Posts tagged Longmont
Rental Matching Service Available for Displaced Boulder County Residents
Oct 2nd
Boulder County, Colo. – Boulder County residents displaced by the recent flooding now have another tool to help them find available rental housing. A regional service that matches renters with property owners is working with residents to place them in short-term rental units, and is waiving most of its fees for the matching service.
Boulder County, the cities of Boulder and Longmont, Foothills United Way, and Housing Helpers partnered to create and roll out the rental housing plan. Housing Helpers is working with property owners and has identified about 60 units that would work as short-term solutions for those in need to continue to live in or near Boulder County.
“We know there’s not much rental housing available in Boulder County for our neighbors who’ve been displaced by the flooding, especially those who don’t yet know when they can return to their homes” said Jeff Yegian, Acting Manager of the City of Boulder’s Division of Housing. “This is a solution for some of them, and we want to encourage those residents most in need to get in touch now to find out more.”
Residents impacted by the flooding who are seeking short-term rental housing can contact Housing Helpers by phone at 303-545-6000 or on the web at www.HousingHelpers.com to see if they qualify for the service. Property owners offering short-term rental options for individuals or families displaced by the flooding are encouraged to call Housing Helpers to list their property at no charge. Additional information on housing resources, including financial assistance that may be available for short-term housing, can be found at www.BoulderCountyFlood.org, www.BoulderFloodInfo.net, and www.LongmontOEM.com.
“We still want our neighbors to know that most of the available rental housing is located outside Boulder County, mostly to our south and east,” said Frank Alexander, Director of the Boulder County Department of Housing and Human Services. “Regardless of whether people look for rentals through this matching service or on their own, we hope that they do it right away and that they understand it might be necessary to relocate outside the area for some time.”
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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News briefs on flood recovery
Sep 26th
The City of Boulder and Foothills United Way have developed a partnership to help repair flood-related damage to the city’s parks and open space areas. Today, the city began working with Foothills United Way, utilizing its established Volunteer Connection web portal to enroll and assign volunteers to city projects.
Individuals who are interested in assisting with city projects should visit BoulderFloodInfo.net and click on Volunteer Opportunities. From there, select City of Boulder Flood Recovery for a list of projects with the city or city departments. If you click on a project, you will be given more details and an opportunity to sign up online.
A few opportunities, starting as soon as this Saturday, are already listed and more will be added as the organization continues to prioritize work plan items and determine which projects are safe enough to invite public participation.
“We are so thankful for the outpouring we have seen from community members who are eager to volunteer,” said City Manager Jane Brautigam. “We hope this partnership with United Way will make it easy to find the opportunities that are most-suited to your interests, skills and schedule. We look forward to rebuilding together.”
Disaster Assistance Centers to reduce hours as help transitions back to city, county offices and network of non-profit partners
Boulder County’s Longmont and Boulder Disaster Assistance Centers (DACs) will reduce their open hours beginning Friday, Sept. 27, as all services being offered at the centers begin to transition back to city and county offices and community non-profit organizations.
On Friday, the Boulder DAC’s hours will shift to 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., while the Longmont DAC’s hours will remain the same, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. On Saturday and Sunday, both DACs will maintain a 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. schedule. County and city staff will transition out of the centers at some point early next week. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) personnel will remain at both locations for an undetermined period of time from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.
“These Disaster Assistance Centers have collectively served over 3,600 households in a week and a half,” said Garry Sanfacon, Boulder County Flood Recovery Manager. “Because of excellent collaboration between city, county, state and federal agencies and local non-profits and volunteers, we’ve provided crucial support to thousands of people hit hard by the flooding. As we transition out of the centers, we will continue to provide these services efficiently and effectively from our offices.”
The Disaster Assistance Centers have been serving those impacted by Boulder County’s severe flooding since Monday, Sept. 16 in Longmont, and Thursday, Sept. 19 in Boulder. At both locations, residents have received help with housing, food, transportation, clean-up, medical needs, and much more.
The DACs are located at Twin Peaks Mall in Longmont (1250 South Hover Road) and 5495 Arapahoe Avenue in Boulder. More information is available at BoulderCountyFlood.org or BoulderFloodInfo.net.
City’s Public Works Call Center to change hours starting Monday
Due to reduced call volume, the City of Boulder’s Public Works call center is amending its hours of operation beginning Monday, Sept. 30. The new hours will be 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Boulder residents and businesses may call 303-413-7100 to report new water, wastewater or stormwater issues within the city limits, including:
- sewage backups or odors;
- water main breaks, which may cause water to come up through the ground;
- water service disruptions; and
- missing manhole covers or storm drain concerns.
Parks and Recreation eager to serve the public; most city parks and facilities are open
Did you know that despite all the damage that occurred as the result of the recent flood, the majority of Boulder’s parks and recreation facilities are open and being actively used by our community?
Limited closures remain in effect due to hazards. These are:
- Three city parks – Elks, Eben G. Fine and Elmer’s Two Mile;
- Boulder Reservoir
- Knollwood tennis court
- Boulder Creek Path
All three recreation centers are buzzing with activity with the exception of two gym closures (at the South Boulder Recreation Center and the North Boulder Recreation Center) and the gymnastics facility. Boulder Reservoir is expected to re-open on Saturday, and the gymnastics facility is expected to re-open on Monday.
While the city is asking the public to honor the closures, Parks and Recreation staff members invite the community to enjoy all of the services and facilities that are available during this stressful time. The department is also working to make the necessary repairs to re-open closed areas as soon as possible. VisitBoulderFloodInfo.net for the most up-to-date closure information.
–CITY–
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