Real estate SAN LUIS VALLEY
2019
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PROGRESS
February 20, 2019
719-852-3531 835 First Ave. Monte Vista, Colo.
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Real Estate Progress
Home ownership easier with two special self-help programs
SAN LUIS VALLEY — San Luis Valley residents can help themselves to a new home with two available programs. Colorado Rural Housing Development Corporation (CRHDC) has helped more than 1,700 families build their homes in 30 different counties through its mutual self-help program, which allows new home buyers to take an active role in the construction of their own homes. In this program, participants contribute significant “sweat equity” towards the construction of their home, bringing down development costs and producing a more affordable home. Each family contributes a minimum of 30 hours of labor per week towards the homes for approximately six to eight months. Sonia Chacon, a first time homeowner participant, said: “I think the Mutual Self-Help home program is a great program for people like me. When I first began the home buying process I felt so helpless because I didn’t realize how much was involved. It’s great to be able to work with the CRHDC staff and also be around other families. I’m excited for a place to call my own and not have to waste money any more on renting.” The mutual self-help program provides stable foundations for families, neighborhoods and communities. They are currently seeking interested homeowners in Alamosa to participate in this program. For more information, call 719-589-1680, ext. 11. The programs offered by CRHDC provide Courtesy photo technical assistance in the various aspects of developing agricultural housing, from the A new Habitat for Humanity home is underway on Edison Avenue in Alamosa. pre-application phase through construction, including rent-up and management. This assistance is available to private and public nonprofit organizations in the central and western regions of the U.S. Habitat for Humanity It’s said that home is where the heart is, and nowhere could that be more evident than in the homes built by Habitat for Humanity. Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing ministry building simple, decent homes in partnership with those in need of affordable housing. Families qualify based on their need for decent housing, willingness to partner with Habitat, and their ability to pay the 0 percent interest mortgage. Interested families can contact the organization with any questions. The San Luis Valley Habitat for Humanity began in 1994, and has served nearly 20 families and households in the Valley, including Saguache. As most recent census data indicates, the San Luis Valley is one of the most economically challenged regions in Colorado. Therefore there is a big need of decent, affordable housing. Most of the Habitat homes are built with adobe bricks and make use of passive solar heating. These responsible building techniques help make housing truly affordable with lower energy bills. The Habitat Vision is a world where everyone has a decent place to live. Habitat invites people from all walks of life to join in the mission to eliminate poverty housing worldwide.
Photo by Ruth Heide
Working on a doorway at the construction site of their new homes last March are from left Cherie Sanchez, Brandee Mondragon and Angelica Gallegos as part of the Community Resources and Housing Development Corporation (CRHDC) “self-help” program. The nonprofit unite people around the concept of “putting God’s love into action” along with others from all faiths or with no faith convictions who are interested in helping those in need of improved shelter. And as they head continue in the New Year, the nonprofit’s resolution is to begin building
two houses per year, about double the rate they are currently building. Also offered is the Habitat ReStore, which offers gently used and donated items, with all proceeds going to the housing programs. Phone the store at 719-589-8688 or the main office at 589-8678.
living in unsheltered locations. These vouchers are critical tools in helping communities effectively end homelessness among veterans. “We have few responsibilities greater than making sure those who have sacrificed so much in service to their country have a home they can call their own,” said HUD Secretary Carson. “The housing vouchers awarded today ensure homeless veterans nationwide have access to affordable housing and the critical support services from the VA.” “We are lucky to have such strong partnerships with the VA and housing authorities throughout the state and the Rocky Mountain Region, all of whom work together to build on the success of the HUD-VASH Program,” said HUD Rocky Mountain Deputy Regional Administrator Eric
Cobb. “We will continue to work together to help every veteran find an affordable place to live with the services they need to succeed.” Since 2008, more than 93,000 vouchers have been awarded and approximately 150,000 homeless veterans have been served through the HUDVASH program. More than 600 PHAs administer the HUD-VASH program, and this most recent award includes 22 additional PHAs, increasing HUD-VASH coverage to many communities. Rental assistance and supportive services provided through HUD-VASH are a critical resource for local communities in ending homelessness among our nation’s veterans. In the HUD-VASH program, VA Medical Centers (VAMCs) assess veterans experiencing
Wednesday, February 20, 2019
Enterprise Zone status to help create senior housing
CRESTONE — Crestone Peak Community Housing (CPCH) 501(c)(3) was awarded Enterprise Zone status on Aug. 8, 2018 for its senior affordable housing project – Living Wisdom Village (LWV). The Village will have approximately 20 units and will be located near the town of Crestone. This project is being developed for seniors who are able to live independently. Donors providing $100 or more to the project are eligible to receive a certificate for a 25 percent Colorado Income Tax Credit. For information on how to make a donation and receive your tax credit, contact Akia Tanara at 719-256-4037. The Enterprise Zone Tax Credit was established to support economic development projects throughout the state, and greatly enhances the ability of these projects to reach fruition. For further information about the Enterprise Zone or making contributions, please contact the San Luis Valley Development Resources Group, 719-589-6099. CPCH was formed in 1994 to address the lack of affordable housing for low-income and disadvantaged people in Saguache County, and to design and finance affordable housing to promote economic self-sufficiency and livability. There is a complete lack of senior independent-living facilities in Saguache County, and this market is severely undersupplied in the surrounding Alamosa, Chaffee, Mineral and Rio Grande counties (San Luis Valley). A Housing Market Study completed for Living Wisdom Village in 2016 reported a demand at that time for 93 additional units in Saguache County and 422 additional units in surrounding counties. The study also noted that Saguache County had a 39 percent increase of 65+ from 2000 to 2010, and has a projected 69 percent change in 65+ from 2010 to 2020. Census data for the seven-mile area around the town of Crestone indicates an increase in 65+ persons from 245 in 2010 to 360 in 2017, a 47 percent increase in seven years. The Village will consist of all rental units, including some Section 8 units, and will serve 15 – 35 people, thus providing some relief for the outstanding need for senior housing in Saguache County and the San Luis Valley. This project aims to strengthen capacity while meeting the needs of our aging population, where seniors can maximize the quality of their lives in an environment that offers both privacy and community. It is structured to include a balanced range of income and demographic segments of the county. Living Wisdom Village – Elders Creating Community – aspires to enhance the quality of life for seniors in a community where residents get support from each other and the greater community, their living environment allows them to meet their daily needs more easily, opportunities for social interaction are increased, and their life experiences and acquired skills can be shared more readily. The board of directors is currently working to obtain suitable land for development and raising funds to purchase land. Additional information on the project can be found at www.crestonepeakcommunityhousing.org.
