People First Housing
Deeply Affordable • Affordable • Missing Middle • Workforce
Core Truth:
Housing is infrastructure — but in lean budget years, infrastructure gets built through leverage, coordination, and coalitions, not wishful thinking.
With reduced state dollars, limited county revenue, and utilities controlled by municipalities, my plan focuses on what the County can actually do well: convene, align, de-risk projects, reduce costs, and lock in long-term affordability.
Stability for our most vulnerable neighbors
Who this serves
- People exiting homelessness
- Seniors on fixed incomes
- People with disabilities
- Residents one crisis away from losing housing
The County’s Role
- Land-first strategy
- Prioritize public, nonprofit, & faith-owned land
- Use long-term ground leases not costly purchases
- Prioritize public, nonprofit, & faith-owned land
- Supportive housing partnerships
- Pair housing with behavioral health, aging, & stability services
- Coordinate closely with providers & nonprofits
- Pair housing with behavioral health, aging, & stability services
- Preservation over replacement
- Invest in keeping people housed via eviction prevention, stabilization funds, & services
Why this works in tight budgets
- It is far cheaper to keep someone housed than to rehouse them later
- Reduces strain on emergency services, hospitals, and jails
- Maximizes outside funding and service dollars
Housing for families who are working — and still struggling
Who this serves
- Retail and service workers
- Home health aides
- Early-career workers
- Fixed-income families
The Strategy: Permanently Affordable, Not Temporary
- Community Land Trust–style models
- County helps coordinate land access
- Homes remain affordable forever, not just 30 years
- County helps coordinate land access
- Stacked financing
- Philanthropy
- Federal programs
- Mission-aligned private capital
- Municipal participation
- Philanthropy
- Fee reductions instead of cash
- Reduced county fees for deed-restricted affordability
- Faster approvals to lower carrying cost
- Reduced county fees for deed-restricted affordability
County value-add
Predictability, coordination, and affordability protections — not blank checks.
The housing we stopped building — and desperately need
Who this serves
- Young families
- Seniors downsizing
- Local workers priced out of single-family homes
The Big Shift: Normalize Small-Scale Density
- Pre-approved “Missing Middle Playbook”
- Duplexes, fourplexes, cottage courts, small apartment buildings
- Neighborhood-scale, not high-rise
- Duplexes, fourplexes, cottage courts, small apartment buildings
- Fast-track approvals
- If projects use the playbook and meet affordability goals
- If projects use the playbook and meet affordability goals
- Lower development costs
- Fewer delays
- Clear expectations
- Reduced risk for builders
- Fewer delays
Why this matters
- This is the fastest way to add supply
- Fits existing neighborhoods
- Reduces pressure on rents countywide
Live Where You Serve
Who this serves
- Teachers
- Healthcare workers
- First responders
- Childcare providers
- Local government employees
The Workforce Housing Compact
The County convenes a Workforce Housing Compact:
Partners
- Hospitals & healthcare org
- School districts
- Municipalities
- Employers
- Builders & developers
Contributions can include
- Land or long-term ground leases
- Employer down-payment assistance
- Capital contributions
- Infrastructure coordination
County role
- Reduce fees
- Align timelines
- Lock in affordability
- Keep projects moving
Housing aligned with growth management areas
The Reality
- Counties don’t own utilities
- Housing must align with municipal growth plans
The Solution
- County acts as connector and coordinator
- Early collaboration with:
- Municipalities
- Utility providers
- Developers
- Municipalities
- Prioritize housing where:
- Water and sewer exist or are planned
- Transportation access already exists
- Infrastructure costs are lowest
- Water and sewer exist or are planned
Modular, standardized, and cost-controlled housing
Why this matters now
- Faster construction
- Lower per-unit cost
- Predictable budgets
- Easier financing
County action
- Support modular-friendly codes
- Encourage standardized designs
- Reduce regulatory friction
Housing is infrastructure. In lean budget years, infrastructure gets built through leadership, leverage, and coalitions — not empty promises.
The Opportunity
- Shared staffing and expertise
- Coordinated grant applications
- Less duplication
- Stronger regional outcomes
Caucus for Lisa in March
Help put Lisa on the primary ballot! Become a delegate for Lisa at Larimer County Caucus on March 5th!