Posts tagged Boulder County Commissioner Cindy Domenico
City/County: Look east and south for rentals
Sep 27th
Those impacted by flooding encouraged to seek housing rentals along U.S. 36 corridor (south and southeast of the City of Boulder)
Boulder County, Colo. – Boulder County residents displaced from their homes by the recent flooding are being encouraged to search for affordable rental housing outside the county as soon as possible. Prior to the flooding, rental vacancy rates across Boulder County were between one and three percent, and have already fallen further due to competition created by the flooding. In particular, residents needing affordable rental units are urged to search southeast and south of Boulder County along the U.S. 36 corridor.
“We don’t know right now how long repairs will take for both houses and roads, and we want our impacted residents to have a realistic view of what’s necessary in terms of finding temporary housing,” said Frank Alexander, Director of the Boulder County Department of Housing and Human Services (BCDHHS). “The sooner the rental search begins in places like Broomfield, Westminster, Arvada, Brighton, and Golden, the better it will be for those who’ve had to move from their homes because of the flooding.”
Polling of rental property owners indicates few affordable rental units are currently available in Boulder County. Residents are encouraged to broaden searches to include smaller units and apartments, and to discuss their options for shorter-term leases with property owners. Residents are also urged to be sure they know their rights as renters. Boulder County has a list of available housing assistance resources, including information for renters, atwww.BoulderCountyFlood.org.
“Unfortunately, there is no quick solution to the shortage of rental units in Boulder County,” said Boulder County Commissioner Cindy Domenico. “We want to be sure our residents know they may need to look outside Boulder County to meet their housing needs.”
Many displaced residents may be able to find housing with family, friends, or neighbors. As with other rental types, those who qualify for financial assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) may have the option of using the funds to help cover up to two months of rent payments. A legal lease is required to obtain FEMA funding to help cover rent payments.
Boulder County continues to help operate two Disaster Assistance Centers: 1) Twin Peaks Mall (1250 S. Hover Road at Highway 119) in Longmont, and at 5495 Arapahoe Avenue (near the intersection of 55th and Arapahoe) in Boulder. Among other services, both locations offer FEMA assistance as well as resources for food, financial help, volunteer cleanup, and other housing options.
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County officials want mountain driving restraint
Sep 25th
Visitors and plains residents are requested to curtail recreation in the mountains this fall
Clarification:
Mountain residents are asked to minimize trips into and out of damaged areas, and visitors and plains residents are requested to curtail recreation in the mountain area between U.S. 36 and SH 72 this fall (travel is allowed along P2P Highway north to south)
Visitors can access the Town of Estes Park in Larimer County along Peak to Peak Highway (SH 72) – we’re just asking that visitors not try to venture east or west of P2P in Boulder County along roads that are closed to public access
Boulder County, Colo. – Boulder County officials have made it an immediate priority to repair and reconstruct county roads and bridges damaged in the flood. The county sustained an enormous amount of damage to its roadway infrastructure, and in some places, experienced complete destruction of critical routes in the foothills and mountains. Initial estimates for repairs top $100 million.
Boulder County road maintenance crews have been working on clearing, evaluating structural integrity and public safety, and repairing county roads since the beginning of the historic flooding event. Utility companies have also been active since the start working to restore electric, gas, phone, water and other basic services. Given the current status of the roads, county public safety and transportation officials are urging residents to minimize – and visitors to curtail completely – their use of mountain roads within Boulder County.
(Video: Boulder County “Be a Good Neighbor” Public Safety & Road Infrastructure message)
“We kindly ask that people stay out of the foothills and mountain areas from Foothills Highway to Peak to Peak this fall for recreational purposes while our county, state and federal partners work to restore access to all of our valued mountain communities,” said Boulder County Commissioner Cindy Domenico. “Right now we need our residents and visitors to access our central mountain communities only for essential purposes and to give room to our road crews and law enforcement officials to do their jobs.”
“We want residents and visitors to recognize that Boulder County is hard at work to reestablish our infrastructure and reconnect residents to their communities and their homes,” said Boulder County Transportation Director George Gerstle. “The county has teamed with cities and towns, the state, other nearby counties and private contractors to help with this massive undertaking. Crews are working as quickly as we can to put in place at least temporary fixes by winter, knowing that cold weather and snow will only compound problems with damaged roads.”