HUD, VA help homeless veterans in Colorado
COLORADO— To help end veteran homelessness, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) awarded $782,869 to provide a permanent home to an estimated 100 veterans experiencing homelessness in Colorado. The rental assistance announced last fall is provided through the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) Program, which combines rental assistance from HUD with case management and clinical services provided by VA. HUD-VASH reduces veteran homelessness because it provides funding for both the housing and supportive services that are essential for ending homelessness for veterans, many of whom are
homelessness before referring them to local housing agencies for these vouchers. Decisions are based on a variety of factors, most importantly the duration of homelessness and the need for longer term, more intensive support in obtaining and maintaining permanent housing. The HUDVASH program includes both the rental assistance the voucher provides and the comprehensive case management that VAMC staff offers. Veterans participating in the HUD-VASH program rent privately owned housing and generally contribute no more than 30 percent of their income toward rent. VA offers eligible homeless veterans clinical and supportive services through its medical centers across the U.S., Guam, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
Wednesday, February 20, 2019
Real Estate Progress
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Property tax assessments caught up, assessor reports
By Teresa L. Benns
SAGUACHE COUNTY— After struggling for six years to recover from backlogged property appraisals, Saguache County Assessor Peter Peterson reported Feb. 13 that the county has now entered nearly all properties previously not reported into its new software system. The county had numerous problems with the old Pueblo system, Peterson explained, and is now using the Eagle-Tyler software system equipped with GIS, which makes tracking new properties and structures much easier. He also points to the hiring of two data collector assistants, who he credits with helping his office catch up on the unaccounted-for properties. Last year $13 million was added to the tax rolls in actual value and over $3 million in assessed value. Peterson said he is proud of the progress he and his staff have made and says they are dedicated to continuing to go the extra mile. Peterson says he has completed over 250 hours of class time in his assessor’s classes and is continuing to train his office staff. He also cites a successfully completed audit conducted by independent auditors Wildrose Appraisal Inc., the standard process used to confirm county assessors are complying with state law, as proof the county is in compliance with assessing standards. The auditors use both a procedural analysis and a statistical analysis to determine compliance, but all data for the analysis is provided by Saguache County. The analysis is a controlled study admitting no outside comparisons.
lished by the State Property Tax Administrator. Individual sections of the audit examine each facet of the appraisal process. The conclusions for these sections will be listed below.
Agricultural Statistics. Expenses used by the county were allowable expenses and were in an acceptable range. Grazing lands carrying capacities were in an acceptable range. Saguache County has substantially complied Sales ratios with the procedures provided by the Division After applying the above described method- of Property Taxation for the valuation of ologies, it is concluded from the sales ratios agricultural outbuildings. that Saguache County is in compliance with Agricultural land under improvements SBOE, DPT and Colorado State Statute valuSaguache County has substantially complied ation guidelines. with the procedures provided by the Division of Property Taxation for the valuation of land Time trending verification After verification and analysis, it has been under residential improvements that may or determined that Saguache County has complied may not be integral to an agricultural operation. with the statutory requirements to analyze the Sales verification effects of time on value in their county. SaguaSaguache County appears to be doing a good che County has also satisfactorily applied the results of their time trending analysis to arrive job of verifying their sales. WRA agreed with the county’s reason for disqualifying each of at the time adjusted sales price (TASP). the sales selected in the sample. There are no Sold/unsold analysis recommendations or suggestions. After applying the above described None Economic area review and evaluation methodologies, it is concluded that Saguache County is reasonably treating its sold and unAfter review and analysis, it has been detersold properties in the same manner. mined that Saguache County has adequately identified homogeneous economic areas Agricultural land study and agricultural comprised of smaller neighborhoods. Each outbuildings economic area defined is equally subject to a An analysis of the agricultural land data set of economic forces that impact the value indicates an acceptable appraisal of this of the properties within that geographic area property type. Directives, commodity prices and this has been adequately addressed. Each and expenses provided by the PTA were economic area defined adequately delineates an properly applied. County yields compared area that will give “similar values for similar favorably to those published by Colorado properties in similar areas.”
Saguache County Assessor Peter Peterson
Possessory interest properties Saguache County has implemented a discovery process to place possessory interest properties on the roll. They have also correctly and consistently applied the correct procedures and valuation methods in the valuation of possessory interest properties.
Personal property audit Saguache County has employed adequate discovery, classification, documentation, valuation, and auditing procedures for their personal property assessment and is in statistical compliance with SBOE requirements. No recommendations for improvement were suggested for any of these categories.
