HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 01/11/2022 - RECOVERY PLAN DISCUSSIONDATE:
STAFF:
January 11, 2022
SeonAh Kendall, Recovery Manager/Sr. Economic
Health Manager
WORK SESSION ITEM
City Council
SUBJECT FOR DISCUSSION
Recovery Plan Discussion.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The purpose of this item is to provide an overview of the Fort Collins Recovery Plan (The Plan) themes,
outcomes, and objectives. In addition, staff will map out the process for American Rescue Plan Act’s (ARPA)
State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund Budget for Outcomes (BFO) offers in the 2023 -2024 budget process and
the regional approach to the State of Colorado’s ARPA funds.
While our primary focus continues to be protecting the health and safety of our community, a return to “business
as usual” is not the sole goal of recovery. The Plan works to address the trauma that the COVID -19 pandemic has
had on our community, reduce future shocks, and focus on the inclusion and well -being of our community to
increase resilience and move toward a vibrant future.
As many communities begin to structure their recovery plans on ARPA expenditures, the City’s intent is to be
transformational vs transactional in recovery. The past 22+ months has shone a light on the vast inequities and
disparities in our community, but also sparked innovation and regional collaboration to respond to the ever -
changing health and economic circumstances.
A bottom-up community engagement approach is being utilized to inform the Plan. ARPA funds are on e tool to
help the community achieve our vision that “Fort Collins residents and businesses are able to participate in a
resilient, vibrant and inclusive future.” The Plan seeks to leverage this historic opportunity to make bold, long -
term investments for recovery.
GENERAL DIRECTION SOUGHT AND SPECIFIC QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED
1. What additional outcomes are missing from the Draft Recovery Plan? What should be adjusted?
2. Does Council support the proposed process of allocating ARPA funds as a part of 2023-2024 BFO?
BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION
The Fort Collins Recovery Plan (The Plan) is being built with the community and being driven by community
needs to build back stronger. The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) is a tool to help us achieve some of our
recovery goals.
Since March 2020, when the initial local emergency was declared, the City has worked to address the COVID -19
pandemic. While our primary focus continues to be protecting the health and safety of our community, we have
also administered new, innovative programs that help stabilize our local community and build the foundation for
long-term resilience. As we continue to experience the pandemic, we are mindful that we cannot, nor should we
return to the pre-pandemic status quo.
Northern Colorado benefits from years of regional collaboration. This need for collaboration has been even more
apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic. We will continue to work regionally and collaboratively with our
institutional partners and neighboring municipal communities.
January 11, 2022 Page 2
A coordinated, collaborative regional recovery plan can provide the framework for local recovery enabling
cooperation between the public and private sectors. Understanding and removing functional and structural
barriers for residents, consumers, employees, and businesses is essential to our successful recovery.
Vision Statement: Fort Collins residents and businesses are able to participate in a resilient,
vibrant, and inclusive future.
To realize our vision, we must acknowledge that the pande mic has been traumatic for our community, and for
many, the impacts of the pandemic are continuing, and recovery is a long way away.
Public Engagement during plan development matched what numerous studies and reports have shown - that
COVID-19 has had disparate impacts on different socioeconomic and demographic groups. To begin recovery,
and better understand the work that needs to be done, we must acknowledge not everyone was affected equally.
ALIGNMENT WITH CITY STRATEGIES AND COUNCIL PRIORITIES
Internal activities include scanning existing plans, projects and programs being implemented within the City that
align with recovery and the Plan development. The “plan scan” allows us to leverage engagement, data, and
prioritization that our community has shared previously while addressing current and future needs. Additionally,
staff are working collaboratively to determine how the Plan will fit into the overall planning system and where there
are opportunities for integration of overlapping work in recovery , budget, and Strategic Plan. (Attachment 1)
Inputs from the engagement have been collected collaboratively as mentioned in the Engagement and Feedback
Summary.
Council Priorities
• Juvenile diversion
• Advance transit initiatives that remove barriers
• Advance Regionalism - collaboration regionally while maintaining the unique character of Fort Collins
• Develop a Circular Economy Plan
• Partner with Poudre School District (PSD) for workforce development
• Affordable, quality, and accessible childcare infrastructure
• Create a targeted, specific plan for community recovery
• Support homelessness initiatives
PRINCIPLES FOR SUCCESS
1. Equity and inclusion are embedded throughout the recovery process. As the City moves forward with
the recovery effort, it is vital that the prioritization of the outcomes and goals outlined below are informed by
the voices of our diverse community. Many of the people most impacted during the pandemic were struggling
to meet their basic needs before March 2020. It is crucial that this plan recognizes and addresses how to
increase stability for individuals and families that struggled pre-pandemic.
2. Leverage existing plans, programs, and partners. There are several strategic plans and programs in
existence that are still relevant and impactful today; we should not reinvent them, rather find ways to leverage
resources to accelerate the outcomes. The key for many of these strategies is listening to, supporting, and co -
creating solutions with both the communities most impacted and/or trusted community partners already
engaged in communities.
3. A City that supports just as much as it leads. The City can and should play a supportive role for other
organizations, stakeholders, businesses, and individuals in our community t o lead on some of the Recovery
Areas, Outcomes, and Strategies explored in the Plan. Power sharing with community organizations and
stakeholders can help create a more robust and equitable community. Community Organizations and other
stakeholders may be better placed to lead on recovery efforts - like those who provide mental health support
services. Many of the plan strategies will require resourcing with recovery funding and longer-term funding.
January 11, 2022 Page 3
The Recovery Plan should pilot or provide seed funding for o ngoing work to address inequities, build capacity,
and sustain momentum over time.
4. Let form follow function. The pursuit of perfect information and data should not become the enemy of
forward motion. The structure for engaging in recovery planning shoul d develop from the goals of the
recovery process not vice versa.
5. Be data and experience driven. Do not lead with ‘solutions.’ Seek to gather and understand lived
experiences in our community so that the data driving strategies and tactics is not in the aggregate but truly
reflective of our community. In addition, the pursuit of perfect information and data should not slow down the
progress of recovery efforts. The methods for engaging in recovery planning should develop from goals
created during the recovery process not vice versa. Search and scour for best practices (regionally,
nationally, internationally), lessons learned as implementing, and pitfalls to avoid.
6. Focus on resilience by avoiding being short-sighted. Resilience is the capacity to prepare our human and
natural systems to respond and adapt to changes and disruptions of various scales that affect our ability to
thrive. While addressing short-term needs, keep long-term goals in mind. Focus on balancing the interest of
both now and the future. If we do not, then existing inequities exacerbated by the pandemic and other
potential disruptions will only be further widened. New approaches should be understood and translated to
support the community so that we can withstand future events more effectively.
7. Make recovery decisions with sustainability in mind. Ensure that sustainability is factored into all
decisions for recovery. Keeping sustainability front of mind is of paramount importance to ensure the
community’s vibrant future. The community benefits from the balance of social, environmental, and economic
contributions to the overall quality of life in Fort Collins. This is a symbiotic relationship that recovery
reinforces.
ENGAGEMENT SUMMARY
The Recovery Team developed a multi-faceted approach designed to broaden public outreach and engagement.
This approach was designed to meet the needs of different audiences in the community, centering on hearing
from hard-hit and historically underserved residents. Additionally, Recover Engagement was designed to build
upon other engagement efforts across the community, including engagement for the 2022 Budget and Strategic
Plan.
This included online and mailed surveys in English and Spanish, digital, print and radio ads, stakeholder
meetings, and paid partnerships with community connectors and organizations, among other methods. Final
participation numbers include:
• 2,200+ online survey responses
• 220+ responses from OurCity
• Approximately 25 paper survey responses
• 50+ stakeholder meetings
Additional public engagement is occurring now to ensure that community priorities are accurately reflected in the
draft recovery plan themes and outcomes.
Public engagement does not stop with plan adoption. Future conversations with the community will be needed to
help uncover the specific programs and mechanisms needed to support residents’ unique paths toward recovery.
Throughout plan implementation additional engagement and outreach will be conducted to ensure we continue to
provide programs and resources that our community needs most. Ongoing engagement will also allow
nimbleness to respond to emerging challenges and impacts of the pandemic.
Analysis of open-ended responses yielded four key themes for recovery:
● Empower individuals and businesses through strong pandemic response programs;
● Bolster community organizations, networks, and spaces that provide direct assistance, and center those most
impacted;
January 11, 2022 Page 4
● Remove barriers to resilience; and
● Invest in infrastructure and amenities to support a vibrant future.
In many ways, the community’s responses align with existing priorities and plans. Specifically, many responses
highlighted the need for community mental health services, affordable housing, higher wages, and access to
childcare.
Additional public engagement is occurring now to ensure that community priorities are accurately reflected in the
draft recovery plan themes and outcomes.
Public engagement does not stop with plan adoption. Future conversations with the community will be needed to
help uncover the specific programs and mechanisms needed to support residents’ unique paths toward recovery.
Throughout plan implementation, additional engagement and outreach will be conducted to ensure we continue to
provide programs and resources that our community needs most. Ongoing engagement will also allow agility to
respond to emerging challenges and impacts of the pandemic. (Attachment 2) If Council is interested in seeing
raw, synthesized data, please notify staff.
RECOVERY PLAN
The intent of the Plan is to be transformational vs transactional and provide a flexible structure based on current
community needs while utilizing ARPA funds as a tool. The Plan is NOT meant to be overly prescriptive while still
achieving transformational change to help our whole community achieve resilience, and eventual vibrancy.
The Plan provides an overview of organizational structures to address health, equity and community recovery,
economic recovery, and health and environmental resilience for Fort Collins. Although equity is imbedded in
all areas of the Plan, it was important to name it in the strategic structure. (Attachment 3)
January 11, 2022 Page 5
Recovery Themes Recovery Outcomes
1. Health 1a. Support clear and effective communication of public health orders.
1b. Enhance efforts to ensure basic needs are met in the community.
1c. Mental and physical health is valued as necessary and prevention-
based.
2. Equity and Community Resilience 2a. Foster a sense of belonging and community trust.
2b. Accelerate the City’s Housing Strategic Plan’s vision that
“everyone has healthy, stable housing they can afford.”
2c. Expand and leverage existing partnerships to quickly connect
people experiencing homelessness (PEH) to resources and services.
3. Economic Recovery 3a. Small businesses and nonprofits have the resources they need to
thrive.
3b. Safe and stable employment, current and future.
3c. Equitable and affordable childcare is accessible.
4. Environmental Resilience 4a. Enhance the City’s commitment to Our Climate Future regarding
resilient neighborhoods and environmental justice.
4b. Resilient infrastructure is reliable, affordable, and attainable.
4c. Open space and natural amenities are available and preserved.
ALLOCATION OF REMAINING ARPA FUNDS
Short-Term ARPA Allocation
Ordinance No. 079, 2021 Making Supplemental Appropriations of a Portion of the City’s American Rescue Plan
Act Funding for Local Fiscal Recovery Related to Response to and Recovery From the COVID -19 Pandemic
appropriated $4.2 million (equivalent to fifteen percent) to be used to address immediate and short -term needs. In
addition, the 2022 City Manager’s Recommended Budget for council consideration includes approximately $3.6
million of ARPA short-term support.
Short-Term Response: $4.2 million allocated (Ordinance No. 079, 2021)
Project Name Dollar Amount
Eviction Legal Fund $20,000
Direct Assistance for Utilities Customers* $460,000
24/7 Shelter at Fort Collins Rescue Mission $30,000
For Fort Collins Campaign & Website $190,000
Business and Entrepreneur Center* $400,000
City of Fort Collins Special Events Recovery Grant* $125,000
Small Business Grants* $1,060,000
Recovery Communication and Administration* $600,000
Learning Loss Mitigation & Developmental* $400,000
Homelessness Initiatives and Support Services $760,000
Poudre Fire Authority Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) $150,000
Remaining Short-Term ARPA Funds (saved for overage/shortage/additional PPE) $22,846
TOTAL $4,217,846*
*Includes personnel support for the program
January 11, 2022 Page 6
ARPA Funded Projects in Adopted 2022 Budget: $3.6 M allocated
Project Name Dollar Amount
Eviction Legal Fund $220,000
Parking Structure Critical Preventative Repairs- Enhanced $745,400
Expanded Technical Assistance for Small Business $30,000
Childcare System Support $170,000
Innovative Fort Collins Challenge $100,000
Economic Health Strategic plan $100,000
5.0 FTE - Mental Health Response Team build out; 1 Sergeant and 4 Officers $809,170
1.0 FTE Contractual - City Planner $81,258
Expanded Community Outreach and Engagement $55,000
Increased Funding for the Reduced Fee Scholarship Program $100,000
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Office - Professional Services Increase $25,000
Language Access Services for City Council Meetings and High Priority Civic
Engagement Events
$34,560
Affordable Housing Fee Credit Fund $350,000
Homelessness Initiatives Increase $201,000
Human Service Program Increase $150,000
1.0 FTE Contractual - Cultural Services Community Programs Manager with
Program Support
$169,575
Cultural Services Access Fund for Low-Income Residents $185,000
Municipal Court Services-Mental Health, Addiction, and Teen Diversion Services $75,000
Total $3,570,963*
Remaining Fund Allocation
The remaining ARPA funds are expected to be allocated after Recovery Plan Adoption, as a part of the 2023 -
2024 budget cycle (BFO).
Prior to the beginning of the BFO process, sellers interested in asking for projects to be funded b y ARPA will
submit an application with project details to the ARPA team. The ARPA team will then determine if the project is
eligible to be funded with ARPA. If approved, the project will then be submitted and move through the BFO
Process.
Recovery-related projects will be asked to show alignment with both the Recovery Plan and 2022 Strategic Plan.
Once submitted for BFO, a specific ARPA BFO Team will review and rank projects and share funding
recommendations with the Budget Lead Team (BLT). BLT will then craft and recommend a budget to share with
Council.
Recovery-related projects approved in the Adopted 2023-2024 Budget will then be funded with remaining ARPA
funds and launched in 2023.
January 11, 2022 Page 7
Summary of Allocation of ARPA Funds
NOTE: Administrative costs are spread throughout each recovery theme. Council can opt to change proposed
allocation.
State ARPA Funds
As overviewed at the November 23, 2021, work session, the State of Colorado’s Department of Local Affairs
(DOLA) and Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT), along with regional leaders have
met to identify initial funding opportunities from the State’s Build Back Stronger allocation of ARPA State and
Local Fiscal Recovery Funds dedicated to economic recovery.
