Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen Visits City of Wheat Ridge to Address Homelessness and Affordable Housing
In a proactive effort to address the pressing issues of homelessness and affordable housing, Wheat Ridge Mayor Bud Starker gathered community stakeholders for a round table discussion
with Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen. Pettersen’s visit also included a tour of the new Lutheran Medical Campus and a former hotel that is currently being renovated into apartments.
"We need more bold projects, like the one taking place at the Howard Johnson Hotel—now Tabor Lake Apartment Community—in Wheat Ridge, to address our pressing need for affordable housing,” said Rep. Pettersen. “I remain committed to advocating for policies that will ensure everyone in Colorado can access and afford somewhere safe to call home.”
Those policy needs were discussed during a roundtable highlighting the collaborative nature of Wheat Ridge’s approach to housing affordability and homelessness. Organizations from across Jefferson County were at the table including Foothills Regional Housing, Family Tree, Jefferson Center for Mental Health, private business partners, the Chief of Police, and the city’s own homelessness and housing navigators. The Congresswoman’s visit came on the heels of the city announcing one-hundred people housed through the Wheat Ridge and Edgewater collaborative homeless navigation program.
"We greatly appreciate Congresswoman Pettersen's attention to the critical issues of homelessness and affordable housing. Her visit underscores the importance of collaboration between non-profits, government, and private entities to address these challenges effectively. We are grateful for the opportunity to have shared our experiences and learned from her insights to create lasting positive impact," said Mayor Bud Starker.
The Wheat Ridge City Council recently adopted an Affordable Housing Strategy Action Plan, designed to study housing affordability in the community and craft a policy approach toward identified challenges. Congresswoman Pettersen supports the effort and is currently advocating in Congress to fund the efforts.
To learn more about the city’s Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan visit: https://whatsupwheatridge.com/housing.