Audit results According to the audit document, the procedural analysis includes all classes of property and specifically looks at how the assessor develops economic areas, confirms and qualifies sales, and develops time adjustments. The audit also examines the procedures for adequately discovering, classifying and valuing agricultural outbuildings, discovering subdivision buildout and subdivision discounting procedures. Valuation methodology for vacant land, improved residential properties and commercial properties is examined. Procedures for producing mines, oil and gas leaseholds and lands producing, producing coal mines, producing earth and stone products, severed mineral interests and non-producing patented mining claims are also reviewed. Statistical analysis is performed on vacant land, residential properties, commercial/ industrial properties, agricultural land, and personal property. The statistical study results are compared with State Board of Equalization compliance requirements and the manuals pub- Interesting agricultural statistics form the Wildrose audit report.
2018 a year of contrasts across Colorado markets
COLORADO—The year 2018 was full of tremendous contrasts across most Colorado markets, giving both sellers and buyers opportunities to take advantage of ever-changing market conditions, according to the latest monthly market trends data from the Colorado Association of REALTORS®. While both market trends experts and economists have been looking at the potential of a shifting real estate market in 2019, the evidence of softening markets is not universal across Colorado and is dependent on the neighborhood, down
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to the zip code, further reinforcing the narrative that all real estate is local. With the volatility in the stock market, mortgage interest rates have unexpectedly dropped to 12-month lows, resuscitating interest from buyers and allowing sellers to capitalize on a reignited estate market in early 2019. Coupled with dropping rates, affordability actually eased a bit in the later months of 2018. Statewide, December’s Affordability Index looked similar to that seen in early 2018. Despite this, December’s median prices actually went up
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.04 percent over November’s numbers (and still up 3.7 percent year over year), and average prices spiked 1.3 percent from prices seen in November (up 5.8 percent from this time last year). As expected for the winter months, days on market continued to trend upward to 57 days and 52 days for single-family homes and townhomes/condos, respectively. Despite the increase in listings coming onto the market in the later half of 2018, providing buyers with more choices than they’d seen in early 2018 and late 2017, new listings in December took a
dive with only 3,868 listings, down 36.5 percent from the 6,095 listings that hit the market in November; though buyers should note that such trending is not unusual during the holiday months and that we may see a resurgence of listings hit the market in 2019 as we edge our way towards the warmer months. Statewide, sold listings followed the same pattern as new listings with a 11.8 percent drop in sold listings over the previous month, down 15.8 percent year over year. The complete reports are available online at: http://www.coloradorealtors.com/market-trends/
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Real Estate Progress
Wednesday, February 20, 2019
Choman wins national Good Neighbor Award
ALAMOSA – Realtor® Chet Choman with Colorado Realty and Land Co., in Alamosa was announced in October as one of five winners chosen by the National Association of Realtors® for the Good Neighbor Award. Choman was selected for co-founding the nonprofit La Puente Home Inc., which was one of the first rural homeless shelters in the country. Today, La Puente Home is a 45-bed shelter that also operates many outreach services, including after-school programs and 15 food pantries, serving about 16,000 people annually. That’s one out of every three people in a six-county area larger than the state of Massachusetts. “This year ’s Good Neighbor Award winners have touched our hearts,” says National Association of Realtors® President Elizabeth Mendenhall, CEO of RE/ MAX Boone Realty in Columbia, Missouri. “They have stepped forward to transform lives and make a positive impact on our world one community at a time. I am proud to honor Chet for easing the struggles of homelessness and hunger for so many people in Colorado.” Choman, co-founder of La Puente Home Inc. and a member of the organization’s board of directors for nearly 40 years, understands homelessness firsthand. He was born inside a displaced persons camp in Germany following the end of World War II. His parents had spent five years in a concentration camp and another five in the displaced persons camp before immigrating to the U.S. in 1951. “When you have that background, you have a sensitivity toward homeless people,” Choman says. To read Choman’s full story and watch
Chet Choman his video, go to realtorm.ag/Choman. Choman, along with four other Good Neighbor Award winners across the country, will receive a $10,000 grant for their charity and will be featured in the NovemberDecember issue of REALTOR® Magazine. The recipients will also be presented with crystal trophies on Saturday, November 3, during the 2018 REALTORS® Conference & Expo in Boston. NAR’s Good Neighbor Awards is supported by primary sponsor realtor.com® and Wells Fargo Home Mortgage. Nominees were judged on their personal con-
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tribution of time as well as financial and material contributions to benefit their cause. To be eligible, nominees must be NAR members in good standing. “The Realtors® recognized as Good Neighbors are outstanding examples of the commitment to community that’s so important in the real estate industry,” said realtor.com® CEO Ryan O’Hara. “Home is everything to us at realtor.com®, and that’s a value we share with each and every one of NAR’s members. Realtor.com® is proud to sponsor the Good Neighbor Awards program, and we look forward to
continuing our long-standing partnership with the industry as we work together to make meaningful connections between consumers and Realtors®.” The Good Neighbor Awards have been granted annually since 2000. More than $1.1 million in grants have been awarded to the winners’ charities. Nominees were judged on their personal contribution of time as well as financial and material contributions to benefit their cause. More information about the Good Neighbor Awards winners is available at www.realtor.org/gna.
CRHDC recognizes Al Gold upon 2018 retirement
ALAMOSA — On Nov. 2 Community Resources and Housing Development Corporation (CRHDC) recognized its long-standing executive director with a celebratory event last Friday evening in Alamosa. The retirement celebration was to honor Al Gold and his 43 years of service at Community Resources and Housing Development Corporation. Alamosa Mayor Ty Coleman and Councilman Charlie Griego read and presented Gold with a proclamation from the City of Alamosa honoring his retirement. A slideshow of photos was on display throughout the night depicting Al Gold and his broad body of work over the years. Colleagues, friends, and family were in attendance had an opportunity to share stories and give their thanks. Gold took a moment to address and thank the people who have worked for and with him over his years at CRHDC and recalled his upbringing as the child of farmworkers in Monte Vista. Under Gold’s leadership the organization has built of 2,500 units of affordable housing for low- and moderate-income earners.
