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2. Colorado’s housing and redevelopment officials
are in the business of building stronger communities.
Developing groundbreaking solutions
Forging public-private partnerships
Sourcing innovative capital to finance properties
Overseeing design, construction and maintenance
Colorado NAHRO { and/or Your Agency } professionals specialize in:
Building relationships with elected leaders, civic leaders and the business community
Engaging community groups and citizens
Partnering with private companies to build and maintain properties
Utilizing federal funding that would otherwise be lost to our community
Bringing private investment dollars to the community
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3. Lack of AFFORDABLE HOUSING
poses a growing threat to the economic stability, quality of life and future of Colorado residents.
Home price diversity means providing opportunities for a mix of housing – across cost, home types and neighborhood settings – to meet the needs and preferences of all residents.
Attainable housing is a growing need in our community:
There are 168,000 severely cost-burdened households in Colorado — households that pay more than 30% of their income on housing.
Rental vacancy rates are at an historic low, while rents are at an all-time high.
Colorado has a shortfall of 100,000 housing units. For every 1,000 people who move to Colorado, only 300 units are built.
Sources: “Kids Count Data Center,” Annie E. Casey Foundation, “Housing Landscape 2014,” National Housing Conference, National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials – Colorado chapter, MetroWest, 2016.
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4. The EFFECT
When people spend more than 30% of their income on their housing :
They have less disposable income and spend less in the community
Local government collects less sales tax revenue
Local government spends more on social services
Housing Affordability’s Impact on Local Government Finance: An Adams County Case Study, CSU/Piton Foundation  
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5. Breaking the cycle
High housing prices lead to more renters. More renters drive up the cost of rent. Rents increase but wages don’t keep up. The solution: Increasing the inventory and availability of affordable housing.
The housing and redevelopment experts at Colorado NAHRO { and/or Your Agency } have decades of experience sourcing, building and maintaining attainable housing.
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6. We all thrive
When all members of our community can afford to live here safely, we build a stronger community.
People who most urgently need housing that is affordable are working families with children, young adults just entering the labor market, senior citizens and people with disabilities. Many are part of our essential workforce, performing services that are vital to our communities.
One example from Colorado’s Front Range: During the 2013 flood, emergency response times stretched to hours instead of minutes because first responders didn’t reside there and couldn’t reach those who needed help. These vital responders couldn’t, and still can’t, afford to live in the communities they serve. 97% of the City of Boulder’s police force doesn’t live in Boulder, for example.
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7. Vital infrastructure
Housing that is affordable is a long-term community asset essential to:
Housing is a vital part of a community’s infrastructure — as important as its roads, public transportation and utilities.
Without access to affordable housing, investments in transportation and other infrastructure will fall short of creating vibrant communities.
Increasing the supply of affordable housing — especially in areas connected to good schools, well-paying jobs, healthcare and transportation — helps families climb the economic ladder and leads to greater community development.
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8. Stronger Local Economy
When people spend less on housing, they spend more in their community.
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9. Stronger Local Economy
One-year impact of Colorado affordable housing construction:
$10.1 billion construction income
$1.3 billion annually recurring, post-construction income
$2.3 billion construction tax/government revenue
$386+ million annually recurring, post-construction tax/government revenue
Source: One-year Colorado data is from Data was compiled by Housing Colorado from the Colorado Division of Housing, Colorado Housing and Finance Authority, inclusionary housing jurisdictions, Colorado public housing authorities, National Housing Preservation Database, HUD, MetroStudy, Colorado Department of Local Affairs, Colorado Department of Revenue and The University of Denver.
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10. Economic Development
Affordable homes are essential for businesses that rely on a diverse workforce to grow. Businesses need attainable housing for all employees.
Affordable housing development and construction also creates jobs:
1,130 jobs created for every 1,000 affordable apartments developed using Housing Credits (Source: National Association of Home Builders, 2014)
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11. High Quality Design
Our properties meet or exceed local, state, national and green building standards.
Quality, sustainability and neighborhood fit are our top design priorities.
We provide safe, healthy and sustainable homes. And we provide ongoing upkeep to maintain our high standards.
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12. Healthy Communities
Green building standards result in safe, healthy, sustainable homes and neighborhoods.
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13. Healthy Communities Reduce environmental pollutants
Improve air quality
Lower energy costs
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14. Community Support
85% of voters want community leaders to create safe, affordable housing 81% think state and local reps should increase attainable housing efforts
Source:  Make Room USA national poll of likely voters, 2016.
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15. Help Working Families
73% of those living in affordable homes nationally are working, often more than one job.
Stability begins and ends at home. Housing intersects with almost every other social issue: education, health, employment and public safety.
