Community Recommendations
CU BAHRI is developing a list of recommendations for the community to increase access to affordable, inclusive housing.
Recommendations for community-based change related to Latinx marginalization, racism, and lack of access to housing:
- Start by recognizing that Latinx people are here!
- Create a safe, local, neutral place where complaints can be shared.
- Share resources in multiple places & in both Spanish & English. Embrace word of mouth as a trusted source of referral to resources.
- Recruit, reward, and retain cultural brokers in local real estate agencies & financial institutions.
- White realtors cannot objectify the Latinx community & treat them as a source of new revenue.
- Elect Latinx leaders who know what questions to ask & what data to gather.
- Provide more guidance for prospective home buyers -- many people and especially people new to the US might not understand the U.S. process & the steps that need to be taken.
- Professionals in real estate & lending must work together. Streamline the lines of communication.
- Pressure local agencies to gather data on:
- Loan-seeking immigrant families,
- Latinx poverty,Ìý
- Latinx wealth-building in Boulder County, &Ìý
- Latinx homeownership.ÌýÌý
- The City of Boulder, the Chamber of Commerce & Boulder Housing Partners could dedicate resources to gathering this data. They just haven’t yet. The community problem is hiding in plain sight because we have not yet bothered to count.
- Elect Latinx leaders who DO know what questions to ask & what data to gather.
- Provide more guidance for prospective home buyers -- immigrants might not understand the US process & the steps that need to be taken.
- Professionals in real estate & lending must work together and streamline the lines of communication, allowing clients to access resources.
- Create a safe, local, neutral place where complaints can be shared.
- Share resources in multiple places & in both Spanish & English. Embrace word of mouth as a trusted source of referral to resources.
- Recruit, reward, and retain cultural brokers in local real estate agencies & financial institutions.
- White realtors cannot just objectify the Latinx community & treat them as a source of new revenue. They must care for & be dedicated TO the Latinx community.
Recommendations for local legislation addressing housing affordability:
- affordable housing coops as housing crisis solutions,Ìý
- occupancy limit reform,
- community ownership of manufactured homes (collaboration between the city andÌýthe occupants),Ìý
- keeping manufactured homes affordable for low-income people,
- housing more working people in Boulder to reduce commuting,
- allowing more of the people who work to make our city as amazing as it is to actually live here andÌýdevote themselves to our community 100% of the time.