About CRHDC CRHDC has been providing pathways to housing resources and asset-building opportunities in Colorado for 47 years. The organization uses innovative approaches in providing sustainable and affordable housing, life-skills, and economic development opportunities to benefit low-to-moderate income households throughout Colorado through property development, financing, education, partnership, and technical Al Gold is honored for his 43 years of service at Community Resources and Housing Development Corporation. assistance. www.crhdc.org, 719-589-1680.
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Four simple ways to help cut mortgage costs
Monthly mortgage payments are the biggest single expense for many homeowners. So it’s understandable why plenty of homeowners would love to trim those costs. • Make bi-weekly payments. Making biweekly instead of once-a-month payments can save homeowners substantial amounts of money. A year’s worth of once-a-month payments equates to 12 payments per year. But homeowners who pay on a bi-weekly basis will make 26 half payments, or 13 full
payments, per year. That extra annual payment can be applied directly to the principal, dramatically reducing how much homeowners pay in interest over the life of their loans. • Stop paying PMI. Homeowners whose initial down payments are less than 20 percent of the sale price will have to pay private mortgage insurance, or PMI. But once the balances on such mortgages falls below 80 percent, homeowners can cancel such insurance. Homeowners may also be able
to stop paying PMI by having their homes reappraised. • Refinance the loan. Refinancing a loan also can save homeowners substantial amounts of money each month. Homeowners are typically eligible for lower interest rates when refinancing their loans, meaning they will pay less in interest each month. However, refinancing is not free, so homeowners should first check the going home interest rates and examine their credit scores to see
if the interest rate they’re likely to get upon refinancing will save them money. The cost of refinancing might be more than homeowners can save. • Request a tax reassessment. Real estate values increase and decrease, and homeowners who feel their homes have decreased in value can request that their homes be reassessed. Homeowners whose homes are assessed at a value lower than the current value can expect to pay less each month in taxes.
Wednesday, February 20, 2019
Real Estate Progress
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Energy Resource Center settles in new location
S taff Report
ALAMOSA — The San Luis Valley branch of the Energy Resource Center moved to its new location in August 2018. Their office is now located at 2311 Commerce Circle in Alamosa. The center hopes to expand the service that it has been providing to the San Luis Valley since 1979. Thanks to the assistance of Alamosa State Bank and Commercial Lenders/Assistant Vice Presidents Joe Martinez and Danielle Van Veghten, the Energy Resource Center was able find a great rate for the cost of the building. The new facility will provide more space for the potential growth of the operation. The Energy Resource Center is part of a statewide network of offices that include Colorado Springs, Denver and Loveland. The mission of the Energy Resource Center is to improve home energy efficiency, conserve energy, promote health, and increase comfort and expand quality of life for all Coloradans. The center is a part of numerous weatherization assistance programs for low-income housing including the Weatherization Assistance Program that is a part of the Colorado Energy Office, Colorado’s Affordable Residential Energy Program, and the San
Luis Valley Rural Electric Coop Residential Weatherization Program. Another program that the ERC provides is called NEEP or the Non Profit Energy Efficiency Program. These are services that are available to area non-profits that qualify. There is a standard procedure used for the selection of jobs that the Energy Resource Center performs. The first step is to determine if a home qualifies. Anyone can contact the center to find out if they qualify. Families that receive LEAP, SNAP, TANF, AND, OAP, SSI or SSDI assistance can also qualify to have their homes weatherized for free. The second step is to have trained professionals from the center perform a complete energy assessment of the home and check for health and safety hazards. The updates that may be installed can include adding insulation to walls, attics and subspace. The furnace and refrigerator will also be inspected and replaced or repaired if necessary. Other improvements can include the installation of LED lighting, carbon monoxide and smoke detectors. The Energy Resource Center has corrected carbon monoxide in nearly 30 percent of the homes they have serviced. There is also testing that is done
Are you playing REALTOR roulette?
Are you a gambler? Maybe you are, and sometimes that comes out in your favor. Or maybe, it is just fun to take a little of your hard earned money and throw it at luck and see if it goes your way? Well no matter why or how you choose to gamble, we normally do not look at our homes or investments as something we want to gamble with. Our home is usually our largest investment, it is where we spend most of our time and often our money and we expect to get a return out of it someday. Mentioning time, time is also valuable and it seems we try to squeeze a little more out of each day. When you put time and money together we want to be efficient with both. With this said, finding a Realtor to work for you is not where you want to spin the wheel and see if the ball lands on your lucky number. Let me tell you a story. This story I think is more common for a lot of people who are looking for their first house. I will call her Katie for the purpose of the story. Katie decided it was time to start looking into buying her first home. Like most, she saw a house she liked and called the Realtor on the sign. Well, the house didn’t work out, a little dejected she gave the search a rest. A couple months later, after calling a couple more Realtors on signs she saw in yards, she decided not all Realtors are created equal. Another month went by before Katie was ready to look again. This time she went off of a family referral, for all purposes, her father is committed to this Realtor because he doesn’t like change. So, Realtor #5 looked up multiple houses, set up showings and out they went to view her new options. Unfortunately, those houses were not quite what Katie had told her Realtor she was looking for. By this time Katie was finding some Realtors are friendly, some Realtors are not good at getting back to you and others are more worried about selling the house they have listed than representing you as a client. Determined, Katie did not give up, she knew she needed to find a house that fit her family and it was out there. She remembered an acquaintance through work who was in the real estate business and decided to give her a call. The first house was nice but the yard was too small. The second house had too many issues for Katie to take on, and the third house is still up for debate. Overall, the last Realtor Katie found listened to what Katie’s needs were, did not try to talk her into something she did not want, and Katie’s expectations for what she needed in a Realtor was met.