On December 17, 2021, the regional group reconvened with OEDIT and DOLA. Updates from the state include:
• The original $1.2 billion could ultimately be less due to the COVID -19 variants - some funds might need to be
utilized in the public health response. This is to-be-determined.
• Timeline is flexible. The Colorado General assembly convenes on January 12, 2022, and OEDIT anticipates
proposing these projects mid-January.
• Project funding awards are to begin early summer, with a July 1, 2022, start date for spending.
o Funds must be encumbered by 2024, spent by 2026.
• Project focus will be on regional impact, economic multiplier, and public/private partnership.
Two of the fourteen projects previewed during the December 17, 2021 meeting were proposed by City staff.
(Attachment 4) The notion of many of the proposed projects is that they can be placed anywhere in the region
but customized for the need of the local community.
Due to the shift in application deadlines, team leads are meeting with working teams to refine the project
applications the first week of January 2022. Staff will continue to update Council on the changes to the projects
and timeline as they become available.
January 11, 2022 Page 8
NEXT STEPS
• Additional Public Engagement on Recovery Areas and Outcomes - through January
• Council Work Session to review full draft of Recovery Plan - January 25, 2022
• Finalization of Recovery Plan
• Recovery Plan adoption - March 1, 2022
• Q2 2022 - Joint Council and Commissioners Meeting
• February 2022 - April 2022 - Potential ARPA-funded 2023/2024 BFO projects approved by ARPA Team
ATTACHMENTS
1. Themes and Outcomes, Vision Alignment and Plan Alignment (PDF)
2. Engagement Report (PDF)
3. Themes and Outcomes (draft) (PDF)
4. Proposed Regional Ideas for State ARPA Funding (PDF)
5. Powerpoint Presentation (PDF)
Summary of Recovery Themes, Outcomes and Objectives
Recovery
Themes
Recovery Outcomes Outcome Objectives
Health
1a. Support clear and effective
communication of public health
orders.
•Share clear, consistent public health guidance.
•Ensure access and availability to personal protective equipment (PPE) and COVID-19 tests.
1b. Enhance efforts to ensure basic
needs are met in the community.
•Strengthen nonprofits and other existing networks that provide essential needs to those most
vulnerable in Fort Collins.
1c. Mental and physical health is
valued as necessary and
prevention-based.
•Ensure access and affordability to local mental and behavioral health services, including those in need
of bilingual, multicultural providers.
•Expand opportunities and lower barriers for public access to cultural experiences and venues.
Equity and
Community
Resilience
2a. Foster a sense of belonging and
community trust.
•Create a culture of belonging.
•Support neighborhood-driven resilience while also improving social capital and capacity.
•Codesign multicultural activities and generative spaces for improved access and opportunities.
2b. Accelerate the City’s Housing
Strategic Plan’s vision that
“everyone has healthy, stable
housing they can afford.”
•Preserve existing affordable housing.
•Increase housing supply, affordability, diversity and choice by 10% of overall housing stock by 2040.
•Increase housing stability and renter protections.
2c. Expand and leverage existing
partnerships to quickly connect
people experiencing homelessness
(PEH) to resources and services.
•Expand funding to community organizations that operate programs and services that support PEHs.
•Accelerate plans for a 24/7 shelter for those experiencing homelessness.
•Support regional solutions such as the Northern Colorado Continuum of Care and Coordinated
Assessment and Housing Placement System through funding and leadership.
ATTACHMENT 1
Themes Recovery Outcomes Outcome Objectives
Economic
Recovery
3a. Small businesses, creatives and
nonprofits have the resources they
need to thrive.
• Enhance support services and tools to enable operations to be soundly positioned for successful
recovery, including capital access.
• Support smooth and timely ability for facility modification to deliver goods and services with increased
public safety protocols.
• Focus on programs and services that support historically underserved community members.
3b. Safe and stable employment,
current and future.
• Support business and nonprofit ability to find and recruit labor that meets their needs.
• Enhance the ability of businesses to implement flexible labor practices (i.e., remote, hybrid,
gig/contractual, variable shifts, job share, etc.).
• Support partnerships that develop the workforce businesses need.
• Bring in training that is available regionally but not directly to Fort Collins.
• Prioritize learning loss mitigation programs and services that support students with high risk factors
and/or marginalized identities.
• Reduce barriers that inhibit students/families from full participation in educational opportunities.
3c. Equitable and affordable
childcare is accessible.
• Advance regional, systemic and sustainable childcare solutions. Original and collaborative strategies
are needed to address the compounding challenges facing the childcare industry.
• Recruit, develop and retain dedicated employees in the early childhood education profession.
Environmental
Resilience
4a. Enhance the City’s commitment
to Our Climate Future with regard
to resilient neighborhoods and
environmental justice.
• Create targeted neighborhood level interventions to increase green infrastructure and/or energy
retrofits to address environmental justice issues.
• Decrease barriers to home gardening, residential farming, and small, sustainable farming operations.
• Increase access to affordable CSAs (community supported agriculture subscriptions).
4b. Resilient infrastructure is
reliable, affordable and attainable.
• Access to healthy, energy- and water-efficient indoor spaces, including homes and work environments.
• Transportation and mobility systems are resilient to a variety of expected and unexpected disruptions.
• Reliable water and electric infrastructure are more resilient to a variety of expected and unexpected
disruptions.
4c. Open space and natural
amenities are available and
preserved.
• Enhance access to open space, parks, natural areas, and diverse and accessible recreation opportunities
to support the physical and mental health of residents.
• Identify vulnerabilities to natural hazards, identify proactive mitigation actions, and prepare adequately
to minimize impacts to people, property, and critical facilities.
• Support a healthy and diverse urban tree canopy to support air and light pollution and reduced energy
costs.
OUTCOME & PLAN VISION ALIGNMENT
Healing Resilient Vibrant Inclusive
Health • 1a. Support clear and
effective communication
of public health orders.
• 1c. Mental and physical
health is valued as
necessary and prevention-
based.
• 1b. Enhance efforts to
ensure basic needs are
met in our community.
• 1c. Mental and physical
health is valued as
necessary and prevention-
based.
• 1a. Support clear and
effective communication
of public health orders.
• 1b. Enhance efforts to
ensure basic needs are
met in our community.
Equity &
Community
Resilience
• 2a. Foster a sense of
belonging and community
trust.
• 2b. Accelerate the City’s
Housing Strategic Plan’s
vision that “everyone has
healthy, stable housing
they can afford”.
• 2c. Expand and leverage
existing partnerships to
quickly connect people
experiencing
homelessness (PEH) to
resources and services.
• 2a. Foster a sense of
belonging and community
trust.
• 2a. Foster a sense of
belonging and
community trust.
• 2c. Expand and leverage
existing partnerships to
quickly connect people
experiencing
homelessness (PEH) to
resources and services.
Economic
Recovery
• 3a. Small businesses,
creatives and nonprofits
have the resources they
need to thrive.
• 3b. Safe and stable
employment, current and
future.
• 3a. Small businesses,
creatives and nonprofits
have the resources they
need to thrive.
• 3c. Equitable and
affordable childcare is
accessible.
Environmental
Resilience
• 4a. Enhance the City’s
commitment to Our
Climate Future with
regard to resilient
neighborhoods and
environmental justice.
• 4b. Resilient infrastructure
is reliable, affordable, and
attainable.
• 4b. Open space and
natural amenities are
available and preserved.
• 4b. Resilient infrastructure is
reliable, affordable, and
attainable.
• 4b. Open space and natural
amenities are available and
preserved.
• 4a. Enhance the City’s
commitment to Our
Climate Future with
regard to resilient
neighborhoods and
environmental justice.
Plan Scan – Alignment of Recovery Outcomes with other City Plans
•: Some Alignment ◉: High alignment
1a 1b 1c 2a 2b 2c 3a 3b 3c 4a 4b 4c
2021 - 2023 City Council Priorities • ◉ ◉ ◉ ◉ • ◉ ◉ ◉ ◉ ◉
City Plan • • ◉ ◉ • ◉ • • ◉ ◉
Housing Strategic Plan ◉ • • ◉ ◉ • •
Our Climate Future ◉ • • ◉ • ◉ ◉ ◉ ◉ ◉
Economic Health Strategic Plan ◉ ◉ ◉ ◉ ◉ ◉ ◉ ◉
Business Engagement Action Plan ◉ ◉ ◉ ◉
Northern Colorado Business Report ◉ • ◉ ◉ ◉ ◉
Talent 2.0 • ◉ ◉ ◉
FoCo Creates Arts and Culture Master
Plan • • ◉ ◉ ◉
Air Quality Plan • • • ◉ ◉ • •
EV Readiness Roadmap • • ◉ ◉
Municipal Sustainability Adaptation Plan • • • ◉ ◉
Downtown Plan • • • ◉ ◉ ◉
East Mulberry Corridor Plan • ◉ • • ◉ ◉
Wireless Master Plan • • •
Midtown Plan • • • ◉ ◉
Old Town Neighborhoods Plan • ◉ ◉ ◉
South College Corridor Plan ◉ • • ◉ ◉
West Central Area Plan/Prospect Corridor
Design • ◉ • ◉ ◉
Lincoln Corridor Plan • ◉ ◉
1a 1b 1c 2a 2b 2c 3a 3b 3c 4a 4b 4c
1a 1b 1c 2a 2b 2c 3a 3b 3c 4a 4b 4c
North College Corridor Plan • • • • •
North College Urban Renewal Plan and
Infrastructure Funding Plan • •
Mountain Vista Subarea Plan ◉ • • ◉ ◉
Northside Neighborhoods Plan • • ◉ ◉ ◉
Harmony Corridor Plan • • • • •
Fossil Creek Reservoir Area Plan • • ◉ ◉
I-25 Subarea Plan • • • •
Northwest Subarea Plan • ◉ ◉ ◉
Nature in the City Strategic Plan • ◉ ◉ ◉
Fort Collins Consolidated Plan (HUD) • • • ◉ ◉ • •
Social Sustainability Strategic Plan • • ◉ ◉ ◉ • ◉ •
Fort Collins Social Sustainability Gaps
Analysis • • • • • • •
Pedestrian Plan • • • ◉ ◉
Bicycle Plan • • • ◉ ◉
Utilities Strategic Plan • • • • ◉
Midtown in Motion ◉ ◉ ◉ ◉
West Elizabeth Enhanced Travel Corridor
Plan • ◉ ◉ ◉ ◉
Transportation/Transit Master Plan • • • ◉ ◉
ReCreate: Parks & Recreation Master
Plan*
Natural Areas Master Plan*
The Paved Recreational Trails Master
Plan*
The Poudre River Downtown Master
Plan*
*Additional info pending
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
Conversations with community members are a key part of planning for recovery. A central element of the vision for
recovery involves recognizing that the negative impacts of the pandemic were and are not evenly distributed. Numerous
studies and reports have shown that COVID-19 has had disparate impacts on different socioeconomic and demographic
groups, including workers in low-wage positions, caregivers, and people of color.
Grounded in this knowledge and guided by the desire to center equity in creating a vision for recovery, the City of Fort
Collins engaged with thousands of community members through events, paid partnerships with community organizations,
surveys and other methods.
The primary objectives of Recovery Plan Engagement include:
•Gather community input and needs to inform creation of recovery plan.
•Connect with and gather feedback from underrepresented groups, focus on inclusive engagement and
language access.
•Incorporate feedback from other recent and ongoing engagement processes to help inform recovery
(data from City Plan, Our Climate Future etc. and include recovery as a topic in Community Survey, East
Mulberry and Budget engagement).
•Gather ideas for recovery programs, identify community needs for recovery and a future that is resilient,
vibrant and inclusive.
•Develop clear recovery plan and recommendations to achieve vision based on community feedback.
Process and Methods
Engagement began in spring of 2021, ramping up in summer and fall. Phase 1 of engagement focused on understanding
ongoing challenges and impacts of the pandemic, while also asking what long-term recovery looks like to the community.
Engagement was designed to meet the needs of different audiences in the community, and to center hard-hit and
historically underserved residents. This included online and mailed surveys in English and Spanish, digital, print and radio
ads, stakeholder meetings, and paid partnerships with community connectors and organizations, among other methods.
Final participation numbers include:
•2,200+ online survey responses
•220+ responses from OurCity Platform
•Approx. 25 paper survey responses
•50+ stakeholder meetings
After the creation of the draft Recovery Plan, additional public engagement (Phase 3) will occur to gauge if community
priorities for recovery are accurately reflected in the plan. Multiple tools will be used for this engagement, including online
surveying and additional stakeholder conversations.
Public engagement does not stop with plan adoption. Future conversations with the community will be needed to help
uncover the specific programs and mechanisms needed to support residents’ unique paths towards recovery. Throughout
plan implementation additional engagement and outreach will be conducted to ensure continued alignment between
community needs and offered programs and services. Ongoing engagement will also allow nimbleness to respond to
emerging challenges and impacts of the pandemic.
Results
Analysis of open-ended responses yielded four key themes for recovery:
•empower individuals and businesses through strong pandemic response programs;
•bolster community organizations, networks, and spaces that provide direct assistance, and center those
most impacted;
ATTACHMENT 2
• remove barriers to resilience; and
• invest in infrastructure and amenities to support a vibrant future.
The following graph displays Priority Areas for recovery as identified by survey respondents. Respondents chose their top
5 priorities for recovery based on the list below.
Affordable housing, small business support, mental & behavioral health, workforce development and economic rebuilding
strategy ranked highest; however, it is important to note that not all parts of the Fort Collins community have the same
top priorities. For example, mixed-methods analysis highlighted that for many, essential needs and health and safety
ranked highest. For others, recovery didn’t even resonate – it felt too soon to talk about recovery when the crisis is
ongoing.
In many ways, the community’s responses align with existing priorities and plans. Specifically, many responses highlighted
the need for community mental health services, affordable housing, higher wages, and access to childcare.
Participants recognized that recovery will not be a straightforward or linear journey. Rather than understanding the four
themes as “steps” in the process of recovery, the City should focus on pairing centralized policy and investment with
decentralized programs and access points for the community. This will remove barriers to success and allow residents to
access the programs and resources they need for healing and resilience.
Full Qualitative Engagement Report
The following is the report of the qualitative mixed methods analysis completed for Phase One public engagement for
the recovery plan.
