Arva-Pride
Community Wildfire Protection Plan, State of Homelessness, Water Rates, Transportation Plan, Federal Advocacy, Call Our Governor
Hey Neighbor!
It is so good to be home, where the weather is the best and the people are even better! And congrats to all our students and their families who are celebrating graduations this month!
đ° Community Beat
Community Wildfire Protection Plan đĽ
Residents of the Arvada Fire Protection District, including the former Fairmount Fire Protection District, are invited to attend an upcoming community meeting to learn about the current draft of our Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP). Each meeting will include a presentation followed by a Q&A session. The same information will be presented at all four events, so you can attend the one that best fits your schedule.
Meeting Dates and Locations
Monday, May 19
Revive Church â 8270 W 80th Ave, Arvada, CO 80005
6:00 â 8:00 p.m.
Tuesday, May 20
Arvada Covenant Church â 5555 Ward Rd, Arvada, CO 80002
6:00 â 8:00 p.m.
Thursday, May 22
Storyline Church â 14605 W 64th Ave, Arvada, CO 80004
6:00 â 8:00 p.m.
Friday, May 23
Storyline Church â 14605 W 64th Ave, Arvada, CO 80004
6:00 â 8:00 p.m.
State of Homelessness Report đď¸
The Metro Denver Homeless Initiative (MDHI), on behalf of Colorado's four Continuums of Care (CoC), has released the state's first-ever State of Homelessness Report, providing critical base-line data and insights on housing instability across Colorado's diverse communities and outlining pathways toward lasting solutions.
The groundbreaking statewide report, funded by the Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA), expands upon MDHI's previous annual reports that focused only on the Denver Metro area. The report also compiles data for a full calendar year (2024) instead of only one single night or the federal fiscal year as with previous reports. This collaborative effort uses data from Colorado's Homeless Management Information System (COHMIS), Point-in-Time (PIT) counts, and the Colorado Department of Education.
Key points include:
The Scale of the Crisis: In 2024, over 52,000 people in Colorado needed help with housing. Each number is a real person with their own storyâneighbors, veterans, parents, and young people. Homelessness affects every community in our state.
The Housing System Isnât Working for Everyone: Colorado doesn't have enough affordable homes. To rent a two-bedroom apartment, someone would need to work 2.6 full-time jobs at minimum wage. This deeply affects single parent families, who have to provide multi-room housing on one income.
Health and Housing Are Connected: More than half of people experiencing homelessness in Colorado have a disabling condition that makes daily life harder. Without a stable home, it's nearly impossible to stay healthy. Having a home makes it easier to get and stay well.
Homelessness Is Solvable When We Work Together: Colorado is the first state working with a program called Built for Zero to make homelessness rare and brief. This brings together housing groups, doctors, government, and local communities. They share data and focus on getting people into homes. Itâs workingâ 7% fewer veterans are homeless since last year.
đ The complete report is here: https://www.cohmis.org/soh2024
đ Whatâs Up at Council
May 20th â Transportation Study Session, Business Items đŁď¸
At 4pm City Council will receive an update about the cityâs transportation plan which council will be approving in the coming months. For the business items, council will be reviewing plans for Community Development Block Grant Funding, an intergovernmental agreement among regional cities regarding criminal records, funding for the cities co-responder program, approving the hire of an additional relief judge, and remitting payment for the new Arvada Aquatics Center.
You can review past business meetings and sessions, such as whatâs behind the need for increased water rates, which we talked about the May 13th meeting, here:
đ Arvada City Council and Study Session Videos
đââď¸ Speak up!
Jefferson County Commissioner Rachel Zenzingerâs latest newsletter asks us to take action to protect the social safety net for Arvadans as Congress moves through its budget reconciliation process. Check out her email at this link and be sure to follow through on the action items. We need to work together to protect each other in these times, and the simple act of calling makes a big difference.
Locally, letâs call our Governor and tell him to passâŚ
đˇ Worker Protection Act
Letâs pass the Worker Protection Act (SB25-005) into law. This bill would undo an antiquated statute from the 1940s that makes it exceedingly difficult for workers to unionize in the state. Stronger labor protections empower workers to organize without fear, seek legal remedies for violations, resulting in stronger and more just communities and economies across Colorado.
đ Advocate for Housing Justice
The Tenant Landlord Enforcement Act (SB25-020), is a key housing justice bill that would empower local governments to enact and strengthen tenant protections. Preemption has long stifled local action - letâs restore local power to meet the needs of Colorado communities.
Thanks for taking steps to keep our country and county working for our communities!
Talk soon,
Shawna Ambrose
Arvada City Councilmember, District Two
970-425-3060