It is a big misconception that you must work with the Realtor that has the property listed. Any Realtor can show any property to their client. How do you figure out which Realtor will be that fit for you? You decide. Remember, Realtors are in the service business with education, experience and knowledge to help Buyers and Sellers navigate through this difficult process and they work for you. Just remember that time is very valuable and there needs to be a commitment between you and your Realtor to communicate and navigate the process together.
Photo by Helen Smith
Energy Resource Center has moved to 2311 Commerce Circle in Alamosa./Courier photo by Helen Smith for harmful substances such as radon. The ERC employees are all highly certified in areas such as NATE (North American Technician Excellence). The ERC crew travels to projects across the Valley almost on a daily basis. Altogether, the Alamosa center performs approximately 320 jobs a year. In 2017, there were 1,613 homes that were serviced in Denver, Colorado Springs and Alamosa. One hundred percent of the profits gener-
ated from these jobs are reinvested. There is only 4 percent of revenue spent on administration. Charlie Sanchez, the director for the Alamosa office, expressed that he is committed to keeping the portion of statewide funding the center receives as well as the jobs right here in the Valley. He hopes that the center can continue to grow and continue to improve the quality of life for Valley residents. “We are here to serve,” he said.
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Real Estate Progress
Wednesday, February 20, 2019
‘State of Our Cities & Towns’ report shared COLORADO— This year, the Colorado Municipal League (CML) released its 10th edition of the State of Our Cities & Towns report. The survey asked municipalities to look back at the challenges they encountered in the aftermath of the Great Recession and the successes they have had in the face of this adversity. CML also asked its members to identify the emerging issues they see on the horizon and the opportunities they have to address them. Of the 159 Colorado municipalities responding to the survey, several were from the San Luis Valley including Alamosa, Blanca, Center, Crestone, Monte Vista, Saguache and South Fork. Key findings from the report included: • Most municipalities have better financial health today than just before the recession. The most common lasting impacts of the Great Recession are delayed maintenance of capital improvement projects and lagging economic growth; one-quarter of municipalities experienced no lasting impacts from the recession. • Feelings about the local economy and municipal revenue have improved steadily since 2011. On average, municipalities thought their local economy was better than the benchmark of the previous year. • The greatest challenges municipalities face are unfunded street maintenance and improvement needs, lack of affordable housing, tight labor markets, unfunded water/wastewater improvement needs, increased health insurance costs, and increased demand for municipal services. • Major challenges have varied over the years. From 2008 to 2011, common major
challenges were slow growth in tax revenues, adverse local economic conditions, declining state funding, and decreases in tax revenues. From 2012 to 2015, common major challenges included unfunded street maintenance and improvement needs, federal and state mandated expenditures, and decline in federal funding. From 2016 to 2018, common major challenges included lack of affordable housing, tight labor market, and increased demand for municipal services. On average, unfunded street maintenance and improvement needs was the most common major challenge across years. • Most municipalities have a positive financial outlook for the next five years. Only one in 10 municipalities has a negative outlook for the next five years; these municipalities are all small or mid-sized. • Budget constraints and housing affordability are the two most common challenges municipalities expect to face in the next five years. Housing a challenge One enduring challenge stood out: Housing. Twenty-six percent of respondents answered that it was “somewhat worse” than 10 years ago, and 17 percent stated it was “much worse.” Only 3 percent said that it was “much better.” Focusing in on the past three years alone, not a single municipality responded that housing had gotten “much better,” and 56 percent selected “somewhat worse” or “much worse.” Even these numbers, however, fail to fully encapsulate the concern felt by public officials around the state about the lack of affordable housing options in their communities. Respondents described the supply of housing as “insufficient,” “unattainable,” or
“in disrepair,” while they described the need as “critical,” “significant,” and “desperate.” Overall, as one municipality reported, the picture is “bleak.”= Given the severity of the housing crisis, it is not only starter homes that some communities are struggling to provide. Municipalities mentioned the need for housing throughout the price spectrum. Multiple respondents lamented the high cost of water, shortage of skilled labor, and proliferation of short-term rentals exacerbating the issue. Rural cities and towns have reported difficulty attracting developers willing to build in their area even as the demand is growing, and many existing homes have been neglected or abandoned. A lack of affordable housing options has cascading effects. Ultimately, housing challenges can contribute to slower economic growth, as reported by 40 percent of respondents. The increase in housing costs also has had a noticeable impact on the number of homeless individuals within communities around the state. While only 20 percent of respondents reported an increase in homelessness directly connected to affordable housing challenges, 37 percent reported an increase in homelessness in the past three years due to any factors, with that number skyrocketing to 95 percent in municipalities with a population greater than 25,000. This increase has left municipalities struggling to find enough resources to provide services for homeless individuals. In the face of these challenges, municipal leaders are taking action. Forty-two percent of respondents either currently have a housing affordability plan or plan to create one in the next three years, and 61 percent work
Tips to avoid foreclosure
By Anthony Guerrero
SAN LUIS VALLEY— With an uncertain economy sometimes new and existing homeowners find themselves in a financial bind. One of the unfortunate side effects of struggling with income is often finding a person’s home in foreclosure. Foreclosure happens when you fail to make your mortgage payments. It then becomes a legal process in which lenders can repossess your home. This requires an occupant to leave their home. A deficiency judgement can also occur if the property is deemed at less value than what is owed to the lender; when this occurs in addition to losing the home the borrower will also owe more money to the bank. This is an issue that can hit the citizens of communities of any size. In Alamosa, the Valley’s largest populated town, and the economic and business hub of the region, there are currently homeowners who find themselves in this difficult situation. The Alamosa County Treasurer’s Office is currently reporting that 17 properties are in foreclosure. This is not a circumstance that any person desires to be in. It can take an emotional toll and can decrease the ability to have a stable and safe home to live in. It can also impact children, jobs and relationships. It is important to try and avoid having a home default into foreclosure. There are several tips that can help a homeowner avoid this terrible situation.