Community Guidance for Recovery Planning
Prepared by Cactus Consulting, LLC in partnership with the City of Fort Collins Recovery Plan Team
Executive Summary
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way people work, attend school, receive healthcare, and
socialize. Nearly two years after the first public health orders, the City of Fort Collins (“the City”) and its
residents continue to grapple with high transmission rates and significant uncertainty related to the
virus and its variants. In the midst of this uncertainty, the City is set to receive $28.1 million in American
Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to address the pandemic and its negative impacts on the community.
Conversations with community members are a key part of planning for recovery. As the community
continues to heal, the City’s vision for recovery is that all Fort Collins residents and businesses can
participate in a resilient, vibrant and inclusive future. A central element of this vision involves
recognizing that the negative impacts of the pandemic were and are not evenly distributed. Numerous
studies and reports have shown that COVID-19 has had disparate impacts on different socioeconomic
and demographic groups, including workers in low-wage positions, caregivers, and people of color.
Grounded in this knowledge and guided by the desire to center equity in creating a vision for recovery,
the City of Fort Collins engaged with thousands of community members through events, paid
partnerships with community organizations, and surveys. This report reviews the open-ended
responses gathered from these engagement methods.
Analysis of open-ended responses yielded four key themes for recovery:
● empower individuals and businesses through strong pandemic response programs;
● bolster community organizations, networks, and spaces that provide direct assistance, and
center those most impacted;
● remove barriers to resilience; and
● invest in infrastructure and amenities to support a vibrant future
In many ways, the community’s responses align with existing priorities and plans. Specifically, many
responses highlighted the need for community mental health services, affordable housing, higher
wages, and access to childcare.
Participants recognized that recovery will not be a straightforward or linear journey. Rather than
understanding the four themes as “steps” in the process of recovery, the City should focus on pairing
centralized policy and investment with decentralized programs and access points for the community.
This will remove barriers to success and allow residents to access the programs and resources they need
for healing and resilience. Future conversations with the community will be needed to help uncover the
specific programs and mechanisms needed to support residents’ unique paths towards recovery.
The Process
The City of Fort Collins began engagement in spring of 2021 in preparation for developing a Recovery
Plan. This engagement has focused on understanding ongoing challenges and impacts of the pandemic,
while also asking what long-term recovery looks like to our community.
Engagement was designed to meet the needs of different audiences in the community, and to center
hard-hit and historically underserved residents. This included online and mailed surveys in English and
Spanish, digital, print and radio ads, stakeholder meetings, and paid partnerships with community
connectors and organizations, among other methods. Final participation numbers include:
• 2,200+ online survey responses
• 220+ responses from OurCity
• Approx. 25 paper survey responses
• 50+ stakeholder meetings
Though this includes some individual responses from small business owners, there was also separate
engagement of small businesses. Information on that engagement will be available in Economic
Recovery reports.
Engagement questions included:
● What impacts of the pandemic are you still seeing or experiencing?
● What would help?
● What would make our community stronger?
Though some demographic and rating questions were included in surveys, this report focuses on
analyzing the responses to open-ended questions for key themes. Quantitative analysis can be
incredibly powerful for answering specific questions. However, qualitative analysis that focuses on
stories rather than numbers is often more effective for exploratory questions like the ones above. It
emphasizes leaving space for community inspiration and direction, and finding commonalities across
responses rather than ranking ideas against each other.
More information about the analysis is available as an appendix to this report. Some community
partners developed their own reports with additional qualitative analysis of the responses they
gathered. These reports are also included as an appendix.
Community Guidance for Recovery Planning
The following sections attempt to tell a story about the values, priorities, and ideas the Fort Collins
community envisions as part of recovery efforts. The first section provides a response to the City’s
Recovery Vision to test its alignment with community sentiment. The next section highlights key themes
for recovery that move from more specific and immediate needs to longer-term, more structural
changes needed to improve community resilience, along with potential actions suggested by
participants to help the community recovery.
Community Vision for Recovery
The City’s Recovery Executive Team outlined a Recovery Vision –that all Fort Collins residents and
businesses can participate in a resilient, vibrant and inclusive future—along with four “vision words”—
healing, inclusion, resilience, and vibrancy. While participants were not asked specifically to respond to
these ideas, responses indicate alignment between community values and the vision laid out by the City.
The following section outlines the ways that the community understands and discusses each vision area.
HEALING
the process of making or becoming sound or healthy again
Participants shared many types of losses experienced during the pandemic, including lost loved ones,
lost income, and lost trust in other members of the community. In addition, some mourned the loss of
learning and social opportunities for youth. Participants identified the importance of recognizing losses
and restoring a sense of safety and stability as key steps in the healing process. The concept of
reestablishing community trust through forums or events was also proposed.
INCLUSION
an intention or policy of including people who might otherwise be excluded or marginalized. Inclusion
requires removing barriers so all can thrive
Participants recognized that not all residents experienced the same level of impact or needed the same
level of support to recover from the effects of the pandemic. Many highlighted that underlying issues
like housing affordability were made worse for many over the course of the pandemic. Some
participants requested additional focus on recovery for immigrant communities, low-income residents,
and people experiencing homelessness. In addition, participants strongly identified with the goal of
removing barriers to success. Specifically, they noted the importance of removing barriers for small
businesses, workers in the creative sector, parents, Spanish-speaking residents, people experiencing
homelessness, and LGBTQIA+ residents. For many historically underserved populations, including Latinx
residents and LGBTQIA+ residents, there was a strong desire for more representation in future decision-
making to demonstrate “follow-through” from the City on their stated goal of inclusion.
RESILIENCE
the ability to better avoid, withstand, or recover from difficult conditions of various scales
Participants recognized the important work of nonprofit organizations and City-sponsored programs in
connecting community members with resources to help them weather tough times. Latinx community
members also cited their families as sources of resilience and hope during times of adversity. The idea
of resilience was frequently intertwined with discussion of removing barriers. Specifically, many
participants recognized low wages and high cost-of-living as a significant barrier to financial resilience.
VIBRANCY
sense of place and belonging for all, full of energy and enthusiasm
Respondents envisioned a future, with strong, sustainable transportation networks, well-maintained
community amenities like parks, pools, and natural areas, affordable housing, and a strong arts and
culture sector. For many, a vibrant future was closely intertwined with meeting the goals of existing City
plans, including the Our Climate Future Plan and the Housing Strategic Plan. While many responses
suggested leveraging the Recovery Plan efforts to make progress on existing goals and initiatives, it is
important to note that some respondents were in favor of utilizing a strict interpretation of recovery
that focused on direct and immediate impacts and excluded any support for housing or sustainability.
Community Priorities for Recovery
The following key themes begin with more immediate and specific needs for healing, and ripple out
towards broader initiatives that support resilience and vibrancy in our community. Each key theme
includes information on the role that the City can play, and some potential actions suggested by
respondents. It is important to note that the potential actions suggested are not an exhaustive list, and
should not be considered a mandate from the community. Responses varied widely in their specificity.
For example, some responses just noted “affordable housing” was needed, while others detailed specific
policies related to changing zoning laws or creating supportive housing for those experiencing
homelessness. An important part of future recovery efforts will be ongoing opportunities for
community idea generation, feedback, and leadership.
Empower individuals and businesses through strong pandemic response programs.
Responses indicate that it is vital to provide ongoing pandemic response in addition to planning for and
investing in community recovery. This includes sharing clear public health guidance and providing
supplies to support safe and stable workplaces, public transportation, childcare facilities, schools, and
community events.
Participants reported experiencing significant fear, frustration, and uncertainty related to how to safely
navigate work and everyday activities as the effects of the pandemic linger. As one person shared,
I am still very worried about my health and the health of those I love, even with some people
getting vaccinated.
For many, this manifested as fear and uncertainty related to being in public places. Others worried that
employers were not taking the necessary precautions to keep them safe, and felt that they were being
forced to choose between financial stability and their health.
While some businesses reported seeing rebounds to pre-pandemic levels, others, including members of
the creative sector and employees of nonprofits and childcare centers shared a very different story.
According to one participant,
We are experiencing greatly reduced audience support related to closed/reduced venues,
mixed messages about safety, reduced employment for musicians. This pandemic is far
from over- so we are looking for new ways to move forward.
La Cocina’s ethnographic report noted that their participants said it was “too soon to talk recovery.”
Their participants expressed a desire for the community to find solidarity in this moment, noting that a
huge first step would be for the City to affirm that the organization is here for its residents, particularly
those who have been historically underserved, during these difficult times.
Mental health was also a large part of this conversation. For many, the uncertainty around public health
remains a source of significant anxiety, adding to the feelings of social isolation and loss that have
accumulated since the beginning of the pandemic. As one person shared,
There needs to be expanded access to mental health services…Providers are
overwhelmed and spaces are limited, especially for those who offer services outside of
traditional work hours. There has to be some relief…None of us are doing okay.
Responses gathered from Spanish-speaking residents, particularly parents with school-aged children,
also highlighted the need for more mental health services in Spanish.
Participants also shared their struggles with consistent childcare, noting that COVID guidelines and
frequent exposures were causing their children to miss school or daycare and impacting their ability to
work. As one person stated,
[We need] more security around childcare and in-person schooling - it feels like the
bottom will drop out at any moment and that makes it impossible to grow in our careers,
business decisions, etc.
Finally, some noted that the continued reduction in Transfort service was a source of stress and
instability, and requested that the City restore service, particularly for later evening hours, to assist with
reliable transportation to appointments and workplaces.
While most community members who mentioned public health in their responses were in favor of
additional measures related to combatting the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to note that some
community members were opposed and expressed a desire for a more “hands-off” approach to public
health. Vaccination mandates were particularly controversial, with some participants requesting
additional mandates for workplaces and large events, and others opposing any mandates. Participants
were more supportive of the City amplifying public health messages than creating policies.
Recommended City Role: Communication, leadership, connection, service provision
Potential Actions: Coordinate with Larimer County Health Department to amplify public health
messages ⧫ Provide masks, rapid tests, and other public health supplies to individuals and businesses,
especially parents and childcare providers ⧫ Communicate to community members, especially Latinx
residents, that the City stands with them in solidarity ⧫ Support opportunities for increased mental
health services, including virtual and in-person services, and Spanish-language services ⧫ Reinstate
Transfort service to provide reliable transportation services to the community, and provide masks
onboard for those who need them.
Bolster community organizations, networks, and spaces that provide direct assistance,
and center those most impacted
Participants recognized that not everyone was affected equally by the pandemic, and prioritized support
for hard-hit groups, including youth, immigrants, people experiencing homelessness, low-wage workers,
small business owners, freelancers, and people working in the arts industry. As one person shared,
The need for affordable housing, food, and taking care of our community members that
need help because they may not have family or friends to help them has become a much
more obvious issue to me. The economy and health risks have hurt these people that
were already hurting before the pandemic. This is an emergency now.
Because each person’s experience of the pandemic was unique, respondents recognized that each
person’s path to recovery would be unique. Rather than requesting specific programs or types of
assistance from the City, many requested additional support for nonprofits that provide direct aid to
those hardest hit by the pandemic. Suggested recipients of support included organizations that:
● serve people experiencing homelessness,
● provide low-cost childcare and educational and social programs for youth,
● provide emergency assistance for rent, food, and other basic needs, and
● support freelancers, small businesses, and workers in the “arts economy.”
For many residents, those in historically underserved groups in particular, the City has not been a central
resource or access point in the past. Community organizations and family members have filled those
gaps, and are seen as best positioned to bolster recovery efforts.
Community members also expressed a need for healing spaces and events to restore community trust
and cohesion. For many in the community, including some Latinx respondents, it was important for the
City to acknowledge community contributions during the pandemic, and recognize the physical,
emotional, and financial losses experienced. The ethnographic report from La Cocina also highlighted
the need for “generative spaces” that provide safety, honor identity, and promote connection with
family and friends. Others also identified community events as an important opportunity for
connection, and requested the revival or addition of new events. As one participant shared:
Fort Collins could definitely be more of a community. There is not a lot of pull together. I
would like to see the community have community days and neighbor events
Some highlighted the opportunity for arts events and creative spaces or “hubs” to be an important
element of this healing. As one participant suggested,
Some unifying experiences will help alleviate the divides and fears. Art can be that
experience. Art can unite us.
Overall, respondents envisioned the City strengthening the networks and spaces in the community that
provide support, healing, and resilience. While relationships between the City and the community are
an important part of trust and future resilience, participants did not see them as a precursor to recovery
efforts. Rather, through recognition and support of community organizations and spaces, the City can
expedite recovery, build community capacity, and enhance its relationships with community members.
Recommended City Role: Support, capacity-building, connection
Potential Actions: Assist local organizations providing support for immigrants, people experiencing
homelessness, and low-wage workers ⧫ Provide support for organizations and spaces serving youth,
such as Boys & Girls Clubs ⧫ Support local organizations serving small businesses and freelancers,
including coworking spaces, creative hubs, makers spaces and shared digital marketplaces ⧫ Identify
key leverage points where skills and resources could spread throughout the community and reach
historically underserved populations ⧫ Consider opportunities to support generative spaces that provide
opportunities for healing and connection. ⧫ Consider opportunities to support additional
communitywide events ⧫ Utilize local artists and arts organization as cornerstone of healing
Remove barriers to resilience
As participants considered the move from immediate recovery to longer-term resilience, many focused
on the ways the City could remove barriers, especially barriers to economic resilience. For many,
childcare presents a significant barrier to employment and financial stability. Even more frequently, low
wages were identified as a barrier to resilience and stability. Participants mentioned the high cost of
living and noted that wages, even for many full-time jobs, were not keeping pace. As one person stated,
[Fort Collins] is a great place to live for individuals who are middle class to upper class, but
things are getting more and more expensive and a lot of minority groups are getting left
behind/cannot afford to be here.
Responses in Spanish, which were received later in 2021, also mentioned the impact of inflation on the
cost of living, and the need for increased wages to keep up with increasing costs.
Responses also suggested a mismatch between the jobs available, and the skills and needs of those
looking for work. Some individuals and business owners lamented the difficulties of staffing and the
feeling that individuals are choosing not to work in available jobs. Alternately, many individuals stated
that they wanted additional work and/or hours, but could not find work to meet their skills and needs.
As one person shared,
[I need] better pay and more hours. Workforce development would be HUGE! I want to
better myself but cannot afford to get more education.
This disconnect between employers and residents suggests a need for a community-wide understanding
of the economy to understand what skills businesses need, what skills individuals have, and how best to
match these together. This information could drive targeted workforce development programs, as well
as identify opportunities to incentivize new industries that draw on community skills.
