Affordable Housing Desperately Needs Oversight

I’m a disabled senior citizen who used to be a successful, resourceful and resilient person. Now I’m 95 percent bedridden, and I cannot get help. I’ve been trying—with much of my available energy, and along multiple avenues—since January to find the assistance I need for some daily tasks, but moreover to get help with Reasonable Accommodations for my disability.

I waited nearly two years on the list for affordable housing through Boulder Housing Partners, and finally got the call that my name had come up in their lottery in June, 2023. When I sat down with them to finalize forms, I included request for Reasonable Accommodation for my disabilities. It was ignored. I was assigned to a building that included no examples of what I needed, and I was told that I should address the need with the Reasonable Accommodation committee. After much back-and-forth via someone on our property management team (I was never allowed to communicate with the committee myself, and the job of Property Manager here has rolled over three times in a year), I was told that I would have to move in order to get the accommodation I need.

Moving will be both a physical and a fiscal nightmare for me. Still it’s necessary for my long-term well-being. So I’ve been applying for a new home through BHP. Guess what? I can only apply for one place at a time. And I have to start all over again the same long and involved application process I did just last year. And I’m in the mix with hundreds of others applying for the same properties. I have no one looking out for my interests, no one representing me as someone who deserves Reasonable Accommodations for my disabilities.

I’ve notified since moving in here that there is no type oversight with Boulder Housing Partners. I wanted to know what sort of organization they are, so I looked them up at the Colorado Secretary of State website. Interestingly, Boulder Housing Partners was dissolved a number of years ago. I remembered that they asked me to make out my checks upon move-in to Boulder Communities. So I looked that up. The business entity with that name is a Limited Liability Limited Partnership (“We are responsible to no one.”). And guess who files the periodic reports for Boulder Communities? Boulder Housing Partners—which officially no longer exists.

I’m relieved to know that Colorado is looking at laws to help those of us who need assistance with housing-related issues. It cannot happen fast enough. Thank you so much to all who are working toward a better future for us!