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Foreclosure can result in repossession of a home by a lender. There are several tips to avoid this unfortunate situation. The first notices received will often entail good information about foreclosure prevention options. Later notices are usually important notices of impending legal actions. It is important to open and read these documents as failing to open and have knowledge of their contents is not a viable excuse should you find yourself in foreclosure court.
Don’t ignore the problem Ignoring the problem will cause you to fall Know your mortgage rights further behind. That then makes it more difFind your original loan documents, read ficult to reinstate the loan and more likely that them and become familiar with them so you your property will be repossessed. know what your lender may do if you are unable to make your payments. Be sure to learn Contact your lender about the foreclosure laws applicable to the Most lenders do not actually want to own state you reside in. This information can generyour house. It is important to contact them ally be found be asking the state government once you realize you may have a problem. They housing office. usually have several options and programs you can work through to help through difficalt Contact a HUD-approved housing counfinancial times. selor Open and respond to all mail from lenders The U.S. Department of Housing and Ur-
ban Development (HUD) funds free or very low housing counseling nationwide. Housing counselors can help you understand the law and your options, organize your finances and represent you in negotiations with your lender if you need this assistance. You can find the nearest HUD-approved counselor by calling 1-800-569-4287. Avoid potential scams Be weary of companies that charge high fees or that claim they can stop your foreclosure immediately if you sign a document appointing them to act on your behalf. Your lender or HUD will often provide these same services for free if you contact them. Signing a document can also be a scam in which you are signing your title over and will lose your ownership rights and becoming a renter in your own property. Never sign these documents without consulting an attorney, a real estate professional or HUD.
with a local or regional housing authority. Cities and towns are fast-tracking land use applications and waiving permit fees on affordable housing projects, zoning for tiny homes, and entering into agreements with developers to place deed restrictions on certain properties. CML also has committed to facing the housing crisis head-on as part of its commitment to serving the cities and towns of Colorado. The 2019 State of Our Cities & Towns survey provided the data to confirm that cities and towns need support on this topic. Earlier this month, CML released a magazine dedicated to affordable housing and produced a podcast on homelessness. Complete survey results and resources can be found at www.cml.org/state-of. CML is a non-profit, non-partisan organization established in 1923 and represents the interests of 270 cities and towns. For more information on the Colorado Municipal League, please visit www.cml.org
Connie Goodnight
Goodnight honored as Two Years AIOREP’S 10 Best in Colorado SOUTH FORK — The American Institute of Real Estate Agents has recognized the exceptional performance of Colorado’s Real Estate Agent Connie Goodnight as Two Years 10 Best Real Estate Agents for Client Satisfaction. Goodnight has been a licensed real estate agent in Colorado for more than a dozen years and is currently associated with Land Properties, LLC, South Fork. She has been in Colorado for nearly 20 years and moved from the Dallas area. She and her husband Robert, a contractor whose company Goodnight Construction builds custom homes and specializes in remodeling, bought a campground, Goodnight’s Lonesome Dove, which they owned and operated for 13 years. She loves the area and enjoys helping her customers find the perfect home, investment, commercial property or business they are looking for. The American Institute of Real Estate Agents is a third-party rating organization that publishes an annual list of the Top 10 Real Estate Agents in each state. Agents who are selected to the “10 Best” list must pass AIOREP’s rigorous selection process, which is based on client and/or peer nominations, thorough research, and AIOREP’s independent evaluation. AIOREP’s annual list was created to be used as a resource for clients during the selection process. One of the most significant aspects of the selection process involves agents’ relationships and reputation among his or her clients. As clients should be am agent’s top priority, AIOREP places the utmost emphasis on selecting agents who have achieved significant success in the field of Real Estate without sacrificing the service and support they provide. Selection criteria therefore focus on agents who demonstrate the highest standards of Client Satisfaction. AIOREP congratulates Connie Goodnight this achievement and is honored to have her as a Two Years AIOREP Member. She also earned the Best of HomeLight Award in 2018 for being in the Top 1% of agents in the area. Contact Connie Goodnight at 719-5800246.
Wednesday, February 20, 2019
Real Estate Progress
Page 7
Diversifying affordable housing in the Valley SAN LUIS VALLEY— A small yet determined group is looking to offer more affordable housing solutions to the area with the rise in funding opportunities to rural areas. The San Luis Valley Housing Coalition already supports the Valley by helping low-income households with subsidized rental complexes and home-ownership programs, but is looking to continue its aid with hopes for new program development in the future. Currently, the coalition has two apartment complexes where residents pay 30 percent of their income (if they income qualify)— High Valley Manor located in Monte Vista and Casita de la Luna located in Alamosa. High Valley Manor has 33 units for lowincome households and Casita has 28 units for low-income elderly-disabled households; households at either place make less than 30 percent the annual median income (very lowincome) set by USDA Rural Development, which is currently at $23,600 for a single person and $30,300 for a family of three in Alamosa and Rio Grande counties. The other long-time programs are down payment assistance and home rehabilitation assistance. The down payment assistance can help with up to half of a down payment requirement of the first mortgage. This allows households to buy a home even if they do not qualify for a low down payment loan. The home rehabilitation assistance helps those who already own their home but struggle to pay for high cost upgrades and renovations that affect their health and safety. These programs are for households under 80 percent annual median income (low-income), currently at $37,700 for a single person and $48,450 for a family of three. These are all great programs that have been running for 15-25 years. The coalition is currently experiencing a transition now that staff and focus has become more sustainable from the past several years. The coalition is looking to purchase a new office building, as the current space being rented is less than 600 square feet (not quite enough room for storage).