Recommended City Role: Policy, connection, program development
Potential Actions: Explore policies to increase wages ⧫ Expand community childcare capacity ⧫
Understand and address the mismatch between worker skills and open positions ⧫ Emphasize skill
development and capacity-building for individuals, businesses, and nonprofits
Invest in infrastructure and amenities to support a vibrant future
Participants expressed a desire for improved roads and intersections, enhanced bike trails, high-quality
community recreation (including parks, pools, and natural areas), and expanded public transportation.
As one participant shared,
The pandemic showed us how valuable open space is to our mental as well as physical
health. I would like to see Fort Collins focus on maintaining clean and safe open space
areas. While obtaining new open space would be great, a lot of the existing spaces are
getting loved to death and could use some help.
While the above comment highlights the need for maintenance of community amenities, some
responses also requested new open spaces, parks, pools, or venues (both indoors and outdoors) for
community events and performances.
Schools and affordable housing were also mentioned as areas for additional investment. One
participant described the importance of investment in affordable housing by saying,
Our city will face many more challenges in the future if we don't use ARPA funding to
build infrastructure to address the needs [of people experiencing homelessness].
Finally, while sustainability was cited less frequently than affordable housing as an important priority,
some participants also saw this as an opportunity to advance towards Our Climate Future goals, and
called for using sustainability as a “lens” or reference point as decisions are being made for recovery.
Recommended City Role: Strategic investment, leadership
Potential Actions: Explore opportunities for targeted investment in housing, transportation,
community recreation with affordability, equity, and sustainability in mind.
Conclusion
As the City continues to balance the need for immediate response with a plan for healing and recovery,
conversations that recognize and honor diverse lived experience and provide opportunities for
community leadership will be vital. Just as the pandemic has affected residents differently, recovery
has been and will continue to be a different journey for everyone. A focus on pairing centralized policy
and investment with decentralized programs and access points for the community will allow each
resident to receive what they need for healing, inclusion, resilience, and vibrancy.
Positionality Statement
Though we hope that the community priorities identified accurately represent the collective engagement of
thousands of community members, we recognize that data collection and analysis is inherently influenced by our
personal experiences and biases. In this case, the coding for this report was grounded in the researcher’s
experience as an able-bodied white woman.
BRIEF ETHNOGRAPHIC EXPEDITION
“RECUPERACION IS RECOVERING OUR IDENTITY”
A small n’ mighty data set collected in partnership with The City of Fort Collins
Authors: Janina E. Fariñas, Alejandra Magaña, Claudia Perez & Karen Sandoval
Fort Collins, Colorado November 8, 2021
I.INTRODUCTION
The COVID-19 pandemic brought an onset of new and challenging hardships to
communities throughout the globe and to our very own hometown of Fort Collins,
Colorado. To date, COVID-19 related hardships remain stacked in excess of preexisting
upstream factors heightened by the stresses of the pandemic. Recognizing that many Fort
Collins residents report feeling as though they are still amidst a crisis, the City of Fort
Collins began paving the road to recovery by engaging community-based organizations
(CBO’s) to listen to community members’ experiences during the pandemic. To this end,
La Cocina conducted one-on-one interviews with Latinx persons who live, work, and/or
play in Fort Collins. Referred to as a Brief Ethnographic Expedition, this report presents
findings from a short-term series of engagements that highlight Latinxs lived experiences
of recovery, and which honor Latinxs’ community members’ stories illustrative of both
large and small pathways leading to healing, and critical to codesigning recovery with
those most impacted by the devastating impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
II.SCOPE & PURPOSE
The City of Fort Collins is set to receive $28.1 million of the nearly $6 billion American
Rescue Plan Act funds received by the State of Colorado and other communities. These
funds will be spent over the course of the next three and a half years to aid in recovery
efforts. The City recognizes recovery as a multi-faceted, multi-year process, and seeks to
build a comprehensive plan that will center under-resourced communities’ needs. As well,
as the City considers long-term recovery plans, the Economic Health Department has
identified a need for public-private partnerships that better represent the interests and
cultural values of historically under-resourced communities. Intentional and culturally
responsive community outreach and engagement is a crucial step in the City’s efforts to
build back stronger with an equity-first mindset. The City of Fort Collins partnered with La
Cocina to learn about the agency’s unique codesign and participatory methodologies
employed in better n’ deeper listening, and in order to glean from these activities core
codesign elements mostly available in “small and smaller data sets” (Krause, H., 2021)
which center the experiences of those most impacted by the wicked-problems seeking to
be solved.
Goals established as part of this partnership:
1.To employ La Cocina’s community participatory action methodologies as a way to
listen “better and more deeply,” (WeAllCount, 2021) in the interest of centering under-
represented community voices expert at guiding equitable decision-making.
City of Fort Collins_Ethnographic Journey_Brief Page 2
2. To bridge relationships between the City of Fort Collins and residents self-identified as
Latinxs who live, play and/or work in Fort Collins.
3. To increase the City’s understanding of what is needed to begin the recovery
codesign process.
4. To introduce the City of Fort Collins to L’Ancla’s and La Cocina’s empathic interviewing
and inquiry process focused on highlighting stories that introduce hopefulness as the
community’s North Star, and that orient the City to critical and foundational
frameworks for how to intentionally codesign equitable recovery activities.
5. To make preliminary recommendations accordingly.
III. METHODS
La Cocina employed semi-structured ethnographic interviews to learn about Latinx
community members’ lived experiences of recovery. Interviewers’ protocols were aimed
at deepening empathic learning of experiences which community members describe as
generative of hopefulness. Please note that participants direct quotes/words have been
placed in quotations.
a. What is Ethnography?
Utilized broadly by social scientists, ethnography is a qualitative research method that
involves deep immersion into a particular community, organization, and/or
culture. While limited in scope due to deadlines related to the City’s efforts, La Cocina
was able to conduct a total of seven individual interviews, and one group
ethnographic interview.
b. Participants and Sample
• Individual interviews with seven Latinx Fort Collins community members
conducted in both English and Spanish
• Group interview with five City of Fort Collins community members conducted in
Spanish
• Total number of individual contacts = 7, including:
§ 1 Latinx male-identified individual
§ 6 Latinx female-identified individuals
§ Zip codes represented: 80521 and 80524
• Total number of group contacts = 1 x 5 residents per group, including:
§ 5 Latinx female-identified individuals
§ 5 Spanish-speaking
§ Zip code represented: 80524
• Interest and Participation
§ Total number of participants interviewed = 12
§ Total number of no-shows and/or cancellations = 1
§ Total number of additional interested participants requesting
interview(s)/on waiting list = 7
IV. FINDINGS
Community based participatory action methods (CBPAR) include a collaborative
approach that involves generating empathy throughout the inquiry process. In
City of Fort Collins_Ethnographic Journey_Brief Page 3
addition to CBPAR innovations, La Cocina strongly recommends a Human Centered
Design Framework as a way to build generative outcomes throughout the recovery
plan development process. Together these key methodologies help uncover
important leverage points that may be cultivated in the interest of gathering a more
robust data set in the future, and for building a strong community codesign
infrastructure for the City of Fort Collins’ now and into the future.
Utilizing a Grounded Theory approach which seeks to distinguish emerging patterns
of experience in data sets, La Cocina identified a series of areas of opportunity for the
City of Fort Collins. As such, La Cocina introduces the following as priority focus areas
worthy of additional exploration and follow-up:
1. TOO SOON TO TALK RECOVERY
Both individual and group participants shared stories that suggest the impacts of
the pandemic are actively moving through our Latinx communities, and which
support a step-wise approach to recovery efforts. Jointly participants presented a
picture of recovery beyond the pandemic and included examples of ways they
have partially recovered in spite significant barriers and at times, unsurmountable
suffering and loss, both now and long before the pandemic. While some might
interpret this as resilience, interviews more closely resemble laments—passionate
expressions of sorrow and grief which when “heard” in unison bind participants in
a single story of dignified courage, and a succinct set of instructions for how to use
dignity and courageous action as a way to aspire to respite and healing.
What follows are ways for the City of Fort Collins to first hear and join in their
lament, and to build on the light each shines on our shared paths to recovery.
2. BEGIN BY SAYING, “ESTOY AQUI, I AM HERE”
Group participants expressed a strong sense of resonance and identification with
one participant’s story about how hearing the words, “Estoy aqui, I am here,” from
a friend helped her get through the pandemic. Group participants made
meaning of their peer’s story, adding that hearing these words “means everything!
It makes the load lighter;” “It means we’re here with you”, and “It makes us feel
cared for.”
When interviewers asked, “what would change if the City of Fort Collins said to
you, “estoy aqui, I am here?” Respondents said they would feel:
§ Included
§ Important
§ Valued
§ Safe
§ Free
§ And, one participant said, ”the identity of the City would be recovered.”
City of Fort Collins_Ethnographic Journey_Brief Page 4
While the City of Fort Collins saying, “Estoy aqui; I am here” to the Latinx community may
appear like a small, perhaps insignificant first step, this gesture of inclusion is identified by
interviewees as significant. When genuine narratives identified by
community members as meaningful are centered above dominant narratives, the
community feels assured that their City leaders have their backs--a basic need not fully
met throughout the pandemic, and consequently identified herein as a salient community
need, and an integral codesign choice point oriented to recovery efforts.
An individual interviewee also centered the idea of “estoy aqui, I am here;” expressing her
desire to be fully seen and recognized, she said, “I’ve heard people say ‘there’s no Latinos
in Fort Collins’ and that’s not true. We are here. I am here (¡estoy aqui!).” A variation on the
group’s use of the phrase, this participant’s use of, “estoy aqui, I am here” also expresses
the basic human need to be seen. Again, we wondered what meaningful recognition
would look like for this participant, who responded saying, “leadership would understand
what is happening on the front lines and there would be recognition of the contributions
(of Latinxs on the frontlines).” In both of these instances, the sentiment of “estoy aqui, I am
here” comes down to feeling valued, seen, and recognized by the City.
A word of warning and a recommendation: saying “Estoy aqui, I am here” to community
members who have long felt undervalued, and unseen should be coupled with
substantive listening action(s) by city leadership, and particularly those interested in
codesigning recovery efforts. These actions can build empathy between city leadership
and under-represented communities, and per community members’ requests, are best
supported by meaningful dialogues that allow community members to create ways and
spaces to be seen, valued and recognized.
3. WATCH OUR FEAR TRANSFORM TO POWER!”
¡MIRA! NUESTRO MIEDO SE VOLVIÓ PODER”
Despite the overwhelming and disproportionate hardships described by our Latinx
interviewees, stories of courage and empowerment shine through. All participants used
the word “empoderadx” or “empowered” after sharing a story of transformation amidst
hardships brought on by the pandemic. Several stories were about having the courage to
learn a new skillset such as learning to use online technologies that would facilitate
navigating the pandemic; others were about accessing YouTube videos to learn how to
do online activities with their children. Central to these stories was the feeling of
“empoderadx” which resulted when in turn they taught these skills to other Latinx friends,
families, and neighbors. These stories of how Latinxs are giving-back to their communities
by sharing knowledge and information previously inaccessible to them is considered a
significant codesign strength that communicates to the City of Fort Collins the critical
Latinx value of “Juntos: collective community stewardship” (Bordas, J., 2019). Building
codesign efforts in collaboration with proximate leaders is essential to activating a city-
wide network of “empoderadorxs” that can use the city’s community-led codesign to
mentor and to “alentar” (build up) fellow Latinx friends, family and vecinos/neighbors.
City of Fort Collins_Ethnographic Journey_Brief Page 5
4. “LA FUERZA QUE ES CUANDO UNO ESTÁ UNIDO A LA FAMILIA”
“THE STRENGTH ONE HAS WHEN UNITED WITH FAMILY”
Time and time again, interviewees stressed the importance and strength they acquired
from being with family and community. Stories of hopefulness were centered on feeling
supported by either a family member or a caring friend. Often recognized as Latinxs’ most
salient cultural value, Familismo is perhaps the single source of hopefulness expressed by
interviewees who reported feeling traumatized by the pandemic. For these individuals, if
fear and terror marked their stories and lives in ways that still haunt them, then familismo is
the antidote they name as what will surely see them through. One interviewee spoke of
her family’s strength by saying, “when we’re together, everything is possible.” Another
interviewee reported that feeling part of his family or community “aligera la carga,” or
“lightens the load” when living through experiences of worry and pain.
To be sure, Familismo is a Latinx value that supports a strong “sense of connection.” Often
cited as a protective factor in Latinx mental health, familismo (German et al., 2009), or
prominent and well-aligned family values, was reported by all participants as central to
their experiences of recovery, and feelings of hopefulness and strength. As such, it would
benefit the City to explore ways to practice intentional codesign that invites Latinxs into
spaces and places where cultivating these connections is possible. When asked how the
City can plant seeds of recovery in the Latinx community, and after group participants
expressed that recovery has not begun in their homes and communities, most participants
requested “a space to build and/or rebuild our families.” This is a critical quote that
expresses the need Latinxs feel to further cultivate, and/or to heal family connections and
with one another.
5. GENERATIVE SPACES
Interviewees responded to the following prompt, “We need a space where…”, in single
written statements, saying they need:
• “A space to mourn, recover and reclaim our identity.”
• “A space to heal ourselves and our families”
• “A space to flourish as a person, student, and parent.”
• “A space where we can feel peace.”
• “A space to destress.”
• “A space to recover safety.”
• “A space to be with family.”
• “A space to feel heard and without criticism.”
V. CONCLUSION, RECS & HOW TO USE THIS REPORT
Human centered design (HCD) is both a framework and a process for solving wicked and
complex human problems. L’Ancla’s and La Cocina’s approach to human centered
community-led codesign involves returning to human-centered experiences like those
listed above as the center from which to invite community members to participatory action
codesign, equitable data collection, and democratizing data in an iterative process that
City of Fort Collins_Ethnographic Journey_Brief Page 6
centers community voice and power. As a whole, this process takes time and a solid
commitment to social systems change, and because this model of engagement seeks to
be generative in cultivating what community members identify as “already working,” La
Cocina suggests the City follows this brief engagement with the following activities:
1. Ensure that other participants who want to share their stories, and who want
to collaborate with the city are invited to do so. La Cocina turned away many
Latinx community members who wanted to share their stories, and who wish to
participate in both individual and community dialogues. Additionally, interviewees
reported that interviews in and of themselves were healing. When asked what
healing spaces should look like, one interviewee responded, “like this! Just like
this!” Interviewers understood this as validation for the power of deep listening,
respectful dialogue and feeling witnessed.
