Urban Dweller

Volume 40, Edition 3

3/7/2022

Message from the President

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

I hope this note finds you well. Welcome to the Urban Dweller...the Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods monthly e-newsletter. Here is the latest from one of Denver’s oldest and largest registered neighborhood organization and community advocate:

CHUN entered into a good neighbor agreement with 420 Denver, Inc. 420 Denver, Inc. has applied for Denver’s first license from the City and County of Denver allowing for a cannabis consumption lounge at in the carriage house of the historic Patterson Inn bed and breakfast at 420 E. 11th Avenue. The application is under review by Denver Excise and License. Should 420 Denver receive this license, the good neighbor agreement will ensure that the operators and the neighborhood work cooperatively to ensure a successful outcomes for the neighborhood.

Last month, the CHUN membership overwhelmingly approved new bylaws and a governance structure that will position the organization for greater stability and success for the future. In addition to cleaning up existing language and modernizing the text, other key updates include: (1) a new minimum and maximum number of board members; (2) converting all neighborhood delegates and at-large delegates to directors; (3) establishing a Vice President of communications role on the executive committee; (4) merging the membership and fundraising roles into one role; and (5) refining director recruitment, nominations and quorum expectations for subsequent meetings. Our many thanks to the 118 members who participated in this key vote.

CHUN welcomed a number of new board members to the organization. Congratulations to Sarah Silver Craig, John Deffenbaugh, Gina Rucker, George Gromke, Bruce Mann, Kerem Szczebak, Carson Bryant, and Christopher Mansour! Board recruitment and engagement is essential to our work. From architecture to urban planning and public policy to engineering, each brings a wealth of wisdom and expertise to the organization. I am excited to work this dynamic cohort in the coming months.

The Denver Department of Housing Stability (HOST) held two public input sessions to guide the use and implementation of an additional $11 million of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) housing funds. CHUN, along with other members of the Unhoused Action Coalition (UAC), called for the following:

Act with greater urgency to move unhoused Denverites out of unsanctioned encampments and into shelters or other temporary housing.
Identify and activate additional sites for immediate housing opportunity.
Establish and fund a Housing System Director or Chief Operating Officer--a full-time staff position responsible for creating connections and efficiencies between all City agencies relevant to the unhoused population.
Enhance the city's communications and reporting with neighborhood groups, with immediate focus on those members of the UAC.
Contract with Community Solutions for the purposes of data collection data; expand the Built for Zero initiative to the greater unsheltered population.
Hire more social workers and outreach workers and implement a surge in services and outreach within a 4-8 week timeframe.

After more than five years of hard work, planning, and an ounce of tenacity, restoration on the Tears-McFarlane property has FINALLY begun. Earlier this month, we gave away furniture, appliances, flower pots, patio furniture, art work, vintage posters, and other items to neighbors and friends. We made a few, interesting last minute finds too — including old publications of the Urban Dweller and pictures of Denver dignitaries-past. Many thanks go out to board members Andrew Rogge and Sandy Goldhaber for helping with the final round of clean up and other logistics. We cannot wait to get this project done. Check out the pictures below.

March is Women's History Month. I would like to take this opportunity to recognize Dana Crawford. Dana is a renowned preservationist, developer, and urban planning visionary who has been central to Denver's urban revival and other recent innovative design. She sought to transform Denver during a time when many had left the city for other suburban destinations. Starting with Larimer Square, she would go on to revitalize Lower Downtown and turn both into the city's most iconic spaces. Throughout her career, she demonstrated the case for responsible preservation, smart urban design, and worked to support the development of the great city we have grown to treasure each day.

For Denver ...

Travis Leiker, MPA
President and Executive Director

Member of the Month

A Pomeranz Realty

A part of the Denver community since the 1930's, A Pomeranz Realty offers a variety of affordable apartments in Denver and the metro area.

A Pomeranz Realty is a family-run business that provides a personal touch. Their motto is to 'Love Where You Live'.