They are also in the beginning stages of developing new programs to address further housing problems in the San Luis Valley. The larger projects being looked into are a Large Family Rent-to-Own Program, a Solar Rehab Project, and eventually a Transitional Housing Complex in Alamosa. Here are the highlights of what each program looks like: Large Family Rent-to-Own Program Most affordable housing in the Valley is apartments with no more than one or two bedrooms. Large households with several kids do not have the options that smaller households do. At the same time, larger households have more mouths to feed, but usually still only have a two-person income. Their housing budget isn’t any higher than smaller households but they need more space and more bedrooms. The Rent-toOwn program will be designed to help those households achieve home-ownership within their budgets. The plan is to escrow part of their rental payment to go towards the down payment requirement when they do buy. This plan allows them to maintain some equity at purchase as well. Solar Rehab Project This is a project that is already started but with limited funding. The issue stems from oxygen companies no longer supplying liquid oxygen tanks to the Valley due to costs. Many can switch to oxygen concentrators, but, it is well known that many households live off grid in the Valley. These households generally have solar power and generators for electric supply, neither of which are designed to have the capacity to run the high energy pull of oxygen concentrators. The project launched is currently funded by the Colorado Division of Housing through the rehabilitation funds until a more sustainable solution is found. The project provides the solar power necessary for the households that need it to breathe. This includes, panels, batteries, hookups – the entire setup through the local Energy Resource Center.
Transitional Housing Complex There is a huge need not just in the Valley, but statewide, for people transitioning out of prison, jail, homelessness or mental institutions. These people have a hard time obtaining jobs with their history and many have rental, foreclosure or eviction records that disqualify them from other affordable housing. The state is willing to fund these projects through organizations like the SLV Housing Coalition. It requires a lot of planning, man-power and collaboration. The coalition is looking to partner with local organizations to build a rental complex for these situations. This is a process that takes several years and probably won’t be a focus until more staff positions are acquired along with the new office space. It is a no brainer— any organization looking to help the community, NEEDS community support, and for individuals in the community to discuss their concerns and personal stories. The coalition is reaching out to everyone in the Valley and asking for help. In the past, although they’ve helped 94 households buying a home, 130 households fix up their homes, and hundreds of households with rentals, they’ve had little marketing and presence in the community otherwise. The coalition is really pushing for more community involvement with programs, including fundraising, volunteers, donations, forums, etc. Affordable housing is an obvious issue in the Valley, with 38 percent of households making less than $25,000 and 27 percent only making $25,000-49,999, where the state overall stands at 19 percent and 23 percent (SLVDRG 2016 Statistical Report). This is with an average household size hovering
around two (CHFA SLV Occupancy and Rent), which, according to USDA Rural Development, is very low-income at $26,950 income. Meaning, over 38 percent are considered very low-income and up to an additional 27 percent are low-income. The general guidelines is that households should only pay 30 percent of income towards housing; at the max, the very lowincome family of two shouldn’t pay more than $673. In other words, more than 38 percent of households in the area cannot afford a home worth more than about $125,000 with traditional financing of 20 percent down payment and 5 percent interest at 30 years where the median home value in Alamosa, Rio Grande, Conejos, Costilla, Saguache and Mineral counties averaged $154,450 in 2016 (datausa.io). In order to help these households, the San Luis Valley needs funding, not only to purchase a new office and help start up new programs, but to show potential grantors and contributors backing of the community. The more people who voice their concern for the affordability of the Valley’s housing market and options to fix it, the more likely individual contributors and larger institutions are willing to fund projects that address those issues. For anybody that would like to donate or discuss the coalition’s programs in general, please call 719-587-9807 or email admin@ slvhc.com. They also have a GoFundMe page running, “Help the Housing Coalition Buy a Home,” for funds going towards the down payment in the purchase of our new office space. This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
Tipton bills would protect water, private property rights
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Scott Tipton (CO-03) reintroduced two bills that are critical to the protection of water and private property rights. The Water Rights Protection Act (H.R. 579) upholds federal deference to state water law and prevents federal takings of privately held water rights. The Protection and Transparency for Adjacent Landowners Act (H.R. 580) increases transparency and certainty for private landowners during a federal land acquisition, reclassification or resurvey process. Congressman Tipton said, “Private property rights must be protected at all costs and these bills get straight to the point. The federal government should not have the right to seize private water rights as a condition of renewing permits. The Water Rights Protection Act would ensure the protection of this precious resource
that is vital to ski areas, farmers, ranchers, and other businesses in the West. “When the federal government acquires land, it runs the risk of devaluing adjacent privately-owned land, and in some instances, resurveys of public lands will result in the re-classification of lands previously thought to be private as public. We need the Protection and Transparency for Adjacent Landowners Act to require notification to be given to private land owners in these circumstances. Private landowners deserve transparency and must be given the opportunity to protect their livelihoods.” The Water Rights Protection Act has gained support from the National Ski Areas Association, Colorado Water Congress, and the American Farm Bureau Federation. The bill: √ Prohibits agencies from imple-
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menting a permit condition that requires the transfer of privately-held water rights to the federal government in order to receive or renew a permit for the use of land; √ Prohibits the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture from imposing other conditions that require the transfer of water rights without just compensation; √ Upholds longstanding federal deference to state water law; √ Maintains environmental safeguards and will not impact Bureau of Reclamation water contracts in any way. Likewise, the legislation will have no impact any authority existing within a jurisdiction. These are outside the scope of the legislation; √ Has no cost to taxpayers. The Protection and Transparency for Adjacent Landowners Act: Requires the Bureau of Land Man-
agement (BLM) and the United States Forest Service (USFS) to provide advance written notice to each owner of land that is located adjacent to a parcel of land that is to be acquired by the agency; If the BLM or USFS determines that property previously believed to be private property should be reclassified as federal land, the private landowner must have the first right of refusal to purchase the land at fair market value, or be reimbursed for the fair market value of any significant improvements they made to the land; If the BLM or USFS determines that property previously believed to be private property should be reclassified as federal land, the private landowner cannot be charged with trespassing unless they access the land after they had knowledge that the land was owned by the federal government.
