Need to get off the couch? Regis University can help!

REGIS — Regis University’s School of Physical Therapy has a message for neighborhood residents: Join its new “Couch to 5K” weekly program, which begins in June, and receive a discount to run in the University’s popular Move Forward 5K/10K this fall. While this year marks the 15th running of the Move Forward races, the free […]

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Rain barrels help gardeners and conserve water

DENVER — Homeowners can now collect rainwater from their rooftop downspouts, thanks to House Bill 16-1005, passed last summer. Colorado is the last state in the U.S. to legalize rainwater collection, according to Blake Osborn, a Colorado State University Extension water specialist. “The new law breaks with a long precedent in Colorado water law that […]

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New Housing projects to help homeless, low-income residents

NORTH DENVER — When temperatures drop, our thoughts turn to the unfortunate men, women and children who can’t—or won’t—find shelter from the cold. Denver’s homeless population is growing, according to several sources, putting pressure on the City Council to implement solutions.

District 1 City Councilman Rafael Espinoza, who supports several new affordable housing projects in Northwest Denver, emphasizes the need for financially sustainable options going forward. “Throwing money at the problem isn’t the answer. We spent $ 63 million in the last ten years on the homeless problem, and now we have more homeless people. It’s not a matter of money but solutions. We keep investing in things that don’t address the problem.”

More than 10,000 people are homeless in Colorado, 6 percent more than in 2015, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. In metro Denver, 3,700 people are homeless, according to this year’s point-in-time survey. About 861 of these are considered chronically homeless. “These numbers are hard to depend on since we’ve seen a rise in shelter numbers of more than 6 percent,” said Denver City Councilwoman-at-Large Robin Kniech, chair of the Housing and Homelessness Working Group, a collaborative city council group that brainstorms and develops recommendations for the larger council. “We know the numbers are greater than in the past. They are more visible on the streets.”

The challenge is the many different faces of the homeless in Denver, said Kniech. “They all face crises, but each person faces their own unique set of challenges, requiring a variety of responses. We have to develop solutions separately.

“We tend to think of the visible homeless people who experience mental illness or substance abuse. But many homeless people have employment and an income. Some families work, but they live in their car because of the shortage of low-income housing. They can’t get ahead to pay the rent.”

Kniech said legalized cannabis might play a role in rising homeless numbers. “I’ve heard anecdotal evidence from policy makers about a cannabis connection. We’ve seen more young homeless travelers who say they’re here because of marijuana. The larger picture is that everyone is moving to Denver, and the number of homeless mirrors the rise in population.”

Espinoza says the city’s social services burden is increased by the marijuana draw. “People come here for recreational marijuana and stay because we have good services. Many marijuana users are not Colorado residents who decided to change their lifestyle, but new people. It will be interesting to see if some migrate to California now that they offer recreational pot.”

In previous decades, homeless people were required to get sober before they could get government housing. But the high public cost of jail, detox and hospital stays changed this thinking. According to the Denver Crime Control and Prevention Commission, the top 300 heaviest users of these services cost the taxpayers more than $ 11.3 million each year.

Kniech and Espinoza agree that a “housing first” approach is both more cost-effective and supportive of homeless people. “How can you get sober when your living situation is so unstable?” said Espinoza.

“Clearly we need more affordable housing when people can’t find a place to live even with a rent voucher,” said Kniech. “The city is working with the Federal government and the state to address the problem.”

Earlier this year the city approved the Affordable Housing Fund, a plan to dedicate $ 15 million a year to build 6,000 affordable homes over the next ten years. On Dec. 5, Kniech was appointed as City Council Representative to the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee, which will advise the city on the use of the new Fund money.

“Some of the units will be for homeless people, and some of the money will be used for supportive services,” said Kniech. “We’ve already funded some projects and now we’re identifying the next generation of housing needs. We plan to complete one or two housing projects each year.”

According to Espinoza, several new low-income housing projects in Northwest Denver have tax-credit financing and will soon break ground. The buildings will provide 250 units combined. New workforce housing units will be constructed at 29th Ave. and Sheridan Blvd. and in the rehabilitated Kuhlman Building at 17th and Perry (formerly a convent). Espinoza explained that the workforce housing is intended for employed people earning between 60 and 100 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI).

Additionally, the Denver Housing Authority will build an affordable senior housing and urgent care project at Colfax and Raleigh. Eight for-sale affordable units will be available in the new Aria Denver development at 52nd and Federal Blvd. for buyers with up to 80 percent AMI.

Espinoza said a new overnight shelter is planned in the Sun Valley neighborhood in a warehouse near 8th Ave. Also in Sun Valley, the Denver Housing Authority plans to build 750 mixed-use housing units using a portion of a $ 30 million grant received from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. About 83 percent of Sun Valley residents live below the poverty line.

“Even though we’re building new housing in District 1, we’re losing affordable homes that are being demolished or flipped,” said Espinoza. “We have about 5,000 affordable homes in District 1.”