2. La Cocina recommends that the City follow these first interviews with a
facilitated codesign session where interviewees will have the opportunity to learn
about the outcomes shared in this report and will consequently have the
opportunity to participate in a series of codesign activities with key City of Fort
Collins representatives. L’Ancla and La Cocina are committed to this process and
will thus provide the needed facilitation for this follow-up codesign session at no
cost to the City.
3. Community dialogues that support storytelling facilitated by elders and proximate
leaders has long been known to support recovery from multigenerational and
community-wide traumas (Onwuachi-Saunders, 2007). Interviewees referred to
the impacts of the pandemic as terrifying, traumatic, ongoing, and as what needs
healing before any recovery is possible. They also identified caring dialogues,
Charlas, and listening sessions with each other and with the City as
foundational to the recovery process. Latinxs interviewed throughout this
process stressed this over and over again: (paraphrased) “in order to begin our
recovery, we first need to hear and say to each other, “¡Aqui estoy!, I am here...”
From a human centered design perspective, this type of community-assertion is a
ripe codesign fruition that allows the City to transform engagement into an
iterative process that democratizes community participatory listening à to
community-codesign à to community-inclusive action and buy inà to shared
learning à to shared power.
4. This model of engagement seeks to be generative in cultivating what is already
working, and by centering and illuminating pathways already endorsed by
community members as having cultural resonance and heartfelt value. Viewed as
the fulcrums of innovation and creativity, these pathways offer City leaders our
communities reclaimed “seeds of recovery” as identified by those most
impacted by systemic inequities, and amidst the disproportionate impacts felt by
Latinx residents both now and prior to the pandemic. To this end, let our team
walk you through these reflections, but first…let’s go codesign!
City of Fort Collins_Ethnographic Journey_Brief Page 7
5. Please contact Claudia Perez at Claudia@lacocinahome.org, or Karen Sandoval at
Karen@lacocinahome.org with your questions and comments.
Thank you for the opportunity to serve our community. We loved hearing
our fellow Latinxs’ stories of courage and hopefulness.
___________________________________________________ ___________________________
For La Cocina Date
___________________________________________________ ___________________________
For L’Ancla Date
___________________________________________________ ___________________________
Approval by Janina E. Fariñas, Ph.D., Psy., LPC Date
Founder & CEO
###
Alejandra Magaña
Claudia Perez & Karen Sandoval
November 8, 2021
November 8, 2021
November 8, 2021
Overall Summary Report and Takeaways
Fort Collins Recovery Plan Discussions
Artists, Venues and Creative Business
By: Peggy Lyle Due: 11-5-2021
●Primary focuses include:
○Acknowledgment of, commitment to and investment in the Creative sector as a viable
economic driver and legitimate business group in Fort Collins
○Access to, investment in, maximizing and creation of affordable spaces for living and
working, i.e. for lessons, rehearsals, creation (studios) and performances
○Equity as it pertains to not only race, sexual orientation, culture, but also occupation.
City needs to acknowledge and invest in arts, music and creative industry and not
allow this industry to be an afterthought or a luxury, but view it as essential to our
community’s successful recovery, community wellbeing and economic health.
○Invest in it for the things it can create, impact it can make, healing it can bring and not
an afterthought or first thing to be cut in budgets.
○Need a representative body/group like an arts council, leadership group, ...
○Feel under served, under appreciated, under invested in and not listened to at the city
level
○Need to recognize that creative work is “work” and a valuable contributor to our city
○Art has created our high quality of life here and sense of culture and are at risk of
being pushed out
○Artists and creative leaders need to be part of the process more often, in leadership
and staff positions at the city and county, have them on contract with the city helping
on projects both arts related and no arts related.
○Huge impact with lots of loss of jobs, income, businesses, staff, careers, sense of
community, mental health and happiness.
○Not currently an equitable environment and artists are an underserved and
marginalized population with limited access,and artists of color are more so impacted
●Short Term:
○Clearer policies about COVID safety and rules, mandates...
○Mental health support
○Short term debt relief as many have been closed or nearly closed for 1-2 years
○Affordable Spaces to host makers markets, rent studios, rehearse and put on
performances in safe ways
○Fewer barriers to working with city and for grants
○Access to de-escalation training/support group and customer education
○Staffing help, attraction and retention of workers and help building safe environments
for them to work within
○Incentives to build up our technical personnel for venues and industry support
(lighting, sound, crew,...)
○Access for underserved populations including BIPOC, differently abled, LGBTQ and
other artists to performance and creation spaces, grants, and professional
development
○Easier access to COVID tests and quick results
○Affordable or free mental health and health support for artists, arts administrators and
creative business owners - including group support environments
○Access to programs that employ artists -- like Art in Public Places, being a vendor,
hosting a market, host an event, … the city processes put too many barriers for many
newer artists are discouraged
○Arts need to come back to schools and afterschool programs, a way of coping and
processing the effects of the pandemic
○Marketing campaign for Fort Collins that it is a arts destination and establish that
brand as an arts leader
○Let the Arts help us heal as a broader community - that’s what we are good at, - art
therapy, PTSD/trauma healing through the arts, murals, music, writing,....
○Help with supply and demand of products - can we source things locally and team up
with manufacturers here.
●Long Term:
○Living wages for creatives/artists
○Affordable housing and work spaces
○Creative Industry leadership group/Arts Council/Sector collective
○Representation of the arts within the City and staff through positions and leaders
○Creative Centers that support all types of artists and art forms, where there are
chances to have collaboration between disciplines and feeling on community - need
multiple of these and can be activating non city owned private spaces to create this.
○Mental health support
○Safety nets for gig workers, artists and self employed business owners
○Use large vacant commercial spaces or underwrite established cultural organizations
to establish creative spaces for creative entrepreneurs to set up shops, studios, make
sales, host events, create goods and perform.
○Have representation for the Creative Industry that can communicate to, serve as a
authority and Industry representative
○Have centralized information/communications about arts events, classes &businesses
○Make tangible investments to back up commitment to and not tokenism of the arts
○City funding a Micro Grant Program, granted to Community partner organizations or
businesses to be given to their specific populations of artists/business entrepreneurs
to cultivate and foster unique and innovative projects/startups, can be geared around
solving problems that face community or simply to create products or works. Can
serve the arts but also underserved populations.
○Supportive of Fort Fund and Art in Public Places - need more support and fewer
barriers for entry and engagement
○Revamp the mental health services offered or streamline them - group therapy, better
crisis hotlines and more education about resources for the community at large
●Random Takeaways/Comments:
●Multiple offers were made to have individuals come speak before your planning group
and leadership to express the importance of the arts as a business sector, impact of
the pandemic on the creative industry, the importance in investment, return on
investment, and issues pertaining to access and inclusion in the arts
○One of our participants shared a video from a film industry and music industry
professional about living in Fort Collins -- Musician Russick Smith talks on the
importance of repairing and investing on the developing film scene in our county.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/p7pxo0jyela6elw/james_russick_smith_on_the_film_com
mission.mov?dl=0
●“...Also, how many times do we give the city our ideas and they completely ignore
them? It’s frustrating.”
●“I completed the survey, but found it to be bureaucratic,the typical City jargon with
useless questions that lack enough background information…... I’ve chosen to put my
time and talents into creative organizations that are making a difference and
delivering on their promises. Or at least trying. The City is not that for me or my
organizations — for profit or nonprofit.”
○In discussion this was offered: “Check out this video that discusses what happens
when a community is without the arts.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xe81-eHGc0w.
●“Hmm…well, there are already studios for rent in town for musicians. Perhaps there
could be studios for rent in order for dancers and choreographers to record away from
babies and parents! Also…I’ve been imagining what it would be like to have more
bandshells like the one in Old Town in all the parks!”
●From Elizabeth Martin at the Museum of Art Fort Collins -“I wanted to include some
articles and food for thought on the systems-level change that I mentioned. Our own
strategic planning moved us back to our growth phase and a "radical alignment" and
a bold new vision looking past scarcity and towards a future where the arts are
recognized as the economic driver they are. Indeed someone on the call mentioned
that--without the music scene that is supported--where would Fort Collins be?
Besides the comment I made about a shared creative space (which could be the
post office building), a shared back office is a great system change. We are all
struggling to pay IT, HR, Payroll, bookkeeping, etc. Here are a couple of articles about
that:
■https://www.intellichief.com/5-ways-to-make-your-back-office-shared-services-
center-more-productive/
■https://www.nonprofitcenters.org/events/back-office-alternatives-need-know-sh
ared-services/
■https://www.tcg.com/blog/who-says-shared-services-are-only-for-back-office-fu
nctions/
■Along with the idea of investing in public space that fosters creativity, here is a
resource I like about investment in civic commons to drive equity that the city
can think about--maybe they already are. There is a great action guide here.
■Here is an article about saving a historic building using pandemic relief funds
from Cleveland
●Comments on the Facebook post did mention the Americans for the Arts - Fort Collins
Arts Economic Study and how the planners should look at that to see how much
impact the arts have on our local economy (It was most recently done by DDA &
City?)
●Also the Arts Space Feasibility Study was mentioned several times as an important
document to look at for housing and space needs. (It was conducted by Bohemian
Foundation DDA and City of Fort Collins)
●And there are also statistics that can be found from the Creative Vitality Index reports
(Downtown Fort Collins Creative District has access to this database and reports)
●Other comments shared in virtual chat:
○In support at the LC, that includes the tech people who run streaming
services. There have been many snafus during our broadcasts and this is
likely a lack of experience on the part of those creating the stream product.
○The upgrade of the streaming support would be huge. This may bring more
work for that industry as well.
○We also need investment in growth for our organizations on every level as well
as salaries and honorariums for artists and subsidized studio space
○We'd like to add that in times of social crisis in the history of our country and
civilization, we've routinely turned to the arts to maintain balance in our mental
health, happiness, and perseverance. It's on us as this community's creative
arts leaders to work together and invest in new opportunities and infrastructure
that benefit the creative community as a whole.
○When Steve Jobs built Apple headquarters, he put one set of restrooms near
the front of the building. Specifically so people would run into each other to
begin conversations . . .
○yes- investment is the underlying systemic need and solution to lift us all
○Let's make one of the outcomes of COVID being to put aside our silos and
work together for the greater good of the entire creative arts community in FC
Coding Memo
The coding process began with open coding, which is designed to allow themes to emerge rather than
beginning with a predetermined set of ideas or topics. This first stage of coding encourages variety and
creativity in assigning codes to small units of text (Glaser 1978). Multiple codes for a single unit of text
were used when appropriate to avoid early bias towards specific concepts or themes (Charmaz
2006). These themes were then cross-checked with key stakeholders to ensure that written comments
were reflective of discussions. The next stage of coding, focused coding, zeroed in on specific codes that
appear to be the most useful or relevant (Glaser 1978). After focused coding, the theoretical coding
stage related codes that have remained relevant to each other (Charmaz 2006; Glaser 1978). According
to Charmaz, theoretical codes are “integrative” and “lend form” to relevant codes (Charmaz 2006: 63).
Quantitative Results
Survey Results
The following represent the quantitative results from surveys conducted during engagement. It is important to note that
although valuable, these survey results do not provide the full picture of public engagement. Much of the engagement
conducted happened during events, interviews and other one on one conversations, which focused more on qualitative
storytelling and open-ended questions. Qualitative, mixed-method analysis results are detailed in the full Community
Engagement Report (above).
Surveys included in the results below:
• Our City Online Priority Survey (English and Spanish)
• Larimer County Recovery Survey – Responses marked as living in Fort Collins (English and Spanish)*
• Priority Surveys – Completed by Community Connectors LLC (paid partnership), vast majority of respondents
were Spanish-speaking, living in manufactured housing
*The Larimer County Survey did not include all questions asked in the Fort Collins Our City Online Priority Survey.
When not included, a note has been added to the graph.
Priority Snapshot
The majority of survey respondents were residents of Fort Collins, however many local businesses and community
organizations also responded. Additional community organizations and businesses, including many nonprofits, were
engaged through other methods – virtual open houses, paid partnerships, and stakeholder meetings. Additional
engagement of businesses occurred separately, including the surveying of small business grant recipients.
Respondents were asked which area of pandemic recovery matters most to them as a quick way to gauge priorities.
Each area was split fairly evenly, and the majority of those who responded “Other” mentioned that each area was
equally important for recovery.
Equity &
Community
Recovery
39%
Economic
Recovery
31%
Health and
Environmental
Resilience
22%
Other
8%
Which area of Pandemic
Recovery Matters Most to You?
88%
6%
3%3%0%
Respondant Profiles
Resident
Business
Community Organization
Other
City of FC Board or Comission
Demographic Questions
Demographic questions asked within the survey were opt in. Not all respondents answered the demographic questions and
some choose to partially answer the questions.
The following graphs for Income, Zip Code and Council District include only respondents to the City’s priority survey, not
the survey put out by Larimer County.