Having a home that is affordable frees up a family’s resources for other vital needs and results in a more stable, thriving community.
Source: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 2016.
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16. Healthy Families
When families spend less on housing, they spend more on children, health and education.
Safe, adequate and affordable housing is not just about providing shelter. It’s an investment in the health of low-income households and the health of the community.
Having access to neighborhoods of opportunity can reduce stress, increase access to amenities and lead to important health benefits.
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17. Childhood Stability
Children thrive academically and emotionally when they have a safe and stable home.
Kids learn better when they have a stable home — when they are healthy, have food to eat and a safe place to sleep at night.
Housing agencies can improve children’s educational outcomes by offering attainable housing and partnering with schools to strengthen quality.
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18. Childhood Stability
Safe and affordable housing can improve educational outcomes:
Improved physical and mental health
Decreased school absences
Higher achievement test scores
Kids learn better when they have a stable home — when they are healthy, have food to eat and a safe place to sleep at night.
Housing agencies can improve children’s educational outcomes by offering attainable housing and partnering with schools to strengthen quality.
Source: “The Impact of Housing Vouchers on Academic Outcomes: Evidence from New York City,” Amy Ellen Schwartz, Syracuse University.
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19. Childhood Stability
Adults who move three or more times in childhood have been proven to have
Lower earnings
Fewer work hours
Lower education levels
The study followed 2,064 individuals born in 1962 through 1982 into adulthood (as young as 24 and as old as 41). The study determined whether moves at various ages (pegged to key developmental stages) affected individuals’ later educa- tion, earnings, and work hours. The moves were both volun- tary, such as for a job or to move to a better neighborhood, or involuntary, such as being evicted or foreclosed on or moving because of military commitments.
Key Findings
The majority of children moved at least once during early childhood.
More than half of the children moved three or more times before age 15.
Any move during childhood was associated with nearly a half-year loss in educational attainment.
Moving three or more times lowered later earn- ings by nearly 52 percent.
Middle childhood, ages 6-10, is a sensitive age for moving. At that age, any move is associated with lower earnings, fewer work hours, and less educational attainment later in life.
Moving in early childhood (birth to age 5) had no long-term effect.

20. Early CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
Kids do better in school when they have stable housing.
Safe, stable, and affordable housing during childhood sets the stage for later success in school. Children are profoundly affected by their environments during key developmental stages. Chaos in their neighborhood, frequent moves, exposure to pollutants, and unhealthy conditions inside the home all leave a deep and lasting imprint. When housing consumes too much of a household's budget, kids may not have enough nutritious food to eat to be ready to learn. Teachers see the ramifications of these conditions all too clearly in the classroom. 
For example, moving three or more times in childhood is associated with lower earnings, fewer work hours, and less educational attainment later in life.

21. Live Where You Work
People spend more money in the community where they live than the one where they work.
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22. Aging in Place
Seniors are a critical part of our community fabric. Stable housing allows them to remain in their homes and out of crisis care.
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23. Veteran Support
Affordable housing allows the men and women who defend our country to thrive in civilian life and reach their full potential.
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24. $29,000 saved per resident in annual emergency-related costs in Denver
Homeless Solutions
Safe housing combined with supportive services help people rebuild their lives.
$29,000 saved per resident in annual emergency-related costs in Denver
Providing attainable housing allows people to direct their resources to education, job training, healthcare, child rearing and other expenses.
For example, affordable housing in conjunction with services for high-needs group saved an average of $6,000+ per person in health care: 23% fewer days in the hospital, 33% fewer emergency room visits and 42% fewer days in a nursing home. (Source: Health Services Research, 2012)
Source: $29,000 saved stat = ColoradoCoalition.org/social-impact-bond-initiative
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25. Building strong communities
Affordable housing’s return on investment is immediate and long-lasting, ensuring we can all live, work and thrive here.
We strive to be At Home Together in our communities.
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26. Ask for support for your initiative
Craft a story that states your immediate need, the expected impact, and finally, what support you need from the group you are speaking to.
You’ve set the stage, now make your case for support.
Insert your impact-driven story into the ask, specific to your audience.
Make a clear ASK for exactly what you need.
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27. “For the millions of families struggling to afford a home, reaching their full potential can seem as impossible a climb as Mt. Everest. When they have a home, they are not the only ones who benefit. The rest of the country does too: from parents who have more money to add to the economy, from children who are more ready to learn thanks to stability at home, from communities that have more jobs.” — Terri Ludwig, President and CEO, Enterprise Community Partners
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28. Advocacy and Messaging Toolkit
Find more at:
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