family homeowners.
b. I would expand on this recommendation to support, if fiscally possible, this type of support service to current senior and at-risk community member single family homes, utilizing our Thriving Communities team and their expertise in creating/ supporting a volunteer network of services.
3. Allowing residents to age in place. Golden will experience an increase in the number of older age (so-called “senior”) households.
a. I would address this by anticipating a possible increase in requests for permits to remodel homes to facilitate older households aging in place.
b. Improving existing housing stock to provide features responsive to the needs of older households such as single-floor living, doorways and hallways that can accommodate a wheelchair and or a walker, zero-step entrances, lever style door and faucet handles, and electrical controls that can be reached from a wheelchair.
c. This could facilitate older households to age in place, and to help older adults live safely and comfortably in their homes and continue to thrive and be a vital part of the Golden community.
d. I support, if fiscally possible, utilizing Thriving Communities resources to support these requests.
Optional Question: The City of Golden recently opted-in to funding available through Proposition 123 and committed to a goal to create/preserve 26 affordable housing units per year over three years (see https://engagedola.org/prop-123). What partnerships will you pursue to reach this goal?
The partnerships I would pursue to reach the committed goal to create/ preserve 26 affordable housing units per year, over 3 years would include, but not be limited to, leadership/ownership groups of the following:
1. Golden Point
2. Lewis Court
3. Flats on Ford
4. Canyon Gate
5. Golden Hills
6. Golden Terrace
And include, but not be limited to, the following City resource groups:
1. GURA
2. Thriving Communities Team
Mary Weaver—no response
City Council, District 2 responses:
Patty Evans
Patty Evans Response
What do you think is the most important housing-related issue in Golden and what steps will you take to address this issue?
Increasing housing costs are making it more and more difficult for people who work in Golden to live here. We need more affordable, attainable, and workforce housing for the middle- and lower middle- income people who already work here. This should be addressed with a combination of city investment, grants from the state, working with non-profits, and requiring development over a certain size to have some units available to lower- and middle- income residents.
We also need to work to retain our existing stock of affordable housing. A large portion of our existing affordable housing units are in 2 manufactured home communities. Preserving these as affordable mobile home parks is an important priority so we don’t lose those existing options.
Optional Question: The City of Golden recently opted-in to funding available through Proposition 123 and committed to a goal to create/preserve 26 affordable housing units per year over three years (see https://engagedola.org/prop-123). What partnerships will you pursue to reach this goal?
Partnerships with community land trusts and organizations like Habitat for Humanity would provide a knowledge base and fundraising opportunities the city could leverage. The organizations can fundraise capital and bring additional donations to the city. They can also provide much-needed ownership opportunities and reach a wider range of incomes. Partnering with Foothills Housing Authority, who has experience building and managing affordable housing developments in the city, would be natural partners for adding affordable rental options for lower income residents.
Clayworks has committed to a minimum of 25 affordable housing units as part of their new development. Working with and encouraging them to accelerate the timing of these affordable units would help achieve that Prop 123 goal as well.
Ben Moline
Ben Moline Response
What do you think is the most important housing-related issue in Golden and what steps will you take to address this issue?
I believe that the largest housing issue in Golden is a lack of understanding about the ability to create new housing and limitations within the town. Golden is relatively built-out and we are limited in space with regards to new or redeveloped housing. So, before addressing the need for work-force and affordable housing, the city should complete a comprehensive study about where there is potential with the community. This would look at open developable areas, expansion opportunities, or built-out neighborhoods.
Once this understanding is known, the city will be able to make informed decisions on what actually is possible in town and start working on ways to implement a housing program. Opportunities exist with developers looking within Golden or through Planning & Zoning opportunities to support housing programs. One idea I am particularly fond of is a grant program that allows employees that are working in Golden to apply for funds that opens doors to getting into a rented space or purchasing a property. By having a grant for those working in town, we can help with expanding housing while assisting businesses with finding local employees committed to working in Golden.