They own several properties including the Bermuda Apartments in Capitol Hill and other apartments buildings in the Mayfair, Hale, Washington Park, and Harvey Park neighborhoods.

A Pomeranz Realty embodies the mission of CHUN to enhance the quality of life in Denver and provide affordable housing.

@apomeranzrealty

Restoration of the Tears-McFarlane Begins

CHUN Volunteering Opportunity

Alamo Placita Park Clean Up with SEED Awardee Denver Park Trust

CHUN/Ready to Work Alamo Placita Community Cleanup Day
Saturday, April 30, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Alamo Placita Park: 300 N. Emerson St.

Make plans to join your friends and neighbors for a volunteer cleanup at Alamo Placita Park. The event is being hosted by the Denver Park Trust in partnership with Denver Parks & Recreation and is made possible by a SEED Grant from Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods. We are excited to welcome CHUN neighbors and a crew from Bridge House/Ready to Work Aurora for a day of park stewardship, community, fresh air, and fun!

Please click here to register and download the waiver. You’ll need to bring the signed waiver to the event. You’ll also need to show proof of vaccination at check-in on cleanup day. Please bring a pair of gloves. All other tools will be provided.

When you arrive at the park, please stop by the canopy to sign in. Once everyone has signed in, we’ll begin spreading mulch, removing debris, and completing other maintenance. This will take between one and two hours. Snacks and drinks will be provided.

CHUN News and Events

Meet five of our new Board Members

A Denver native, Realtor®, and 15-year resident of Capitol Hill, Kerem Szczebak enjoys spending her free time enjoying the cultural and culinary nuances Denver has to offer, soaking up the Colorado outdoors, and spending time with her 2 amazing boys.

Sarah Craig is a mom of 3 young kids, an aspiring triathlete, a professional engineer and a short-term rental host. She has lived in Cheesman Park for 14 years.

Jeff Deffenbaugh is an architect, urban planner, and project manager from Glasgow, Scotland, who made Cheesman Park his home four years ago (after a gap of 25 years). He is currently working as Director of Strategy & Projects at RiNo Art District, BID & GID.”

Christopher Mansour and his wife Carmel moved from Maryland in mid-2020 and quickly bought a home in Denver’s historic Capitol Hill neighborhood. After more than three decades working in Congress and the federal government, and later with the solar energy industry, Christopher looks forward to using his experiences and knowledge to help advance CHUN’s agenda of improving the quality of life for all the residents of our neighborhoods and our City.

Gina Rucker has lived in Capitol Hill since 2018 and is an active member in the community. She is a licensed Mortgage Loan Originator with AHL Funding and is a mother of 4. Gina is originally from Los Angeles, California. She loves the sun and the mountains.

CHUN Spotlights Business and Community Members on Facebook, Twitter and in its Urban Dweller newsletter

CHUN's mission is to promote a sense of neighborliness and further develop its members through visibility on our social platforms - Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn - and in this newsletter.

This Urban Dweller has a reach of more than 1200 and we have close to 5700 followers on our social platforms.

Each Monday, we post a CHUN Business or Community Member Spotlight on our Facebook page and Twitter feed and then push them further through Instagram, and LinkedIn. Recently, we highlighted a neighborhood favorite, Joy Wine & Spirits. [see screen capture]

In addition, each month in this Urban Dweller, CHUN highlights a Member of the Month, like A Pomeranz Realty, as you can see above.

Thank you to all of our business and community members who are members and sponsors of CHUN. We couldn't do it without you!

CHUN Board of Directors Meet-and-Greet at Route 40 Cafe in February

CHUN builds partnership with Five Points Neighborhood Association

Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods' president and executive director Travis Leiker joined The Heart of Five Points - Neighborhood Association as part of the organization's ongoing outreach efforts to build partnerships with those neighborhood groups near or within our geographic boundaries.

Denverite calls CHUN a 'political heavyweight' in its work to address homelessness and other issues facing city

CHUN is proud to be working side by side with a growing coalition of solutions-oriented community leaders across Denver to address homelessness and offer real, actionable steps to improving conditions for both our unhoused and housed neighbors.

