Affordable Housing and Arvada

How about Community Cottages?

I agree with Cindy about having small homes with gardens. One innovative idea that I have seen comes from the city of Shoreline WA. http://www.cottagecompany.com/Communities/Greenwood-Avenue-Cottages.aspx The idea is that it is a pocket neighborhood, with a small garden attached, but still with community space. This gives each homeowner some personal space while still fostering a sense of community.

Create a new Type D Accessory Dwelling Unit classification

There is a substantial under-utilized resource of older rental and owner occupied housing occupied one elderly resident. Current land development code, building code and their permiting requirements discourage creation of affordable ADU's. City staff should prepare a report for a Council workshop discussion that provides the maximum amount of flexibility for increased use of this resourse by housing owners at the minimum cost, consistent with mimimum health and safety requirements. A new Type D classification would be only for remodeling work internal to an existing structure, (no plot plan, no additional parking , owner-occupied or separated HVAC requirements) but requiring separate, secure entrances to each household living area. Separate mail boxes are required and HOA approvals, if applicable. This new classification would provide an additional option for building owners to provide the most affordable housing.

Incentivize landlords who support the use of section 8 housing vouchers especially in middle to high-income neighborhoods.

Incentivize landlords who support the use of section 8 housing vouchers

Homelessness.

The plight of the homeless has so many varied reasons and situations for the individuals and families in such a dire situation. There are also negative community impacts in the areas or locations where congregation of the homeless takes place. One suggestion. My father during the Great Depression was in dire straights but joined the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and was located in a camp in California with food, medical support, shelter and work in public lands building bridges, trails ,structures etc. needed in our national forests, wildlife areas etc. He was paid a very nominal amount but had healthy work doing things that were needed. He was always VERY appreciative in his later years of this opportunity where he was able to stabilize and secure a job. Why not turn to this approach where homeless voluntarily sign up or possibly are "sentenced" to go if they engage in illegal activity where they are sent to a camp modeled after this approach. They would be taken from areas in cities and such where their presence causes issues with little or no prospects and then have the opportunity to contribute and have an adequate living situation. Yep this would take government dollars but these camps would just have to be far less expensive to run than shelter and housing construction and development in urban areas and their location in rural public lands doing healthy physical work might certainly attract volunteers to assist in running and staffing the camps. AND there is now a huge backlog of work needed in our National Parks, monuments, forests, etc. where government funding has not been sufficient to keep up with infrastructure and other needs. Could be a win win approach building on something that worked well many years back and thus might be better positioned to be sold to politicians. Look up CCC camps. There is quite a story about them and their success during the Great Depression.

Any City or Urban Renewal development that receives "TIF's" from the city must include affordable housing.