Woman
66%
Man
26%
Prefer not to
answer
7%
Non-
binary
1%
Two Spirit
0%Transgender
Woman
0%
Gender
40-49
24%
30-39
20%
50-59
18%
60-69
16%
70+
11%
18-30
10%
Under 18
1%
Respondant Age
58%27%
6%
4%2%2%
1%
0%0%
Race
and/or
Ethnicity
White
Hispanic / Latinx
/ Spanish Origin
Prefer not to
answer
African American
/ Black
American Indian /
Alaska Native
Asian / Asian
American
Phase 3 Engagement Results
WILL BE INSERTED ONCE COMPLETE - BEFORE PLAN ADOPTION
22%
16%
13%12%
10%
8%
7%
6%
6%
Income $10,000 - $24,999
Decline to specify
$50,000 - $74,999
Less than $10,000
$35,000 - $49,999
$75,000 - $99,999
$25,000 - $34,999
$100,000 - $149,999
$150,000+
Don't Know /
No Response
32%
District 1
26%
District 6
17%
District 2
9%
District 4
9%
District 3
4%District 5
3%
Council District
80524
44%
80525
18%
80526
15%
80521
13%
80528
6%
Other
4%
Zip Code
1
CONTENTS
RECOVERY THEMES & OUTCOMES......................................................... 2
Looking Ahead: An eyes-wide-open view of a different future ............................................................. 2
Summary of Recovery Themes and Outcomes ...................................... 4
In-Depth Themes & Outcomes ............................................................... 4
Theme 1: Health ..................................................................................... 5
RECOVERY OUTCOME 1a: Support clear and effective communication of public health orders. ......... 5
RECOVERY OUTCOME 1b. Enhance efforts to ensure basic needs are met in the community. ............ 6
RECOVERY OUTCOME 1c. Mental and physical health is valued as necessary and prevention-based. 7
Theme 2: Equity and Community Resilience ......................................... 8
RECOVERY OUTCOME 2a: Foster a sense of belonging and community trust. ...................................... 9
RECOVERY OUTCOME 2b. Accelerate the City’s Housing Strategic Plan’s vision that “everyone has
healthy, stable housing they can afford.” ............................................................................................. 10
RECOVERY OUTCOME 2c. Expand and leverage existing partnerships to quickly connect people
experiencing homelessness (PEH) to resources and services. .............................................................. 11
Theme 3: Economic Recovery .............................................................. 12
RECOVERY OUTCOME 3a. Small businesses, creatives and nonprofits have the resources they need
to thrive. ................................................................................................................................................. 13
RECOVERY OUTCOME 3b: Safe and stable employment, current and future. .................................... 14
RECOVERY OUTCOME 3c: Equitable and affordable childcare is accessible. ....................................... 15
Theme 4: Environmental Resilience ..................................................... 16
RECOVERY OUTCOME 4a: Enhance the City’s commitment to Our Climate Future with regard to
resilient neighborhoods and environmental justice. ............................................................................ 17
RECOVERY OUTCOME 4b: Resilient infrastructure is reliable, affordable and attainable. ................. 18
RECOVERY OUTCOME 4c: Open space and natural amenities are available and preserved. .............. 19
ATTACHMENT 3
2
RECOVERY THEMES & OUTCOMES
Looking Ahead: An eyes-wide-open view of a different future
As the community looks toward the future, an important question looms: How does Fort Collins heal and
move forward to rebuild better?
The cascading impacts of the pandemic have shown that while the City of Fort Collins has made progress
to achieve the objective of being world-class, there are areas and people in the community who
experience Fort Collins very differently. They are struggling, lacking stability and sometimes do not feel
they belong or are even welcome. In order to move forward toward a more resilient and inclusive future,
the City must acknowledge past shortcomings and recognize that not everyone in the community feels
like they belong or has the resources they need to thrive. By embracing a growth-mindset, the City and
the community as a whole can begin to reconcile with the changes that need to occur to move forward.
The road towards recovery will be difficult. There are many challenges ahead, but also many more
opportunities Fort Collins has the opportunity to not just bounce back to where it was pre-pandemic, but
to bounce forward and create a better, more resilient, inclusive, vibrant Fort Collins. A coordinated,
collaborative recovery plan can provide the framework for community cooperation. Understanding and
removing barriers that hinder efforts towards inclusion, healing, resilience and vibrancy will be essential.
As the community continues to heal from the effects of COVID-19, it is important residents feel included
and welcomed. The pandemic has highlighted and exacerbated the various inequities already present in
the community. In recognition of this, the Recovery Plan is aligned with the 2020 City Strategic Plan’s
objective to “advance equity for all, leading with race, so that a person’s identity or identities is not a
predictor of outcomes”. Leading with equity impacts both the planning process and the plan’s intended
outcomes. An emphasis on racial disparities is a starting place for inclusion as the City expands to bring in
underrepresented and disproportionately impacted community members. This approach is intentional
about addressing barriers and designing solutions in collaboration with those most impacted, ensuring all
community members can benefit, participate, and influence outcomes.
The work of this Plan focuses on a universal outcome for the entire community. The vision that Fort Collins
residents and businesses can participate in a resilient, vibrant and inclusive future.
Centering recovery work in equity is a process of continual growth and comes with a great deal of change
and myriad tensions to balance as work occurs to achieve the Plan vision.
Below are Guiding Principles generated as a result of feedback received from the community through
public engagement. Following these principles is key to achieve the vision for recovery and helped inform
the creation of the Recovery Themes and Outcomes provided in the Plan. These Guiding Principles will
also be used to guide plan implementation.
1. Equity and inclusion are embedded throughout the recovery process. As the City moves forward
with the recovery effort, it is vital that the prioritization of the themes, outcomes and objectives
outlined below are informed by the voices of the diverse Fort Collins community. Many of the people
most impacted during the pandemic were struggling to meet their basic needs before March 2020. It
is crucial that this plan recognizes and addresses how to increase stability for individuals and families
that struggled pre-pandemic.
3
2. Accelerate the City’s community vision by leveraging existing plans, programs and partners. There
are several strategic plans and programs in existence that are still relevant and impactful through the
lens of recovery today and in the future; They should not be reinvented. Instead, resources should be
leveraged to accelerate their outcomes. The key for many of these strategies is listening to,
supporting, and co-creating solutions with both the communities most impacted and/or trusted
community partners already leading.
3. A City that supports just as much as it leads. The City can and should play a supportive role for other
organizations, stakeholders, businesses and individuals to lead on some of the Recovery Themes,
Outcomes, and Objectives explored in the Plan. Power sharing with community organizations and
stakeholders can help create a more robust and equitable community. Community organizations and
other stakeholders may be better placed to lead on recovery efforts – like those who provide mental
health support services. Many of the plan strategies will require resourcing with recovery- and longer-
term funding. The Recovery Plan should pilot or provide seed funding for ongoing work to address
inequities, build capacity, and sustain momentum over time.
4. Be data and experience driven. The pursuit of perfect information and data should not become the
enemy of forward motion. The structure for engaging in recovery planning should develop from the
goals of the recovery process not vice versa. Do not lead with ‘solutions.’ Seek to gather and
understand lived experiences in the local community so that the data driving strategies and tactics is
not in the aggregate but truly reflective of Fort Collins. In addition, the pursuit of perfect information
and data should not slow down the progress of recovery efforts. Understanding best practices
(regionally, nationally, internationally) and lessons learned from implementation will identify and
mitigate pitfalls.
5. Focus on resilience by avoiding being short-sighted. Resilience is the capacity to prepare human and
natural systems to respond and adapt to changes and disruptions of various scales that affect the
ability to thrive. While addressing short-term needs keep long-term goals in mind. Focus on balancing
the interests of both now and the future. Existing inequities exacerbated by the pandemic and other
potential disruptions may only be further widened if a balance is not struck. New approaches should
be understood and translated to support the community so that the community can withstand future
events more effectively.
6. Make recovery decisions with sustainability in mind. The community benefits from the balance of
social, environmental, and economic contributions (sustainability) to the overall quality of life in Fort
Collins. Ensure that sustainability is factored into all decisions for recovery. Keeping sustainability
front of mind is of paramount importance to ensure the community’s vibrant future. This is a
symbiotic relationship that recovery reinforces.
4
Summary of Recovery Themes and Outcomes
Recovery Themes Recovery Outcomes
1. Health
1a. Support clear and effective communication of public health
orders.
1b. Enhance efforts to ensure basic needs are met in the
community.
1c. Mental and physical health is valued as necessary and
prevention-based.
2. Equity and Community
Resilience
2a. Foster a sense of belonging and community trust.
2b. Accelerate the City’s Housing Strategic Plan’s vision that
“everyone has healthy, stable housing they can afford.”
2c. Expand and leverage existing partnerships to quickly connect
people experiencing homelessness (PEH) to resources and
services.
3. Economic Recovery
3a. Small businesses, creatives and nonprofits have the resources
they need to thrive.
3b. Safe and stable employment, current and future.
3c. Equitable and affordable childcare is accessible.
4. Environmental
Resilience
4a. Enhance the City’s commitment to Our Climate Future with
regard to resilient neighborhoods and environmental justice.
4b. Resilient infrastructure is reliable, affordable and attainable.
4c. Open space and natural amenities are available and
preserved.
In-Depth Themes & Outcomes
Below is a detailed breakdown of the Recovery Themes and Outcomes listed in the table above. Additional
information and nuance is provided under each Outcome with specific Objectives and Action Needed.
Each Outcome includes an identified Leadership Organization (i.e., the City, Community organizations,
Nonprofits, etc.) that would potentially lead on the implementation of that Outcome. Further detail is
provided with Action Needed that describes in a broad sense what next steps are needed to achieve the
Objectives and Outcome. Specific Example Actions that align with the Themes, Outcomes, and Objectives
can be found in the Appendix of the Plan. It should be noted that those items listed in the appendix are
only examples of what actions could be taken, not necessarily the actions that will be taken as a result of
5
this Plan. Throughout the themes and outcomes section, quotes from residents and businesses have been
included to elevate the community voice and highlight how public engagement influenced the Plan.
Theme 1: Health
Community recovery will not, and cannot, begin until personal recovery has taken place. The community’s
basic physiological and safety needs must be met first before addressing other aspects of recovery and
resilience. Discussions around getting “back to normal” at the beginning of the pandemic have
transitioned to the idea of a “new normal” instead.
Alongside the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020 was a year of unprecedented air quality extremes. The COVID-
19 pandemic highlighted the importance of protecting those with respiratory or cardiac issues, as these
individuals are the most susceptible to both COVID-19 and air quality impacts. Early in 2020, Stay-at-Home
orders led to some of the cleanest days on record in 20 years, likely due to decreases in vehicle use. In
contrast, during the Fall and Winter, local and regional wildfires led to some of the poorest air quality on
record. Public health guidance often encourages being outdoors due to potential indoor ventilation
challenges that could lead to exposure to COVID-19. However, due to wildfires throughout the U.S. in
2020, in addition to Cameron Peak Fire in Larimer County, poor outdoor air quality and heavy smoke and
ash created “action day alerts,” meaning the particulate matter and ozone in the air was unhealthy to
breathe and the community was asked to limit their time outside. The overlap of the pandemic and bad
air quality had negative impacts on both mental and physical health. As Fort Collins faces challenges
related to population growth and climate change, continued efforts to mitigate these impacts are
necessary. When asked about COVID-19 recovery, community members have consistently indicated that
physical and mental well-being is a high priority.
“Mental health is huge. No one is their best self right now… this pace is not sustainable”.
The pandemic has heightened the risk factors associated with poor mental health – physical, social and
financial uncertainty – but has also shifted the conversation around mental health, reducing its stigma.
Mental Health impacts all aspects of life, including the ability to provide care and work. This theme area
recognizes that specific populations have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic and need
additional support to survive and thrive right now and into the future. Additionally, there is a high need
of mental health support for jobs that expose employees to trauma, such as law enforcement, EMS, Fire,
and healthcare, but few resources available to help them.
“[The pandemic] reinforced the importance of providing services like healthcare to everyone regardless of
employment.”
RECOVERY OUTCOME 1a: Support clear and effective communication of public health
orders.
Why a Priority for Recovery? Community engagement consistently underscored ongoing concerns about
potential health risks and impacts from daily activities including shopping, visiting restaurants,
6
participating in community activities, attending cultural events, and being out and about in the community
as a whole. Developing and delivering consistent public health messaging provides clarity to the
community about the current risk level from the virus, along with other disruptions such as air quality
impacts from wildfire smoke. Clear, consistent messaging is one of the most effective measures for
mitigating risk. Enabling all community members to have the information they need to take appropriate
action increases the overall effectiveness of any given public health measure.
Reliable and regular data about the activity of the virus enables the best response, whether by the local
public health system, government, or private employers. Clear data builds confidence, which is a central
input to economic outcomes. The pandemic shook the confidence of both consumers and businesses in
the stability of the local economy, disrupting spending on goods and services. Commerce will regain its
footing as the public regains its confidence. Re-instilling confidence for both the customer and workforce
comes with the removal of functional barriers to re-engage in the community and local economy.
Everyone shares responsibility in developing confidence – individuals, businesses, government,
institutions, and associations.
“We have experienced a lot of loss financially due to taking safety precautions that the health department
recommended…We spend about $50 a week on masks. Spent thousands on sanitizers and extra staff. Plus
we have lost a lot of customers to enforce masks….We are essential workers who have gotten the brunt of
rude customers and have feared for our safety at times…”
Objectives for 1a include:
o Share clear, consistent public health guidance.
o Ensure access and availability to personal protective equipment (PPE) and COVID-19 tests.
Action needed for 1a to be achieved:
o Coordination among various community organizations to ensure consistent public health
messaging, including ample time to translate, communicate and implement.
o Provide funding and grants to organizations and others to ensure free or reduced cost access to
COVID-19 tests.
o Scale up services and capacity of community organizations to ensure new methods of outreach
for increased awareness and accessibility.
“Everything is more difficult because of a lack of kindness and consideration. Every interaction is made
more frustrating, folks don’t have time to “do the reading,” coordination and communication are more
difficult.”
RECOVERY OUTCOME 1b. Enhance efforts to ensure basic needs are met in the
community.
Why a Priority for Recovery? At the beginning of the pandemic, the community leaned heavily on family,
neighbors, community organizations and local government to provide safety nets. The spread of COVID-
19 acted as a magnifying glass, shining a light on pre-existing inequities in the community – and further
exacerbating them. Basic needs for this plan are defined as housing, utilities, food, medical care and
mobility. Mobility is defined as the ability to move or be moved freely and easily. Access to dependable,
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affordable transportation (trails, bikes and busses) is vital for the community’s ability to get to essential
services, products and places. It is not just funding for public transit, but a broader understanding of how
transportation access can promote health, safety and economic opportunity.
Organizations play a vital role in ensuring basic needs were met while supporting community connection.
During the pandemic, these community organizations/nonprofits have supported families, the workforce
and businesses to provide unmet needs and expand their criteria for assistance. In essence, these
organizations stepped up to the frontline in unprecedented ways.
Additionally, COVID-19 has had a crushing impact on the nonprofit sector which employs about 14% of
the U.S. workforce. Community organizations are dealing with skyrocketing requests for assistance for
basic needs such as food, housing and counseling while also experiencing a drop in donations and cash
reserves. Those they serve are still in dire need, and the resources – including staff capacity – are not
always enough. In order for these organizations to continue to help those in need, they must have access
to adequate resources in order to be effective.
“The need for affordable housing, food, and taking care of our community members that need help
because they may not have family or friends to help them has become a much more obvious issue [to me.]
The economy and health risks have hurt these people that were already hurting before the pandemic. This
is an emergency now.”
Objectives for 1b include:
o Strengthen nonprofits and other existing networks that provide essential needs to those most
vulnerable in Fort Collins.
Action needed for 1b to be achieved:
o Provide funding and grants to organizations and others to support free or reduced cost access to
services.
o Scale up services and capacity of community organizations to ensure new methods of outreach
for increased awareness and accessibility.
o Restore existing services and continue expansion of services through Transit Master Plan to
ensure access to necessary services.