He wishes the new Affordable Housing Fund was bigger, and also a better deal for the city. “We need more: we need $ 30 million, not $ 15 million, and the city needs to be able to retain the assets,” he said. “These are publicly funded projects that end up being out of the city’s ownership. We’ve created an industry for developers to profit but we need a more strategic way to handle these finances. We need to own these buildings so we can provide housing in the future.

“Hopefully we can change the workings of the Affordable Housing Fund so that it doesn’t fall short like the 10-year Road Home program did. I don’t want to look at this in three years and realize we’re failing.”

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North Denver Tribune

New alert system to help Denver area families find missing seniors with Alzheimer’s

DENVER — One of the worst scenarios for families caring for someone living with Alzheimer’s disease is a loved one wandering or getting lost. It causes immediate panic and concern, and unfortunately happens all too often. In fact, nearly 50 percent of some of these family members have experienced a loved one with Alzheimer’s wandering or getting lost, according to a new survey conducted by Home Instead, Inc., franchisor of the Home Instead Senior Care® network. Of those, nearly one in five called the police for assistance. To help families keep their loved ones safe, the Home Instead Senior Care network has launched a free tool, the Missing Senior NetworkSM, now available in the Denver area.

Found at www.MissingSeniorNetwork.com, the platform enables family caregivers to alert a network of friends, family and businesses to be on the lookout for a missing senior. The service provides a way to alert the network of a missing senior via text or email. Families can also choose to post an alert to the Home Instead Remember for Alzheimer’s Facebook page, connected to 270,000 followers.

“These frightening occurrences lead families to call our office and ask for help,” said Curt Foust of the Home Instead Senior Care office serving the Northwest Denver metro. “This resource was created to help Denver area families understand the risk of wandering and have a tool that empowers them to quickly take action if a loved one living with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia wanders.”

The Missing Senior Network is part of Home Instead Senior Care network’s new Prevent WanderingSM program, which includes resources such as insight into what may trigger wandering events, steps families can take to help keep their loved ones safe, and tips on what to do if a wandering event occurs.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, anyone living with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia is at risk of wandering.

“Wandering can happen at any time, and not just on foot someone in a car or even a wheelchair could wander,” said Monica Moreno, director of Early Stage Initiatives for the Alzheimer’s Association. “A person may want to go back to a former job he or she had, even though that job may no longer exist. Or, someone may have a personal need that must be met. There’s always a purpose and intent. It’s just a matter of identifying the triggers.”

Family caregivers should be aware of the following common triggers that may cause someone with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia to wander:

Delusions or hallucinations. Those living with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia may misinterpret sights or sounds, causing them to feel fearful and wander to escape their environment.

Overstimulation. Individuals living with dementia can become easily upset in noisy or crowded environments, triggering them to look for an escape from the chaos.

Fatigue, especially during late afternoons and evenings. Individuals living with dementia may become tired, causing restless pacing and, eventually, wandering.

Disorientation to place and time. Individuals may not recognize they are home and seek to return to a familiar place, such as a former workplace. 

Change in routine. Individuals living with dementia may become confused following a change of routine, wandering in an effort to return to a familiar place.

“We understand the topic of wandering is something many families coping with Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia may avoid discussing,” said Mike Maguire, owner of the Home Instead office serving Fort Collins and Northern Colorado. “It’s important for families to understand the potential triggers for wandering and have a plan in place to help keep their loved ones safe.”

For additional tips and program resources, visit www.PreventWandering.com, or contact your local Denver and Northern Colorado Home Instead Senior Care office to learn how family caregivers can help prevent and respond to wandering. You can find an office near you by visiting www.homeinstead.com/colorado.

To access the Missing Senior Network, visit www.MissingSeniorNetwork.com.

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Denver IT services can help your business grow

The corporate sector is going at such a fast pace that if you are unable to match the pace of development you would possibly be left behind. This is where you are to

really push up your potential and see where you are lagging behind. At the present times the business entrepreneurs are seeking the shelter from the Denver IT consultants

who would help them in managing their business and climb the ladders of success while maintaining the pace with the rising corporate sector.

There are several things that you need to manage while running a business and if you are employing highly qualified and professional

href=”http://ezinemark.com/goto.php?url=http://www.tt-advisors.com/”>Denver IT consultants you can simply manage your work with ease and efficiency. Denver IT serves employs the computer operative

systems that allow you manage even the sleekest of your business applications. With Denver IT services you can manage the whole database regarding your company

dealings and the listings of all the potential clients. With the Denver IT services you can even share your database over integrated circuits. This allows you carry your

database to different place and evaluate it the way you feel comfortable.

Not only have the database management Denver Managed IT services also allow you to make an effective online presence. With the Denver IT services you can

host your website over the servers of a reliable Denver web hosting firm. When your website is hosted over the high configured

web servers that ensures that your website is available there for your users for the maximum time when ever they want it. This guarantees the maximum uptime for your

website.