In a recent Denverite article on life in downtown Denver, it talked about the coalition of RNOs working with the city to address homelessness. It states that "...That group includes political heavyweights like one of the oldest RNOs, Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods, powerful newcomer the RiNo, River North Art District, the Baker Historic Neighborhood Association and Uptown on the Hill. The coalition has an unflinching awareness of safety concerns and the proliferation of encampments, but it takes into account the needs and issues facing the unhoused population, regardless of whether addiction or mental illness plays a role in their situation."

Denver and Colorado News and Events

Denver’s housing market will become a partner in providing more affordable housing options

As the cost of living in Denver has gone up, one in three households in our city struggles to afford housing costs today. These are our neighbors who are daycare providers and teachers, social workers, restaurant workers, and many other people who make our city the great place we all love.

The City and County of Denver is developing a policy through the Expanding Housing Affordability project to ensure that as new homes are built in Denver, more affordable homes are built too – both to rent and to buy. This policy will complement other existing housing programs throughout the city.

The proposal would require new residential development of 10 units or more to designate between 8% and 12% of the units as affordable, regardless of whether the home is for rent or for sale. In higher-cost areas of the city, such as downtown, developers would need to provide 2% to 3% more affordable units. This will provide much-needed new workforce housing options in Denver.
The proposal also increases the city’s “linkage fee,” which is a fee on development used to build and preserve affordable housing for people with lower incomes.

38th & Blake Rezoning
The Expanding Housing Affordability project proposal includes a rezoning for the 38th and Blake Station Area (around the RTD station). This area has an existing incentive system to encourage the construction of affordable housing that the city piloted starting in 2018. The Expanding Housing Affordability proposal proposes to rezone the 38th and Blake area in order to bring it into the new citywide system, increase both the amount and depth of affordable housing in this area beyond what the previous incentive system achieved, and adjust the base heights in the area closest to the station to implement guidance from Blueprint Denver (adopted 2019). Read the slide deck | Watch a video

We have specific office hours dedicated to this topic, and we encourage you to attend if you have questions.

March Virtual Office Hours (38th and Blake Topic Focus)
5:30-6:30 p.m., Thursday, March 10, 2022
Register here

Skip the Stuff, Say No to Single-Use Condiments & Service Ware

The new #SkipTheStuff ordinance is in effect!

Denver’s Single-Use Accessory Restriction Ordinance went into effect on January 1, 2022.

Single-use utensils, straws, napkins, and condiment packets are now only available upon request when ordering takeout or getting delivery. This ordinance requires all retail food establishments to provide single-use condiments and single-use service ware only upon request by a customer.

This will drastically reduce the number of condiments, plastic silverware, and straws restaurants need to buy and make Denver a leader in reducing waste.

More than 35 million tons of plastic are thrown away in the U.S. each year, but only 8.7% of it gets recycled."

Arborists: The Unsung Tree-Care Pros Who Keep Our Trees Growing Strong and Living Long

The weather is slowly warming up, birds are more frequently chirping and the sun’s setting later—which means spring must be approaching in the coming months. This also means it’s time to start preparing for your spring gardening and tree care needs. And no one is better equipped to help get your trees ready for spring than a tree care professional, also known as an arborist.

What is an arborist?
An arborist is a specially trained tree care professional who has expertise on how to plant, care for and maintain trees. In order to perform tree work in Denver, all contractors must be licensed and insured by the city. Licensed arborists help the City of Denver and property owners maintain private and public trees through tree removal, pruning of dead, diseased or damaged branches, and treatment of insects and diseases. This maintenance helps ensure our urban forest remains heathy and resilient and prevents potential damage to our properties, city rights-of-way and utilities.

What does an arborist do?
Think of arborists like a primary care provider for your trees. They can help assess a tree’s condition, provide recommendations based upon the needs of the species and complete the necessary work, ensuring the health of the tree.

Where can I find an arborist in Denver?
Denver’s Office of the City Forester provides a helpful list of tree care professionals in Denver.