Headlines – May 16, 2023

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    Headlines – May 16, 2023 Alexis Kenyon

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CO Supreme Court Eviction Notices

The State Supreme Court ruled yesterday that Colorado landlords must give people living in federally-supported housing units thirty days’ notice of an eviction.

That ruling is being hailed as a victory for tenants’ rights.

The thirty day notice was originally part of the $2 trillion dollar CARES Act, the COVID-19 economic relief package enacted by Congress in March 2020. That requirement did not have an expiration date.

Colorado Politics reports that different judges around the country have reached different conclusions about whether the thirty-day notice in a federal law should take priority over state laws with narrower eviction notice windows, like Colorado’s ten-day law.

But State Supreme Court Justice Melissa Hart wrote, in the court’s opinion, that an expiration date cannot be inserted where Congress omitted one.

HUD Acts To Prevent Undue Marshall Fire Foreclosures

The US Department of Housing and Urban Development is taking action to prevent unreasonable foreclosures on Marshall Fire victims.

HUD announced yesterday they are updating reverse mortgage foreclosure guidelines for people who lost their homes to the Boulder County wildfire in December 2021.

The updated guidelines were championed by Congressman Joe Neguse, whose 2nd Congressional District was hardest-hit by the wildfire. He asked for updates to the occupancy requirements for Home Equity Conversion Mortgages following a natural disaster.

Neguse said it’s wrong that people who lost their homes to the fire would also be at risk of foreclosure, when they can’t live in a house that is no longer there.

HUD has identified all of the properties in its servicing system in Louisville, Superior, and unincorporated Boulder County. WIth the updated guidelines, extra HUD approval will be required before Due and Payable actions are taken against homeowners who lost homes to the fire.

 Denver Migrant Influx Levels Over Weekend

The number of migrants coming to Denver appears to be leveling off, at least for the time being. 

Last week’s sunsetting of the pandemic-related immigration restriction known as Title 42 has prompted a new influx of migrants into Denver and other U.S. cities.

An average of 250 migrants a day came to Denver last week, according to the city’s Office of Emergency Management. But the city’s migrant support dashboard says that over the weekend, it dropped to fewer than 130 a day.

Still, city and state leaders call these sudden surges a humanitarian crisis.

Title 42 allowed border authorities to cite pandemic concerns as a reason to send migrants back into Mexico, even if they had credible asylum claims that would have allowed them to legally remain in the United States.

The end of the federally declared public health emergency last week ended Title 42, thereby uncorking a bottleneck of cases that have been in limbo.

Emergency shelters in Denver have been overwhelmed, especially since the weather took a turn to consistent rainfall in the last week.

Colorado Nuclear Plants?

Newly-passed legislation that requires the Colorado Energy Office to study energy options could advance nuclear and other alternate energy technologies. 

One of the bill’s co-sponsors, Republican State Senator Rod Pelton, says he thinks that nuclear energy, in the form of small, modular nuclear reactors, are viable, economic energy producers.

Colorado Politics says it’s an idea that is taking hold, as part of a worldwide nuclear energy renaissance to deecarbonize the world’s electric power systems.

House Bill 23 1247 easily passed the State House and Senate with bi-partisan support. Governor Jared Polis has not yet signed it into law.

Boulder Will Launch E-Bike Incentive Program This Summer

The City of Boulder is launching an e-bike voucher program this summer. 

The city will make 200 vouchers available for commuter e-bikes and cargo e-bikes during the distribution round in July to gauge interest.

 According to the city website, they will likely have another round of voucher distribution in September. 

Residents of Boulder who apply for the program online will enter a random selection process. During the first round of vouchers, most will go to income-qualified applicants. City staff have not yet announced when or how residents can apply. 

Boulder will offer a higher voucher amount to residents who can prove economic need. The standard e-bike voucher will be $300, but qualifying low income residents can receive a voucher of up to $1200 dollars. 

The vouchers can only be used at participating bike shops. Details are available on the bouldercolorado.gov website.

Denver Launches Anti-Bike Theft Program

The City of Denver has unveiled a new anti- bike theft program.

The 529 Garage system is a digital platform that replaces the Denver Police Department’s current registration database.

To participate, bike owners log on, and enter their bike’s serial number, make, and other information.

Flooding Causes Multiple Road Closures

All that rain from recent days is causing scattered flooding and road closures through the region.

A portion of Coal Creek Canyon is closed, including State highway 72 from Twin Spruce Road to Colorado 93 in Arvada. State transportation officials say it is likely to be an extended closure.

Flooding has also closed roadways in parts of Adams County, including 26th Avenue between Yulle Road and Wolf Creek Rd, and Piggott Road from 80th to 88th Avenues.

In Lafayette, Coal Creek Trail is also closed by flooding, including the underpass at South Public Road.

The Colorado Department of Transportation reminds motorists to use caution, don’t tailgate, be aware of emergency crews and vehicles, and to expect the unexpected.

 

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Alexis Kenyon

Alexis Kenyon is a radio reporter with more than 15 years of experience creating compelling, sound-rich radio stories for news outlets across the country.

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