“Families are getting hit financially from all directions - soaring health care costs, food prices, gas, housing
prices, child care, etc. Where to even begin?”
RECOVERY OUTCOME 1c. Mental and physical health is valued as necessary and
prevention-based.
Why a Priority for Recovery? The cost of the pandemic can be measured in lives lost, jobs lost and revenue
drops, however, the human costs of the pandemic are equally important – and more difficult to assess.
The community’s mental well-being has been deeply impacted, and it will take time and resources to heal.
Well before the pandemic, mental and behavioral health conditions were increasing. Now, more people
than ever before have flagged the ongoing need for Mental Health services and support. This de-
stigmatization of mental health has highlighted the diversity of needs, identification of barriers to care,
8
and the gaps in service availability. In the Colorado Health Foundation Poll’s 2021 Results0F
1, 63% of
Larimer/Weld County respondents have said that mental health is a serious problem, but only 29% have
talked to a health professional.
Additionally, the pandemic has highlighted the gaps in available providers and the pathways to access
those with proper training to support specific populations such as youth, Hispanic/Latinx, LGBTQ+, first
responders and other community members. These groups have seen disproportionate impacts to mental
well-being throughout the pandemic. The need for additional resources, more providers, and providers
with a greater diversity of training and backgrounds to serve those in need is clear and will continue to
worsen in the future if not addressed. exists today but will continue to be exasperated, if not addressed
today, in the future.
“There needs to be expanded access to mental health services…Providers are overwhelmed and spaces are
limited, especially those services outside of traditional work hours. There has to be some relief…None of
us are doing okay.”
Objectives for 1c include:
o Ensure access and affordability to local mental and behavioral health services, including those in
need of bilingual, multicultural providers.
o Expand opportunities and lower barriers for public access to cultural experiences and venues.
Action needed for 1c to be achieved:
o Coordination among various community organizations to scale up or create new types of services
(both what is provided and who is providing).
o Provide funding and grants to organizations and others to ensure free or reduced cost access to
services.
o Scale up services and capacity of community organizations to ensure new methods of outreach
for increased awareness and accessibility.
o Collaborate with educational partners to offer low-cost pathways for those seeking careers in
mental and behavioral health, specifically those historically underrepresented and underserved.
“[Fund] peer run services such as Alliance for Suicide prevention’s veterans group, NOCO Splash,
Alternatives to Suicide, the Yarrow Collective, PSD mental health trainings and intervention, the Willow
Collective maternal + early childhood mental health, etc. Research indicates that these investments are
high reward, low-cost and most likely to reach the groups most at risk of suicide/mental health distress
but who are least likely to utilize traditional services.”
Theme 2: Equity and Community Resilience
In the beginning, neighbors and the community pulled together. People get tired. People are grieving,
hurt, stressed, overwhelmed and need of support. The goal is not to rebuild or build back better (as is
often said) but to build community, in all sense of the word. This entails a community-led recovery where
1 https://www.copulsepoll.org/results
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lives, connection, social capital and vibrancy of place are built again. Absent this, others can feel further
disconnected and disenfranchised.
RECOVERY OUTCOME 2a: Foster a sense of belonging and community trust.
Why a Priority for Recovery? Community in Fort Collins has consistently been defined by what the
dominant culture describes as best fit for them. The City defines “Dominant Culture” as one that is able,
through economic or political power, to impose its values, language, and ways of behaving within a
political or social entity (a city for example) in which multiple cultures are present. This often comes at
the expense of communities of color including Indigenous, African American/Black, Latinx, Asian
American/Asian and Pacific Islander populations, people with disabilities, elderly community members,
people who identify as LGBTQIA+, communities developing their English language skills, and communities
of diverse religious commitment who are most impacted by ecological, economic and democratic crises.
There is particular need for emphasis on people of color who are refugees/immigrants and/or identify as
being a part of LGBTQIA+ communities. To recover, it is important to acknowledge and act to address the
need to politically and financially support physical and psychological safe spaces built by and for
communities of color and other historically excluded communities where they can connect and identify,
authentically express identities, thrive and lead in creating a healing place and sense of belonging.
“While the City of Fort Collins saying, ‘Estoy aqui; I am here’ to the Latinx community may appear like a
small, perhaps insignificant first step, this gesture of inclusion is identified by the interviewees as
significant. When genuine narratives identified by community members as meaningful are centered above
dominate narratives, the community feels assured that their City leaders have their backs—a basic need
not fully met throughout the pandemic, and consequently identified herein as a salient community need,
and an integral codesign choice point oriented to recovery efforts.”
Objectives for 2a include:
o Create a culture of belonging.
o Support neighborhood-driven resilience while also improving social capital and capacity.
o Codesign multicultural activities and generative spaces for improved access and opportunities.
Action needed for 2a to be achieved:
o Provide funding and grant process to organizations and neighborhoods that support community-
led projects.
o Review and remove City policies and procedures that create barriers to full participation.
o Coordination among various community organizations and Equity & Inclusion Office to utilize and
improve the community’s equity resources.
“[We need] funding for grassroots community organizations run by and for the groups most affected by
the pandemic (Black, Latinx, low-income, disabled, psychiatric survivors, LGBTQ+)…These groups best
know what their communities need, and can multiply the impact of even small amounts of money more
than large scale spending.”
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RECOVERY OUTCOME 2b. Accelerate the City’s Housing Strategic Plan’s vision that
“everyone has healthy, stable housing they can afford.”
Why a Priority for Recovery? Housing affordability is a key element of community livability. Having a
healthy, stable, affordable place to live impacts people’s physical and mental health, resilience to life’s
challenges, and economic mobility. As the community continues to grow, many people are struggling to
afford stable, healthy housing in Fort Collins. Nearly 60% of renters and 20% of homeowners are cost-
burdened, spending too much on their housing. Furthermore, local BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People
of Color) and low-income households are disproportionately impacted—these community members are
experiencing lower homeownership rates, lower income levels, and higher rates of poverty. The Housing
Strategic Plan was developed in the midst of the COVID-19 global pandemic, and the resulting health and
economic crisis and public health restrictions have further exposed and increased pre-existing inequities
in housing, employment, and health. Now, more than ever, the housing needs in Fort Collins are critical
and urgent. The development of this Housing Strategic Plan was a priority prior to the pandemic and has
become even more important to adopt and apply as the public health emergency that is
disproportionately impacting BIPOC and low-income households persists.
“To have a diverse and resilient community we need more people to have access to housing.... I don’t know
if it’s subsidized housing, new developments aimed at mixed income, or utilizing now-defunct office space
but we need to make this city affordable.”
Stable and safe housing include the full spectrum from those experiencing homelessness, near homeless,
renters to homeowners.
Objectives for 2b include:
o Preserve existing affordable housing.1F
2
o Increase housing supply, affordability, diversity, and choice by 10% of overall housing stock by
2040.2F
3
o Increase housing stability and renter protections.3F
4
Action needed for 2b to be achieved:
o Provide funding and grant process to organizations that support the spectrum of housing (those
experiencing homelessness to renters to homeowners).
o Support programs such as utility late payment assistance, rental or mortgage assistance and
eviction legal assistance for those impacted directly or indirectly by COVID-19.
2 City of Fort Collins Housing Strategic Plan 2021, Prioritized Strategy 7, 9, 22, 24, 26
3 City of Fort Collins Housing Strategic Plan 2021, Prioritized Strategy 10
4 City of Fort Collins Housing Strategic Plan 2021, Prioritized Strategy 25
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RECOVERY OUTCOME 2c. Expand and leverage existing partnerships to quickly connect
people experiencing homelessness (PEH) to resources and services.
Why a Priority for Recovery? Increased homelessness initiatives and services are crucial for long-term
support of people experiencing homelessness (PEH) and housing insecurity in Fort Collins. According to
the Health District of Northern Larimer County, “Metro Denver is reporting a 40% increase in utilization
of emergency shelters comparing 2020 to 2021, and a 99% increase in people newly becoming unhoused”
and similar trends are being seen throughout the country. Homelessness should be rare, brief and non-
recurring; however, this requires innovation and case management capacity to deploy wrap-around
services. Currently, partner organizations are seeing an increase in services and resource navigation needs
but are not able to fully meet those needs due to staffing constraints (staffing cost and shortages). People
experiencing homelessness (PEH) and the emergency shelter providers have been disproportionately
impacted by COVID-19. Due to shelter capacity constraints and availability of non-congregate rooms for
isolation, some PEHs have been turned away from overnight shelters. Additionally, community partners
are reporting long wait times for PEHs to access appointments with provider. Most importantly,
homelessness and housing instability disproportionately impacts Black, Indigenous, and people of color
(BIPOC), those from lower income households, people with substance use disorders and mental illness,
people escaping domestic violence and abuse, and other marginalized groups. During the pandemic,
these disparities have widened.
Objectives for 2c include:
o Expand funding to community organizations that operate programs and services that support
PEHs.
o Accelerate plans for a 24/7 shelter for those experiencing homelessness.
o Support regional solutions such as the Northern Colorado Continuum of Care and Coordinated
Assessment and Housing Placement System through funding and leadership.
Action needed for 2c to be achieved:
o Provide funding and grant process to organizations that support community members
experiencing homelessness.
o Grow the pipeline of case management staffing.
Support programs such as utility late payment assistance, rental or mortgage assistance and
eviction protection services to support the most vulnerable community members stay in their
homes.
"More compassion and understanding would help [pandemic relief and recovery]. With winter coming we
need more shelter for people that are less fortunate. We need access to more medical equipment and
precautionary measures like had sanitizer for lower income, homeless, addict population. We need more
access to food in the community. We need more funding put into the Murphy Center. People suffer when
there is shortage in supplies and lower income people have less access. Free therapy would be helpful to
help build a stronger community and address the mental health issues that have come from COVID-19”.
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Theme 3: Economic Recovery
The COVID-19 pandemic has not only impacted the public health, but also the community’s economic
health. Lost jobs, wider gaps between wages, cost of goods and services, supply chain shortages, reduced
revenues/incomes and overall economic disruption are all prevalent, impacting both employers and
employees.
The pandemic has also intensified inequities faced by women and people of color, along with small
businesses and nonprofits that serve underrepresented community members and/or been led by them.
Community resilience, whether economic or otherwise, comes when all members of the community
recovery equally. Prior to the pandemic, many inequities existed within Fort Collins – disproportionate
shares of business ownership or unemployment; racial wealth gap, and persistent unemployment within
the low-income quintile. Community efforts for recovery should focus on being inclusive, enabling all
members to participate. Small businesses, nonprofits and the creative sector uniquely engage
communities to contribute to well-being and connectivity, including reflections of local history, amplifying
unique character of places, and renewing civic and social lives of community members through their work.
This will not only help those still struggling for financial stability now but will strengthen long-term
economic resilience.
A K-shaped recovery occurs when some segments of the economy, such as large corporations, experience
a V-shaped recovery while others, such as the service sector experience an L-shaped recovery.
Long-term implications of a K-shaped recovery include:
• long-term unemployment among people of the lowest incomes,
• wealth inequality,
• a continuing or worsening racial wealth gap,
• and growing corporate monopolies.
Previous recessions have seen K-shaped recoveries, and the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic has
the probability of a similar long-term trend, unless those segments who are not recovering as quickly or
at all are supported.
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“We don't need financial assistance personally, but please help small businesses in a fair, equitable
manner. Support getting people back to work so these places don't keep closing down due to lack of
workers.”
RECOVERY OUTCOME 3a. Small businesses, creatives and nonprofits have the resources
they need to thrive.
Why a Priority for Recovery? Stable small businesses, solopreneurs, creatives and nonprofits in the
community provide a wide range of benefits, including
• more options for residents to shop and entertain locally;
• more employment opportunities;
• enhanced ability to offer strong benefits and wages;
• creating a unique culture of unity, innovation, and healing through their distinctive characteristics
of place;
• and much more.
The pandemic has exposed the vulnerability and importance of small businesses, creatives and nonprofits
to local and regional economies. In Fort Collins, as the initial shock of the pandemic shook the community,
small businesses and nonprofits jumped into action to address immediate needs in the community,
providing vital assistance to those in need.
For example, during the early days of the stay-at-home order, one local small business, with the help of
local nonprofits, prepared meals for furloughed staff, frontline staff and in need community members.
This innovative program reduced food insecurity for many who found themselves suddenly without jobs
and resources.4F
5 And although many entertainment venues were shuttered, local musicians, artists and
entertainers found innovative ways to continue to share their art – providing a way for community
members to pull together and enjoy a shared experience even during the stay-at-home order.
“In times of social crisis in the history of our country and civilization, we’ve routinely turned to the arts to
maintain balance in our mental health, happiness, and perseverance. It’s on us as this community’s
creative arts leaders to work together and invest in new opportunities and infrastructure that benefit the
creative community as a whole.”
Small businesses, creatives and nonprofits continue to deliver projects and services vital, while facing the
challenges of operating in a disrupted environment.
Ninety-eight percent of businesses in Fort Collins are considered small businesses - those with 100 or
fewer employees. They employ over fifty percent of the local workforce. Most businesses start because
of the passion of the owner to provide a unique good or service to the community, not because they are
excited about accounting or changes to employment law. Enabling business owners to focus on delivering
their product or service to their customers, and nonprofits to deliver their mission to their constituents
should be the focus of a business. Providing support services that enable businesses and nonprofits to
build the capacity to deliver their primary purpose and do so with stable business operations helps not
5 Full story available at https://forfortcollins.com/the-moot-house/
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just them but the entire community. The more stable and thriving the business and nonprofit sectors are,
the more resilient and thriving the community will be.
“We are still experiencing a workforce crisis and funding shortages that are impacting our ability to serve
youth. We have less applicants for open positions than ever before and we are paying more for starting
wages than ever before… From a funding perspective, the loss of revenue through in-person fundraisers
has been difficult to overcome. While we have been fortunate to get support through emergency relief
dollars, these dollars have not covered both the loss of revenue through fundraising efforts and the
increased costs of operating due to COVID-19 restrictions and being open all day to support youth during
remote learning.”
Objectives for 3a include:
o Enhance support services and tools to enable operations to be soundly positioned for successful
recovery, including capital access.
o Support smooth and timely ability for facility modification to deliver goods and services with
increased public safety protocols.
o Focus on programs and services that support historically underserved community members.