Another opportunity to address housing is working with Mines to find ways to enhance on-campus housing opportunities for students. By aiding Mines with this goal, Golden could benefit in several ways including less student traffic traveling through town, more year-round apartments for residents, and a revitalized campus environment for students.
The housing needs within Golden are significant and will not be solved quickly. On council, I will be committed to addressing this issue in a smart thoughtful way that respects the views of current residents while keeping the city open and welcoming to those wanting to join us.
Optional Question: The City of Golden used a state grant to conduct a Housing Needs and Strategies Assessment last year (see www.guidinggolden.com/housing-needs-and-strategies-assessment). What do you think are the three most important findings or recommendations of this assessment and how will you address each one?
Of the recommendations listed in the September 2022 Gruen Gruen + Associates report, the three that I find most feasible to start addressing housing needs in Golden are:
Formation of Committee to study issue
Use of Housing Incentives
Shared Equity and Community Land Trust utilization
Golden needs a committee to evaluation housing potential (i.e. where can new housing be built) before defining what housing requirements will be implemented. Golden is a relatively built-out community and a detailed study needs to be undertaken utilizing city departments such as Planning & Zoning, Public Works, Police, and Fire in addition to community groups, businesses, and Mines to identify developable areas within the City. Once that is known, decisions can be made as to the expectations of a housing development plan and in what time frame it will be implemented.
Next, the use of Housing Incentives should be studied as a means to open work-force housing opportunities within the community. If a program could be implemented that rewards employees filling a local job with a grant used to open the doors to housing, this could be a kick starter for keeping local workers in town. This aids in maintaining employees for local business while helping to build local culture and community pride.
Finally, the City should focus funds and grants on helping residential communities within town, such as manufactured home communities, purchase, maintain, and enhance the land that many people in Golden consider home. By helping with the development of a shared equity or land trust that provides stabilization to residents, the goals of a shared community are achieved.
Housing is a difficult task in Golden and council should be well-informed before making decisions as to what is expected. Simply saying you want to fix the problem does not offer any solutions. A smart informed conversation needs to be had on this topic. I don’t think the city knows enough yet to be making definitive plans and regulatory changes.
Optional Question: The City of Golden recently opted-in to funding available through Proposition 123 and committed to a goal to create/preserve 26 affordable housing units per year over three years (see https://engagedola.org/prop-123). What partnerships will you pursue to reach this goal?
I am not very familiar with the expectations of Proposition 123 and can not answer specifically to what organizations or partnerships I would recommend the city partner with to meet the expectation of creating or preserving 26 affordable housing units per year for three years. However, I can express my opinion that this seems like a fairly lofty goal for Golden. As I have mentioned before, Golden is relatively built-out and there is not significant growth potential within the city limits. I am concerned that this commitment has been made without knowing (as far as I am aware) the available growth potential within the city.
Utilizing data from the September 2022 Gruen Gruen + Associates housing needs assessment report (Table II-4), between 2016 and 2022, there were 632 housing units built. In 2020, 98 Student Housing units were added to Golden and in 2021, 168 Boarding Rooms were added. My understanding, both of those categories are related to the School of Mines. If you remove those units, as they are not generally available to Golden residents, there were 366 units built over a 7-year period, averaging to 52 units per year. Committing to allocate 50% of new housing to affordable housing does not seem practical.
A detailed analysis of growth potential needs to be completed for Golden, so the city can be lead by data as to where and how large planned developments could be expected. These planned developments can than be evaluated to determine how to include affordable housing opportunities and at what level that could occur.
Before a growth potential analysis is completed, I am not confident the city can achieve this goal.
Download Summary PDF of Candidate Responses Here:
Golden United Housing TF 2023 Candidate Responses
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Download what Golden's candidates have to say about preserving manufactured homes based on questions from the two manufactured home communities within the City of Golden (Golden Terrace and Golden Hills):
Manufactured Homes 2023 Candidate Questions
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