Housing Affordability
- Affordable housing – Boulder County must do better when it comes to housing more vulnerable members of our community. Our county has a goal of making 12% of housing affordable. The county must take the lead and work with municipalities to launch an actionable plan reach the county affordable housing goals. The pandemic has slowed progress on this effort and we need to re-energize the plan.
- Affordability- The county must consider the many factors that interact to impact affordability. This includes transportation costs, childcare costs, and access to health services.
Homelessness Prevention and Support
- Housing first – Housing first is an evidence based approach to ending homelessness that recognizes that people must have their basic needs (shelter, food etc) met before addressing other issues (employment, health care). These programs help to end the cycle of homelessness while improving the health and financial security of those involved. The county must use its resources to increase access to permanent supportive housing for individuals and families experiencing homelessness.
- Housing first is not the only answer- We also need to expand other programs to address other day-to-day issues such as day sheltering resources and other programming.
- Mental health supports – Many individuals experiencing homelessness need additional mental health services. County programs should provide mental health services where folks are, in the community or in supportive permanent housing. The County should use a dual responder model across the county so that those who are experiencing mental health crises get mental health care and do not end up in the criminal justice system.
- Connecting the unhoused to health care and financial resources – We can do more outreach to families experiencing homelessness to connect them with health care (Medicaid or subsidized private insurance). The county should increase access to case workers and health care navigators in low income Boulder County communities and populations experiencing homelessness.
My Record:
- Proud to have been part of the partnership between the County and the City of Louisville to develop the Kestrel Housing units which added 200 permanently affordable homes
- Championed the first ever inclusionary zoning ordinance for the City of Louisville which now requires new housing developments to make 12% of the units permanently affordable
- Supported adoption of the countywide target of 12% permanently affordable housing
- Brought forward legislative proposal for increasing the required affordable percent to 30% when rezoning property from commercial to residential (not yet enacted or debated)
- Brought forward legislative proposal for regulating rentals to provide renter protection (not yet enacted or debated)
- Lobbied and continue to lobby for landbanking for affordable housing
- Supported the Metro Mayors Caucus Built for Zero homelessness initiative
- Supported the first ever Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion taskforce in Louisville
- Supported the reduction of the maximum sentence for municipal crimes
- Advocated to decriminalize most municipal crimes
- Recognized as an Obama 8 Can’t Wait community
Ashley Stolzmann for Boulder County Commissioner 