Group Living Text Amendment Survey Results
Results from survey on Group Living conducted by the INC ZAP committee
Denver INC recently surveyed its membership regarding how its member RNOs responded to the proposed Group Living Text Amendment. The survey asked three questions:1.Did your RNO take a position regarding the Group Living Text Amendment, as currently proposed by Denver’s Planning Board?2.If yes, please submit the RNO’s position paper to Denver INC.3.If no, please describe why not.A total of 35 RNOs responded to the survey, with 17 having a formal position and the remaining 18 having no formal position. The majority of RNOs that have not taken a formal position explained that they have not had adequate time to review the text amendment with their members. Some indicated that COVID has prevented them for having the opportunity to host meetings and to engage their community.
to be fair, i think this report should say that only about 27% of INC member RNOs are on record opposed to the amendment, 5% in support and 28% with no position; and that INC represents about 28% of all RNOs in Denver
the reasons some RNOs have given for no position are troubling; INC ZAP discussed the work of the Group Living Advisory Committee at four meetings in 2018 and 2019, and now the resulting proposed amendment several times this year, plus a special general session in Feb. 2020; the city has been advising RNOs about this since Feb. 2018 … what went wrong to make RNOs feel like this was a surprise? it appears the continuing machinations are not so much for high-minded information sharing as an attempt to rally support for a specific position
(btw “Baker Historic District” is not an RNO, “Baker Historic Neighborhood Association” is the correct name; it’s also incorrect on the main list of INC member RNOs)
Steve, only one presentation was made to delegates of INC and that was Feb 8 (a very snowy day). Any other presentations were made to a committee. In a recent study done by an INC member organization, 30% of RNO’s did not have a presentation; CPD cites 25 RNO’s (including INC) had a presentation. Considering there are 192 RNO’s, this is “not enough” education throughout Denver. The primary topic is how many unrelated people can live together and very little information about community corrections and homeless shelters “next door” in neighborhoods – or that shelters can expand with weather for up to 130 days with porta potties added for toilets. Details of execution are vague and seeming harmless until one reads the details in the 180+ pages. Rents will not decrease only more people will live together. That means Denver’s affordability issues are not resolved with this change. Landlords and developers are still in charge. Big issue: for the past 10+ years, Council has granted developers opportunities to tear out affordable inventories and erect unaffordable home units. Why didn’t Council think of this THEN instead of stirring the pot now with ideas that are designed to devalue residential neighborhoods throughout the city. Developers will still win here. Residents won’t. And where is the promised re-imagined multi-modal transit promised over a decade ago? Bikes, shoe leather and scooters is hardly the best option for disabled and vulnerable seniors.