Erie in the News: Erie’s Affordable Comeback

Erie’s Affordable Comeback

In 1990, the Town of Erie had approximately 1,200 people and was a small affordable town with dirt roads. The average house sold for $65,000. Today, Erie has a population of approximately 37,000 and a median income of $140,000. It’s definitely not cheap to buy in Erie anymore.

The Town of Erie has partnered up with Vertikal, a development company, to bring 35 affordable residential units to downtown Erie, Cheesman Street Residences. The land was entirely procured using Federal ARPA funds, and was awarded a $1m Prop 123 Grant by CO DOLA.

The last intentional affordable housing effort in Erie was the Vic Smith Senior Apartments in 1999. In 2005, the Erie Comp plan noted housing affordability as a significant concern and encouraged smaller lot sizes and varied construction. The town was not in a place to manage a housing program and the expansion of the Vic Smith property was not realized. Future plans are now in discussion for adding more units to the Vic Snith Apartments after being dormant for many years. Mayor Brooks points out that Erie has added industry expertise to their staff since then and can now begin developing Erie’s first affordable housing.

With no actions taken toward affordable housing by previous boards, the free market won out. Today, the median price of a single-unit detached house in Erie reached $800,000, up 17% from 2021. The Cheeseman Street Residents will start at $400k with a deed restriction on escalation at 5% per year, enabling the buyers to build up $20k per year in equity—should the market grow by 5% or more per year. HUD qualification for these residents will be 80%-120% AMI, which is roughly a $160k annual salary for a family of four.

To expect: This project was the first Prop 123 Building Permit issued in the State. The residences are anticipated to be ready for move-in as early as November 2025, with 35 units of townhomes and a few single-family residences.

T own of Erie’s social media video of the groundbreaking.

Town of Erie 150th Birthday Celebration

The Town of Erie is officially 150 years old. Show your local pride by attending these celebratory events. And, each session has free refreshments.

August 1st: History and Sustainability at the Pierce Street House

Join local historian, Emeritus Professor Jim Stull, to learn about Erie’s history and the Pierce Street House. Afterwards, the Sustainability Division will take over and offer a tour about the house’s recent energy efficiency renovations and net-zero upgrades.

August 8th: Reducing Your Waste Stream

The Sustainability Division is coming back to talk trash about the town with Christine Twining, the owner of Bridge Refill Market. Learn how they reduced waste in their own lives, and what steps you should take to follow in their footsteps.

August 15th: Waterwise Landscape Transformation

With this week of high heat, the lawns in Erie are looking not-so-great. Yellow, crunchy, unpleasant. And to top it off, you get a massive water bill. Let’s change that. Join a master gardener and learn the works of waterwise landscaping, from the beauty to bills.

August 22nd: Increasing Home Comfort and Energy Efficiency

Your water bill isn’t the only heavy bill. We know that the energy bill is hurting you, too. Learn how to increase the comfort and efficiency of your home. Hear about energy efficiency, electrification, and rebate opportunities from Erie, utilities, the state, and the federal government.

The Switch to Solar

When this fall approaches, Erie residents are now welcomed to join the Solar Switch Boulder County, a solar group purchasing program. This program is in partnership with Solar United Neighbors, better known as SUN. By joining this group, property owners will come together to purchase solar panels at bulk cost, meaning it is more affordable for members. Although the prices are bulked together to achieve a better price, each customer will sign their own individual contract to ensure needs fit their home best. Learn more about this project here, or on Thursday, August 29th at 5:30pm at the Boulder Public Library—Main District, or Friday, August 30th at 6pm at the Lafayette Public Library.

Bomb Threat Evacuation At McDonalds—For a Guitar

On July 24th, 2024, at 4:30am, the entire King Soopers shopping area off Highway 7 was evacuated following the report of a suspicious package. All staff and customers were removed from the premises, and no one was allowed in. Weld County Sheriff’s Bomb Squad arrived at the scene, ready to face whatever danger facing this McDonald’s. Thankfully, upon inspecting the suspicious package, the Bomb Squad discovered the package entirely harmless. The Town of Erie Police Department revealed this item a guitar in a guitar case gifted upon one of the employees by a customer. The employees reported the item as suspicious, as they were unaware of the gesture. Although this ending is very humorous, remember to always be safe rather than sorry.

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