Boulder’s Housing Legacy Program Recognizes First Homeowner’s Donation

A Boulder homeowner will be recognized tomorrow for being the first person to participate in a new housing program that will benefit those less fortunate. KGNU’s Roz Brown attended the Boulder City Council meeting this week where council declared tomorrow, May 5, “Janice Zelazo Housing Legacy Day.”

She may not a household name – but her house will be recorded as the very first residency bequeathed to the City of Boulder’s new Housing Legacy program. Janice Zelazo hopes she has a lot of life left to live – but when she’s gone – her property in north Boulder will be part of the city’s Legacy program – a program that allows residents to donate their property as permanently affordable housing stock.

“It started four years ago when I was putting together my will,” says Zelazo. “I wanted a good way to use the house and came up with this idea and worked with the city to create a new program. So I hope eventually someone who needs a home and can’t afford Boulder rates and probably works in the social services area will be living there –someone for whom living and working in Boulder would be easier than renting and commuting into the city.”

Zelazo purchased her Boulder home in 1979 and has watched as home values continue to rise. Her home will now be preserved as a permanently affordable property for someone else to enjoy and she plans to advocate for others to follow in her footsteps.
“We hope to do more outreach by putting together a fact sheet and presenting it to other groups of people to sign-up. It’s a chance for people who own an apartment or home to think about what they want to do with it.”
Through the Housing Legacy program, the city of Boulder also hopes to work with other nonprofit community organizations and donors who want to donate housing and receive a tax-deduction for their charitable giving.