Summit to seek solutions for affordable housing

FORT COLLINS — Developers, elected officials, city staffers and community leaders will gather next week in Fort Collins for a working session to develop actionable solutions for affordable housing in Northern Colorado.

BizWest’s Northern Colorado Affordable Housing Summit, to be held from 8 to 11:30 a.m. at the Drake Centre, 802 W. Drake Road, will feature panels with regional leaders and business owners on what is in store for this pivotal Colorado submarket.

The morning opens with a data-focused look at the national economy and home-building market, narrows to what it costs to build a home in Colorado, then turns to two panels of regional leaders to first address problems including fees, delays and water, and finally explores solutions based on public and private collaboration.

Robert Dietz, chief economist for the National Association of Home Builders, will open the summit by looking at the economy and the home-building market, including inflation, interest rates and the outlook for housing affordability, with a focus on the supply side of residential construction. DJ Summers, director of communications and research operations for the Common Sense Institute, will follow by reviewing the institute’s latest report on how Colorado’s regulatory environment affects the price of new homes, including permit fees, use tax, impact fees, tap fees and dedication requirements.

Financial adviser Joe Rowan will moderate a panel discussing why housing has become unattainable and what communities can do to address it. Panelists will include Lori Schwarz, deputy director for planning at the City of Fort Collins; Russell Baker, principal, Black Timber Builders; Mike Welty, vice president, Landmark Homes; and Kyle George, director of business development, EPS Group.

Next, Kristin Todd, president and CEO of the NoCo Foundation, will moderate a panel addressing solutions to the affordable-housing dilemma. Panelists will include Robert Paulsen, development services director, City of Loveland; Deb Callies, director of housing, City of Greeley; Andy Smith, redevelopment manager, City of Fort Collins; and Steve Byers, CEO, EnergyLogic.

Tickets, priced from $64.59, are available here. The event is free to all elected officials.

Supporting sponsors for the event are Alliance Construction Solutions, Berg Hill Greenleaf Ruscitti LLP, Dohn Construction, EPS Group, First Interstate Bank, Landmark Homes, Mountain Valley Bank and Richards Building Supply. Event partners are Built NoCo, the NoCo Foundation, Northern Colorado Home Builders Association and NoCo Housing Now. Associate sponsors are Alchemer, the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority, the cities of Greeley and Loveland, Independent Plumbing Solutions and United Way of Weld County.

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