Public Health References
CDC * Colorado * Jefferson County * City of Golden
A reader asked how to get to the “Geography” tab that I mentioned yesterday. Visit the Case Summary page and then click “Geography” as shown below.
Another reader mentioned that “Lakota Hills,” which appears on their unincorporated Jefferson County map, is entirely within the Golden city limits. So while I will continue to post the County’s stats for “Golden,” keep in mind that it does not include Lakota Hills. To find Golden scroll over one of the top pair of maps:
To find other neighborhoods, scroll over the lower pair of maps, which they title “Neighborhoods.”
Cases in Jeffco
Yesterday: 2479 Today: 2489
Deaths in Jeffco
Yesterday: 198 Today: 199
Ever Hospitalized in Jeffco
Yesterday: 411 Today: 411 (currently 16)
Recovered
Yesterday: 2163 Today: 2184
Known Cases in Golden
Yesterday: 107 Today: 110
The Safer at Home protocol is in effect. Check the City’s site to learn more about what that entails. Everyone is still requested to wear a mask that covers the nose and mouth when leaving the house. City and County fire restrictions are in place. Clear Creek is open for Kayaks and Canoes. Learn more….
Unsettling News
Someone was pulled from the Creek last night. 9News referred to a “man.” Discussion on NextDoor referred to a “girl.” The Jeffco Sheriff referred to a “victim” (without gender). I hope we hear of a good outcome this morning. Thanks, as always, to the Swift Water Rescue Team.
Virtual Golden
7:30AM Citizens Budget Advisory Committee
The Finance Director will address CBAC this morning, discussing this year’s budget in light of the drop in sales tax revenue. They will also address the budget process for the 2021/2022 budget.
9-10AM Virtual Power Training
10:15-11:15AM Let’s Dance (Toddlers) with the Library
5:30-6:10PM Virtual Core Conditioning
5:30-7PM Business Recovery 101
6-8PM Wednesday Watch Party with the Library: The Last Time I Saw Paris
6:30PM Planning Commission
The Planning Commission will continue the discussion they began on June 3rd regarding Affordable Housing. This is always a vexed issue, because “Affordable Housing” is so poorly defined.
In 2017, City Council changed our Comprehensive Plan to include a goal that 45% of Golden’s housing should be “Affordable.” The resolution also said that the Affordable Housing would be spread evenly around town–not concentrated in certain areas.
At the last meeting, one of the commissioners requested a map showing Golden’s existing Affordable Housing. The map that staff provided with tonight’s packet is, frankly, disturbing. When I studied it, I couldn’t understand why the areas with the greatest concentration of Accessory Dwelling Units (such as apartments built over garages) showed little to no affordable housing. The 8th and 9th Street historic district shows only two and the 12th Street historic district shows none.
A friend who lives in the neighborhood west of Washington and north of Highway 58 commented, “some of the most affordable rentals in Golden are in my neighborhood…but are not included on the map.” Another friend in the same neighborhood asked the planning manager why the many ADUs in his neighborhood don’t show up on the map. The answer was that his neighborhood is zoned R2, where a second home on the lot is allowed by zoning, so those extra apartments don’t count as ADUs.
OK, but they look and function exactly the same as ADUs, so why aren’t they shown on the map as Affordable Housing? If we don’t have an accurate baseline count, how will we ever know if we’ve reached the goal of 45%?
As an aside–is a $2,000/month ADU really Affordable Housing, or is it just adding density for the sake of density?
Another aside–is a retiree on a fixed income who lives in a single family home (nothing fancy, but the mortgage is paid off) living in Affordable Housing? Does that count towards the 45%?
Until we have an accurate count of how much Affordable Housing we have, the answer to “How much more do we need?” is always going to be “MORE.”
Until we have an accurate map that shows where our Affordable Housing is, we will never know whether it’s being distributed evenly around town.
I applaud the Planning Commission for asking for this map, and hope they’ll keep asking until they get a good one that can serve as a solid foundation.
