Paonia Housing Action Plan
Credits: Marissa Mommaerts, Lyn Howe, Dave Knutson
Listening Session: Paonia Housing Plan
A key takeaway from Paonia’s recent Housing Action Plan is that addressing our housing crisis will require cooperation among multiple stakeholders. The plan references the local nonprofit Fertile Edge Community Land Trust (FECLT) multiple times as a potential collaborator. FECLT can be instrumental in holding land on behalf of the community and keeping housing costs permanently affordable.
The Role of Community Land Trusts in Providing Affordable Housing
Community Land Trusts (CLTs) are nonprofit organizations that move land into community stewardship and create permanently affordable housing and agricultural land.
Communities across the country are using CLTs to address their housing crises. FECLT is based in Paonia, led and governed by locals, and can support the Town of Paonia in its housing work.
Learn more about how CLTs work in this brief presentation.
Key Takeaways from Community Discussion
Why are Community Land Trusts Important?
- They create pathways to home ownership/equity; building community wealth
- Preserving agricultural and open space land, keeping housing permanently affordable
- Building community cohesion and limiting displacement
Policy Opportunities
Work with Town and County to preserve agricultural land and way of life
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- Create a buy-down program in partnership with Town of Paonia and Delta County to keep existing farmland and housing stock permanently affordable (via deed restrictions or community land trust)
- Create farmer housing and provide affordable farmland access (long-term leases) to support farmers
- Partner with Delta County on land trust/open space projects
- Consider a tax on certain types of development that can help fund housing and preservation of agricultural land
Direct a percentage of property taxes to support affordable housing and preservation of agricultural land
- Plan ahead to prioritize allocating taps for affordable housing after the Town of Paonia water tap moratorium is lifted
- Incentivize water conservation to improve water availability for housing.
- Lowering projected water use for smaller, water efficient dwellings and yards.
- E.g. (“½ tap” for an ADU or small dwelling)
- Glenwood Springs projects lower water usage rates for smaller homes
- ToP should develop a Water Efficiency Plan and Water Conservation Program
- See: “Measures that would help municipalities conserve water”
- Promote existing incentives from the State of Colorado, eg:
- Greywater
- What is legal in Delta County?
- Could greywater be included in Town ordinance for future construction?
- Offer incentives for greywater conversion in existing homes
- Lowering projected water use for smaller, water efficient dwellings and yards.
Further Questions
- Update Town Code to enable development to occur with lower infrastructure impact (e.g. sidewalks, curbs, street lighting)
- Offer financial incentives for sellers to create permanently affordable housing through deed restrictions or by selling their properties to the CLT (e.g. Roaring Fork Buy-Down Program)
- Research and advocate for this at local and state levels (Carrie Soto)
- Develop a Stay-in-Place Program like Denver’s for aging in place and foreclosure prevention