Apart form that the Denver IT services also ensures that your systems remain protected from all the expected and unexpected threats. Denver IT services provide

your database and your system perfect screening against viruses and intrusions. The Denver IT consultants will arrange the suitable anti viruses for the protection of

database. Even if you have lost your data for some reason the Denver Managed IT services will ensure that you receive an immediate backup for it. This will ensure

that none of your data and information is lost and you are able to recover from any of the potential threat with ease.

There are a lot many benefits that you would gain from the Denver IT Services, but the problem is the characteristics of the Denver

managed IT services provider. The selection of experienced Denver IT consultants is quite a crucial thing. You are to look into a number of factors that would

help you in managing your business. The Denver IT firm should have enough reputation within the industry and the there should be the team of experts who could easily

handle and manage all the client requirements. Apart from that the Denver IT firm should be there ready to help their clients at any hour of the day. So if you have been

looking for such Denver IT firm then you can log onto: www.TT-Advisors.com

Reminders to Help You Find a Denver Event Center

One of the most essential steps in event planning is selecting the Denver event venue where the celebration will be held. After planning how the event will unfold, you need to find a place where your plans can be executed. Finding the most appropriate location is crucial. You have to consider factors like ambiance, size, location, accessibility, and many others. Getting the right venue can help ensure that special occasions like Denver wedding receptions are successful.

The size of the space is of utmost importance. The venue should be able to accommodate all expected guests, as well as all needed furniture and equipment. There should be enough space for all activities. For instance, if the event is a dance party, there should be a dance floor. If the event is a job expo, there should be enough room for attendees to move around comfortably. In an event like this, there is a high possibility that it can be crowded.      

Aside from the size of the event center, you also need to consider the location. The area should be accessible for the attendees. Think of where your guests will be coming from. It is helpful if you find a place that has parking, in case you have guests who will come in their own cars. However, you should also consider your guests who take public transportation. Take note of important landmarks to help your guests find their way to the venue.

When you go to various venues, like a ballroom Denver CO has, meet up with the managers or a few representatives. This is the time when you can discuss important things. Ask about the facilities, packages, the things you are allowed to bring in, and many others. When you meet with the management, you can also try to negotiate; you can ask if there are any discounts and freebies offered.

Places like these may have connections with other events-oriented professionals like photographers, caterers, designers, florists, and the like. These are not mandatory, but they are extremely recommended. Take a look at what they have to offer and their prices. If an event center has these services as well, inquire if they are part of a package, or if they have separate fees.

As soon as you’ve decided on a venue, like a Denver corporate event center, determine the placement of your guests. Are they all going to be standing, sitting, dancing or performing the limbo? Are there going to be tables or only chairs? Where is the stage going to be? All these factors will have a significant impact on your event, so figure out them wisely.

If you have questions, please visit us at www.InfinityParkEventCenter.com for complete details and answers.

            [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3EE83q6tzw&fs=1&rel=0]
John Denver - Calypso

Music video by John Denver performing Calypso. (C) 1975 RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment.

Denver Real Estate Gets Help From the Neighborhood Stabilization Plan

            Denver is going to get a boost from the recently announced 29.3 million Neighborhood Stabilization Program funding in 2010. There are high hopes that this stimulus plan will help the City of Denver's efforts to combat the foreclosures that have been a problem since the housing bust. This will not only improve Denver real estate, it will produce thousands of jobs for people involved in construction.

The Neighborhood Stabilization Plan – via the Housing and Economy Act of 2008 – was developed to combat the ills that foreclosed properties can bring upon a neighborhood – lowered home values, abandonment, higher crime and gradually spreading urban blight. With the funding provided through the Plan, Denver can now buy, renovate or redevelop and resell properties that have been foreclosed upon.

In 2010, the Denver Office of Economic Development and Chicanos Por La Causa, Inc. will receive $ 18,994,444 and $ 10,263,440, respectively. This will be used to solve problems caused by residential foreclosure and to boost revitalization efforts in Denver neighborhoods that have been most affected by foreclosures and the problems associated with them.

The Denver Office of Economic Development will be targeting 12 Denver neighborhoods to purchase and revitalize properties affected by foreclosure. In all, 325 properties will be selected and restored to create accessible, affordable housing for:

Households with income not exceeding 120% of the area median income
Households at or below 50% of the area median income.

The redevelopment plan also includes:

rehabilitation of 245 abandoned / foreclosed homes
land bank of 15 properties
demolishing of 50 vacant properties
redevelopment of 35 vacant / demolished properties for housing

Loan assistance for 195 low-moderate income households will also be available for the purchase of homes near public transit lines. This targets raising home values, job creation, improved public transit and local business development and patronage. In the years to come, this will stabilize the neighborhoods where these homes are and provide a platform where the real estate in general starts increasing in value.

The Neighborhood Stabilization Plan is working towards raising home values and providing low-median income households with the opportunity of home ownership. The City of Denver’s strong support of revitalization efforts means that home buyers today are likely to see rising home values and equity in the future. It’s a good time to look into buying real estate in Denver, especially for people with moderate incomes.

Explore MetropolitanDenver.com for the latest Metro Denver homes on the market. Find the best of Baker real estate today!

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