Golden History Moment
People have been pushing for more housing in Golden since the town’s creation. We could have filled this valley a thousand times over…but would you still want to live here? Just a small sampling from years past:
Colorado Transcript, April 3, 1901
As before stated in these columns our greatest present need is a good number of small modern dwelling houses for rent, and we still hope that all of our citizens who have the means will see the necessity of helping out along this line.
Colorado Transcript, October 19, 1916
Here we are, a town fitted by nature and climate for a great school center, a locality where the most romantic homes by the hundreds should be built and would be built by Denver business men…. Such homes should abound in Golden.
Colorado Transcript, February 12, 1920
It seems one of the greatest needs for Golden today is new homes.
Colorado Transcript, Number 23, April 11, 1935
There has been a shortage of houses in Golden for the last eight or ten years. At present this shortage is being acutely felt.
Colorado Transcript, Number 44, September 3, 1936
Everything is full. This is a distressing situation when scores of families, who are anxious to make their home in Golden, are looking for houses in which to live…. Thousands of dollars worth of business is being lost by Golden merchants every month because scores of families can’t find a place to live in Golden.
Colorado Transcript, Number 44, September 3, 1936
During the last few years thousands of beautiful and expensive new homes have been built between Golden and Denver, making of that area almost one continuous city with Denver. During all those years, Golden has sat smugly by, afraid someone might intrude and upset the old traditions of this community. It’s time to wake up and become a part of this growing, teeming life that is going on around us.
Colorado Transcript, Number 6, December 10, 1936
Here in Golden we have a house shortage that is acute. For more than a year families who would like to live in Golden have had to go elsewhere, because there were no suitable houses here for them to buy or rent. There has been a large number of houses and apartments built, but these have been snapped up before they were completed. It is time that persons with capital, interested in the future of Golden, should assist in relieving this situation. It is a good business proposition.
Colorado Transcript, Number 10, January 8, 1942
Some where in the vicinity of Denver and Golden hundreds of new homes must be constructed.
Colorado Transcript, Number 21, March 25, 1943
At least 200 homes could be rented or sold in Golden as fast as they could be made livable.
Colorado Transcript, Number 20, March 15, 1945
Never, under any condition, discourage anyone from building a new home or homes in Golden. Two hundred new homes here could be sold or rented in a couple of weeks–and if it were generally known in Denver that homes were available here, 1,000 houses would not supply the demand.
Colorado Transcript, Number 30, May 24, 1945
The Secretary of the Golden Chamber of Commerce, Bob K. Jennings, says he is tired and discouraged answering letters from World War II veterans wanting to come to Golden…and asking about living quarters for themselves and their small families. “No houses and none contemplated,” he must answer.
Colorado Transcript, Number 31, May 31, 1945
Besides the demand for houses for School of Mines students, there is a large number of persons who come to Golden every day to work, and any number of defense workers would gladly come to Golden if they could find a place to live.
Colorado Transcript, Number 41, August 7, 1947
Give us more good homes–Denver is crying for 15,000 new homes–Golden could use at least a thousand.
Colorado Transcript, Volume 99, Number 10, December 10, 1964
Many who work in Golden wish to live here but are turned back time and time again because of failure to find medium priced housing…. Many would prefer to live here because of the sense of belonging to a real community instead of living in a cow-pasture suburban sprawl without definition or identity…. It would seem an ideal time for the city, the Chamber of Commerce and others interested in Golden’s future to bend every effort towards stimulating major subdivision developers in the Lookout land for the construction of medium-priced housing in Golden.
Colorado Transcript, Volume 102, Number 30, March 10, 1968
One thousand families are ready to move into Golden tomorrow…. Golden has the people knocking at her doors trying to get in but there isn’t enough suitable housing for them.
Many thanks to the Golden History Museum for providing the online cache of historic Transcripts, and many thanks to the Golden Transcript for documenting our history since 1866!
