Committee Co-Chairs Ean Tafoya and Christine O’Connor convened the meeting. The following items were discussed:

1. Jeff Hirt of the Community Planning and Development Department (Hirt@denvergov.org, 720-865-3264), who had discussed with the committee last November some proposed changes to the General Development Plan (GDP) process in the zoning code, returned to discuss some further proposed revisions by CPD on that topic. The idea is to eliminate the GDP as a future process and replace it with a Large Development Review process for a development of 5 acres or more (instead of 10 acres), to include consideration of parks and affordable housing in the process and to consider whether there is a current small area plan or neighborhood plan in the area. The revisions are expected to be heard by the City Council in June.
2. Laura Brudzinski, the Director of Housing Programs and Planning in the Office of Economic Development, discussed how affordable housing will be considered in future GDPs. She said that each GDP will be negotiated case-by-case, including whether for-sale or rental, income levels and the length of time for the affordability requirement.
3. Ean Tafoya told the committee that Charles Nadler will be moving to Douglas County and will, therefore, no longer be able to serve as co-chair of this committee and that Christine O’Connor of Lowry United Neighbors has agreed to serve as co-chair with Ean. All members of the committee expressed great thanks to Charles for his service.
4. Dre Chiriboga-Flor, a senior housing organizer for 9 to 5, a women’s labor organization, talked with the committee about issues her organization is working on at the state and city levels, such as more affordable RTD fares, paid family leave and help for displaced residents of mobile home parks. She also talked about a survey of many renters in metro-area low-income neighborhoods which identified these serious challenges for such renters:

• • High-cost of rent
  • High application fees (often non-refundable)
  • High deposit amounts
  • High cost of utilities and other fees
  • Cost of criminal background checks
  • Cost of credit checks
  • Poor maintenance by landlords
  • Pests
  • Rent increases
  • Lack of privacy
  • Lack of a written lease
  • Harassment by landlord or other tenants

She also talked about several pending bills in the legislature which would strengthen renter’s rights. In closing, she said, “Everyone deserves housing.”