The Sheriff’s Office is requesting that all recreation and unnecessary trips into the foothills and mountains of Boulder County be curtailed until critical roads, including Boulder Canyon and U.S. 36 west of Lyons, can be opened to the general public. (View video)
“The road issues are more than a mere inconvenience,” said Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle. “Everyone working at the county understands that the lack of access and the lengthy process to restore it will change lives, and we are focused on returning a sense of normalcy to lives that have been changed forever in some cases.”
County officials have asked that vehicles, bikes and pedestrians stay out of the damaged areas while road and emergency crews, utilities and local residents work to restore basic infrastructure and access to their homes.
“People who want to recreate in the mountains or go see the destruction will actually hamper access for emergency responders, utility workers, and mountain residents who absolutely need the access,” Pelle said. “For that reason we’re asking people who don’t have to go to the mountains to stay away and to understand that this is a very long term problem.”
“It is incredibly difficult to rebuild roads with people on them, so please avoid the mountain roads unless absolutely necessary, and minimize even residential trips to keep roads clear for heavy equipment and emergency vehicles,” Gerstle added. “It is difficult and takes much longer for the crews to fix a road with traffic on it. The fewer people using the road, the faster we can get the work done.”
Another important recovery aspect for many residents is the status of county open space parks and trails.
“Our staff has been assessing damage and working to repair trails as quickly as possible, but there are many parks and trails that may be closed for a significant duration as these areas have experienced extreme damage and the trails are unsafe,” said Boulder County Parks & Open Space Director Ron Stewart.
In addition, the U.S. Forest Service in Boulder County has closed its lands for all recreational purposes (i.e., camping, hiking, hunting, etc.) by executive order until further notice.
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Boulder County reintegrating administration of CCAP
Aug 9th
Co-locating Child Care Assistance Program with county’s other human services will boost efficiency, access
Boulder County, Colo. – As need continues to increase in the community for help with child care costs, Boulder County is moving to reintegrate administration of a key program that provides that assistance.
The Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) is a statewide resource for families who need help covering the costs of child care as they’re working, seeking a job, or pursuing an education.
In Boulder County, CCAP has been administered by a third-party private vendor, Aspen Family Services. County leaders recognized an opportunity for streamlining the CCAP enrollment process by integrating it with other self-sufficiency-supporting services that the county oversees.
“Child care assistance is an extremely important support for parents who are struggling to find and keep jobs,” said Christina Ostrom, Family and Resident Support Services Division Manager for the Boulder County Department of Housing and Human Services (BCDHHS). “We know that quality child care along with strong work supports, access to healthcare and food assistance, and stabilizing financial benefits is a combination that leads to self-sufficiency.”
Since 2008, BCDHHS has seen a 150 percent increase in need for Food Assistance (formerly known as “food stamps”), and a 63 percent increase in need for Medicaid services. During this time, the county has continued to work to more efficiently meet this increase in need and to ensure clients understand the full range of services available to them.
BCDHHS staff have access to state and county eligibility systems and databases, which means the transition of CCAP into the department will reduce wait times for clients after they submit applications for the program. County staff will also be able to quickly connect clients with other services they may need in addition to child care assistance.
“This is an exciting time for the county,” said Boulder County Commissioner Cindy Domenico. “We have an opportunity to bring vital services together to strengthen and widen our safety net, and this will help countless families get the comprehensive help they need now.”
CCAP covers much of the cost of child care for qualifying families through a network of providers across the county. In order to reach more families with this assistance, Boulder County recently returned eligibility guidelines for the program to 2009 levels to include families with incomes up to 225 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (for example, $3,474 gross monthly income for a family of three). A portion of the CCAP program in Boulder County, including this expansion, is funded by Ballot Initiative 1A, a temporary property tax increase passed by voters in 2010 to backfill human services budget cuts. In addition to expanding eligibility, this funding has allowed the county to further support quality child care options in the community.
Ongoing operating expenses for in-house CCAP administration will be cost neutral for the county. BCDHHS will reintegrate administration of CCAP in Boulder County during the first quarter of 2013. A series of meetings will be held in August to share information with county partners on the transition.
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