Now Taking Applications
Casita de la luna Alamosa’s elderly disabled apartment community is open. Spacious 1 & 2 bedroom apartments. Rent is based on income. Must meet eligibility criteria. Applications may be picked up at: 1410 W. 11th St. • Alamosa or call 589-4970 Office Hours: Mon.-Fri. 1 - 5p.m.
This institution is an equal opportunity provider, and employer.
Page 8
Real Estate Progress
Wednesday, February 20, 2019
New park coming to Montana Azul Subdivision
Staff Report
ALAMOSA — A new park in a growing subdivision of Alamosa has been delayed but is still on track for construction, Alamosa Parks & Recreation Director Andy Rice said during a late November community meeting in the Montana Azul Subdivision. Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) funded the Montana Azul Park, rating it #1 out of more than 50 projects in 2017, Rice said. “They saw the value in bringing a park to a portion of Alamosa that really needed it,” he said. He added that construction was anticipated in the spring of this year, but a closer look at the design resulted in changes that delayed the project until next spring. Rice explained that initially the Montana Azul Park was designed to serve a dual purpose as a park and storm drainage area, with a portion of the park on top of detention ponds where water would collect and evaporate. The belief was that the water would evaporate in a couple of days. However, when the city asked Reynolds Engineering to analyze the evaporation and dissipation rates, the firm found that any above average precipitation would put the park under water for at least a month or so. Alamosa Public Works Director Mark Wright added that a 100-year event (the potential for that occurring being one percent every year) would take 86 days to evaporate. “Even in an above average year it would be a few weeks under water,” Rice said, “not a couple of days like we hoped.” With that knowledge, the city went back to the drawing board to redesign the park to accommodate storm water drainage (in an open area that will utilize native vegetation) apart from park amenities, which will still include such features as a soccer field, trails and 24-foot gazebo that can be used for group events. The park will include adaptive oriented elements for those with disabilities. Some of the features had to be moved around somewhat, Rice explained. For example, the bathrooms were moved closer to Foster
LEAP offers heating assistance to help pay portion of heating bills
Avenue. Rice added that the city received $94,000 from the Colorado Health Foundation to build a playground on the other side of the street, and that is still in the works for 2019. The playground is the only portion of the park funded for that side of the street, and the city will seek funding to complete that phase, Rice explained. He said the first phase, which was delayed in 2018, would likely begin construction in March or April of 2019. Wright added, “When it makes sense for us to push around the dirt, we will push around the dirt.” Wright explained that the project would be completed partially by city crews and partially by contractors. Rice said the city parks crew would also be involved, for example planting the vegetation for the soccer field, which will entail low-water, playable vegetation. San Luis Valley Farm Worker Housing Corp. Director Raymond Hurtado, who manages the Photo by Ruth Heide Tierra Nueva Apartments near the new park Alamosa Parks & Recreation Director Andy Rice describes changes to the Montana Azul Park site, said, “I am excited. The kids are excited.” design during a meeting Monday evening in theTierra Nueva Apartments Community Room.
SAN LUIS VALLEY— As the temperatures continue to dip further below freezing, 1 in 4 Original Montana Azul Park plan Colorado families will struggle to pay their home heating costs. Colorado’s Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP) can help many of these families by providing a portion of the heating bill to qualified individuals and families. LEAP’s goal is to put warmth in every home. Unfortunately, many who could qualify, don’t take advantage of the federally-funded program. The shutdown has not impacted LEAP and the ability to provide resources to those in need. LEAP has a new online application process and is accepting applications through April 30. As of early January, more than 47,200 applications across the state have been approved for LEAP benefits. LEAP benefits are intended to help pay a portion of heating bills to alleviate some of the burden associated with the colder months. LEAP does not provide financial assistance for any type of temporary or portable heating, and in most cases, the energy assistance benefit is paid directly to the energy supplier. To qualify for LEAP assistance, the household must pay home heating costs, either directly to a utility company or a landlord as part of the rent. Applicants must also be permanent, legal residents of the United States and a Colorado resident or have household members that are U.S. citizens. Residents qualify for LEAP earn a maximum family household income that does not exceed 165 percent of the federal poverty index. A list of eligibility requirements can be seen by going to https://bit.ly/2FmntZh. Those interested in taking advantage of LEAP should visit https://bit.ly/2Fs4fAH to access the application form or call HEAT HELP at 1-866-432-8435.