Grants for outdoor lighting create equity for members of the prefabricated house community

A new city program supports communities that are disproportionately affected by the enforcement of the city’s exterior lighting ordinance.

The City Lighting OrdinanceThe law passed in 2003 requires that all outdoor lights meet the requirements for reducing light pollution and promoting energy efficiency.

In 2019, city law officials responded to community concerns about the lighting at Boulder Meadows Mobile Home Park, finding that many of the homes in that community did not comply with the outdoor lighting ordinance. City workers learned from the community that there was a lack of resources to buy and install compliant lighting. In addition, according to the regulation, non-compliant houses are fined and would have led to a further drain on resources.

To address this issue, the city has provided an education grant and upgrades to lighting fixtures for eligible households in Boulder Meadows. The purpose of the grant is to help ensure compliance and help members of the community avoid fines. Qualified households receive support in replacing up to two outdoor lights and in covering installation costs.

“Sometimes the best efforts have unintended consequences,” said Kurt Firnhaber, director of Housing and Human Services (HHS). “I am proud of the work that the HHS and Climate Initiatives staff and our community have done to address this issue. Together we created the opportunity to build trust and connect with communities affected by local policies. “

Contact with non-compliant houses will be carried out until February 2021 in accordance with the COVID-19 safety protocols as part of partnerships with the Foundation for Executives for the Organization of Water and Sustainability (FLOWS) and the community leader group Si Se Puede. To make room for this use, the city has extended the enforcement period for compliance with the outdoor lighting ordinance.

“FLOWS works on social and climatic justice and is pleased to be working with the city on this project,” said Angela Maria Ortiz Roa, FLOWS coordinator. “We are determined to build capacity and promote leadership in the communities we belong to. That is why we are here to support the city and our neighbors in these efforts.”

For information on these efforts at Boulder Meadows, please contact: Crystal Launder, Housing Planner, [email protected]

Media contact:
Zach McGee, Media Relations, 303-868-6810
Crystal Launder, Housing and Human Services, 303-441-4141

Published on February 11, 2021