Action needed for 3a to be achieved:
o Coordination among various community organizations to inventory existing support programs
and services and identify gaps.
o Provide funding and grant opportunities to businesses, creative industry, nonprofits, and other
organizations and to address challenges and increase capacity and/or capital access.
o Continue to evaluate, reduce, and remove structural barriers within existing and new business
and nonprofit support services that deter participation.
Example – deliver information by the City and its partners in multiple languages whenever
possible.
RECOVERY OUTCOME 3b: Safe and stable employment, current and future.
Why a Priority for Recovery? Through public engagement, a consistent theme heard from both
community members and businesses was the need for safe and stable employment. The business
community employs community members; therefore, job security and stability depend in part upon
business success. When a business struggles to find and employ the necessary workers it can have
ramifications on the local supply chain or services available. Access to labor is key across all businesses,
regardless of industry, type, or size.
Additionally, the learning, development, and negative academic effects on children and youth caused by
the pandemic are well documented. The remote and hybrid learning modes employed during the
pandemic have unquestionably set back learning achievements and milestones for students, particularly
those already with high risk factors. Poudre School District, the City and community organizations have
mobilized throughout the pandemic to address the learning loss and developmental delays of students,
and the needs will remain constant in the years ahead. Numerous studies show a strong association
between learned skills and the income earned in the future labor market.
15
When an individual has consistent employment (total hours and compensation) they are able to invest in
other aspects of their lives – social engagement, supporting their family and friends, and engaging in their
community – leading to increased wellbeing and mental health. Consistent employment creates not just
financial stability, but stability overall – for housing, nutrition, mobility, childcare, access to services, and
more.
Finally, safe and stable employment ensures greater productivity in the community – both community
and individual wealth creation is more stable. This translates into additional revenues for businesses,
additional taxes to provide services, and less turnover in employment. Ultimately, safe and stable
employment makes for a more resilient community and economy.
“[I need] better pay and more hours. Workforce development would be HUGE! I want to better myself but
cannot afford to get more education.”
Objectives for 3b include:
o Support business and nonprofit ability to find and recruit labor that meets their needs.
o Enhance the ability of businesses to implement flexible labor practices (i.e., remote, hybrid,
gig/contractual, variable shifts, job share, etc.).
o Support partnerships that develop the workforce businesses need.
o Bring in training that is available regionally but not directly to Fort Collins.
o Prioritize learning loss mitigation programs and services that support students with high risk
factors and/or marginalized identities.
o Reduce barriers that inhibit students/families from full participation in educational opportunities.
Action needed for 3b to be achieved:
o Identify areas and sectors that need additional employment.
o Work with partners to evaluate the barriers businesses are facing as they attempt to find and
recruit labor.
o Understand the cost and other impacts that are changing how employers engage with labor.
o Change the way work is talked about.
o Example - avoid “low skill” and other negatively biased terms.
o Support and identify adequate infrastructure needs and services such as broadband connectivity
and/or transportation options.
“We are still experiencing a workforce crisis and funding shortage that are impacting our ability to serve
youth. We have less applicants for open positions than ever before and we are paying more for starting
wages than ever before…..”
RECOVERY OUTCOME 3c: Equitable and affordable childcare is accessible.
Why a Priority for Recovery? The community recognizes how critical the quality, affordability and
accessibility of childcare is for families and businesses in the community. Making reliable and affordable
early childhood care and education available and accessible for all is among the most important policies
that can create equity and economic stability, especially for women—who often bear the responsibility of
caregiving. This is especially true for BIPOC and low-income families, who face significant childcare
16
affordability challenges. This is about more than merely providing space for children to be while parents
are working. Healthy early childhood experiences are critical to long-term success; research has found
that the accumulation of trauma throughout childhood can cause toxic stress in children, which can lead
to long-term negative effects on both the body and the brain.
The pandemic—and associated housing insecurity, food insecurity, decreased reporting of child abuse,
and social isolation—have exacerbated these experiences. Children who arrive at kindergarten prepared
to learn and grow perform better throughout their K-12 school years and increase their chances of post-
secondary success. It is the duty of policymakers, grassroots activists, nonprofits, businesses, and
community leaders to help reduce barriers, increase capacity, leverage assets, identify and respond to
childcare needs. Affordable and accessible childcare has rippling impacts throughout the community now
and into the future.
“More quality childcare programs and options for kids 0-12. I would love to see the city invest in programs
with quality providers who had the city's backing (education, background check, etc.). I understand why
people don't want to be paid less than a fast food job to care for children, and I think my kids are better
off being cared for by someone who is making a stable living. Not investing in these resources (and people!)
is hurting everyone.”
Objectives for 3c include:
o Advance regional, systemic and sustainable childcare solutions. Original and collaborative
strategies are needed to address the compounding challenges facing the childcare industry.
o Recruit, develop and retain dedicated employees in the early childhood education profession.
Action needed for 3c to be achieved:
o Lower the household budget burden for families needing childcare services.
o Improve the severe shortage of licensed childcare providers.
o Increase caregiving options for families with school-age children to ensure they can still work
when unanticipated events occur (e.g. school cancelled, quarantines, etc.).
“The field of early care and education has been hit hard. People are leaving the field, which leaves early
care and education sites unable to provide a crucial service to families. This impacts our economy.”
Theme 4: Environmental Resilience
Prior to the pandemic, climate change was a primary topic of concern across the community, state, nation,
and globe. Fort Collins has long prioritized climate action and mitigation of greenhouse gases, adopting
aggressive climate action targets.
With the arrival of the pandemic, simultaneous public health and economic crises arose, but the
devastating impacts of climate change have also been present throughout the pandemic. 2020 was
recorded as the hottest year on record. In2020 wildfires burned a record-breaking amount of forest in
Colorado and created extremely poor air quality across the Front Range, including in Fort Collins.
Atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases have continued to climb despite the dip in emissions
caused by lockdowns early in the pandemic. Climate risks are more elevated than ever.
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The dramatic and rapid changes in the behaviors of individuals, organizations, and systems at all scales
induced by the COVID-19 pandemic affect the environment, climate, and ecosystems locally. What does
Fort Collins’ reaction to the pandemic say about the City’s ability to tackle climate change? What lessons
learned about urgent mobilization for the greater good can be applied to the climate crisis? How can
climate resilience and greenhouse gas mitigation be incorporated into pandemic recovery?
In the face of widespread changes brought about by COVID-19, the importance of environmental
resiliency cannot be overstated. Resilience recognizes that disruptions inevitably will come and that
building flexibility into operations allows one to better recover on-course, minimizing detours or
derailments as much as possible. Reaffirming commitments to environmental and social governance helps
to build resilience. Since the onset of the pandemic, evidence of the importance of sustainability has only
increased. The world faces growing vulnerability to natural disasters, flooding, drought, and other
environmental problems with severe consequences for rural and urban communities - food security,
economic growth, and political stability. Ultimately, solutions require collective political will: stakeholders
from across the community working toward a shared vision for a socially, economically, and
environmentally sustainable future for us all.
“I am blessed with a job and lifestyle that wasn't impacted too much from the pandemic. That said I think
there are many lessons learned that I hope we don't loose. For example I LOVE all the extra outdoor seating
at restaurants and I also appreciate not having to drive to work everyday (which I think is critical towards
meeting our Climate Action goals). I hope the City and organizations don't feel that we have to revert back
to pre-COVID times.”
RECOVERY OUTCOME 4a: Enhance the City’s commitment to Our Climate Future with
regard to resilient neighborhoods and environmental justice.
Why a Priority for Recovery? The City’s Our Climate Future Plan notes that it is crucial to plan for
disruption and to foster and strengthen regional, community, and personal networks by supporting each
other so the community is better prepared to handle those disruptions. To effectively support one another
during and after recovery it must be acknowledged that community members were at different starting
points before the pandemic. Some community members were impacted more than others, particularly
BIPOC and low-income community members.
“A more focused, dramatic shift needs to take place to prioritize equity, health, and climate change
mitigation and adaptation in all decisions and at all levels in order to address the systematic issues our
communities will perpetually face if action continues at the present rate.”
The City’s Housing Strategic Plan states, “the legacy of neighborhood segregation and social and economic
discrimination against BIPOC community members is evident in generational wealth gaps that affect
access to healthy and stable housing today. Segregation ensured that BIPOC residents in Fort Collins were
likely to live near the city’s industrial sites and more likely to be exposed to toxins such as coal smoke and
soot from the sugar beet factory; constant pollution and hazards from trains; and the odor and
environmental impacts from the original Fort Collins City landfill and the nearby oil depots.”1
18
As solutions are designed for recovery, they must also help to achieve health and environmental resilience
and equity. Solutions co-designed with community members most impacted must be prioritized. There is
a strong correlation between health and environment, where BIPOC and low-income residents bear a
larger burden and impact. While environmental justice and equity are woven throughout this plan, this
Outcome is designed to explicitly call out the need to advance environmental resilience and justice.
Objectives for 4a include:
o Create targeted neighborhood level interventions to increase green infrastructure and/or energy
retrofits to address environmental justice issues.5F
6
o Decrease barriers to home gardening, residential farming, and small, sustainable farming
operations.6F
7
o Increase access to affordable CSAs (community supported agriculture subscriptions).7F
8
Action needed for 4a to be achieved:
o Collaborate with vulnerable populations and neighborhoods to generate solutions tailored to
their needs.
o Reduce pollution at the source, targeting disparities in exposure for vulnerable community
members.
“[The pandemic] has put all in new context; especially environmental health, with a serious pulmonary
virus spreading amidst high AQI readings. Neighborhood developments that are disconnected from the
rest of the city make the inequality and isolation of the pandemic even harder to cope with.”
RECOVERY OUTCOME 4b: Resilient infrastructure is reliable, affordable and attainable.
Why a Priority for Recovery? The pandemic highlighted the need for local infrastructure and buildings to
thrive both today and into the future. Community members shared that as Fort Collins works to build back
better, the way the community builds back is critical to success.
“Building back better / Green recovery is paramount to aligning on 1.5C climate pathway. The new IPCC
says humanity is at Code Red - meaning Fort Collins needs to use any recovery funds designated for
infrastructure and development to support a green recovery - focused on promoting renewable electricity,
subsidies for electric vehicles, reducing food waste, etc...”
Indoor spaces, including homes, schools and work environments, are critical spaces individuals spend time
in - up to 90% of their lives. Buildings and homes also serve as the physical fabric of the local community,
the places where community members connect with others, and where they often feel safest. Buildings
and spaces that are healthy, comfortable, energy efficient and water efficient increases the health and
well-being of those in them. Changing the buildings, and individuals’ habits in them, has the potential to
positively impact community well-being more than almost any other actions.
6 Our Climate Future: Big Move 7: Healthy, Affordable Housing HAH5
7 City of Fort Collins Our Climate Future: Big Move 8: Local, Affordable, and Healthy Food LAHF2
8 City of Fort Collins Our Climate Future: Big Move 8: Local, Affordable, and Healthy Food LAHF4
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In addition, safe and comfortable indoor spaces have taken on new meaning after 2020, when Fort Collins
residents navigated both a pandemic and some of the worst wildfires in Colorado history. Indoor air
quality is on average up to five times worse than outdoor air quality, and is especially of concern in homes,
schools, businesses and other public spaces that lack the ability to properly filter and ventilate the air. In
addition to clean air, the delivery of safe and reliable water, and stable electric power are basic rights that
all individuals in Fort Collins must have in order to achieve stability.
Development and climate change are putting new stresses on all of Fort Collins’ infrastructure, especially
those systems related to water and electricity. Impacts of the pandemic have also resulted in continued
reductions in public transit ridership and service levels. Mobility service reductions have extreme impacts
on the most vulnerable populations in the community, particularly as it relates to the accessibility of
healthcare and food. The management of local and regional infrastructure is of paramount importance
for the continued recovery of the community.
“Stronger regional transportation systems will help with climate change and accessibility to all Fort Collins
and surrounding areas have to offer.”
Objectives for 4b include:
o Access to healthy, energy- and water-efficient indoor spaces, including homes and work
environments.
o Transportation and mobility systems are resilient to a variety of expected and unexpected
disruptions.
o Reliable water and electric infrastructure are more resilient to a variety of expected and
unexpected disruptions.
Action needed for 4b to be achieved:
o Restore existing services (including transportation) and continue expansion of services through
Citywide planning efforts such as the Transit Master Plan.
o Enhance collaboration on projects related to regional water and electrical systems.
o Facilitate partnerships to provide access to low-cost services and resources and provide incentives
for efficient building practices.
o Implement a One Water approach for water utilities and enhance collaboration for regional water
supply, treatment, and delivery.
o Address critical talent pipeline for essential water, utilities, and transportation sector jobs.
o Scale up and create new types of services.
RECOVERY OUTCOME 4c: Open space and natural amenities are available and preserved.
Why a Priority for Recovery? Open space and access to nature are defining characteristics of Fort Collins
- supporting physical and mental health while strengthening long-term resilience of the region and its
population. The pandemic has highlighted the importance of these services, with up to 200% increases in
use at some local natural areas.
Continued restoration and preservation ensures open spaces provide a high-quality resource to the
community, supporting native plant and wildlife habitat both now and into the future. Enhanced
20
amenities across parks and natural areas provide additional recreational opportunities for all community
members. Accessibility to these sites will help meet the needs of a growing population, and those who in
the past have not had easy access to nature.
Additionally, a robust urban tree canopy can help cool urban areas and mitigate the urban heat island
impact, while helping to address air pollution through carbon and pollution sequestration. Shade provided
by urban trees also reduces energy demand, contributing to carbon emissions. More broadly, minimizing
air and light pollution in the local ecosystem and open spaces is also important to preserving
environmental and human health.
“The pandemic showed us how valuable having open space is to our mental as well as physical health. I
would like to see Fort Collins focus on maintaining clean and safe open space areas. While obtaining new
open space would be great, a lot of the existing spaces are getting loved to death and could use some
help.”
Objectives for 4c include:
o Enhance access to open space, parks, natural areas, and diverse and accessible recreation
opportunities to support the physical and mental health of residents.
o Identify vulnerabilities to natural hazards, identify proactive mitigation actions, and prepare
adequately to minimize impacts to people, property, and critical facilities.8F
9
o Support a healthy and diverse urban tree canopy to support air and light pollution and reduced
energy costs.
Action needed for 4c to be achieved:
o Implement strategies to improve ecosystem health while addressing the demand for increased
access.
o Scale up and create new types of resources across community service providers to effectively
react to critical disruptions when they occur in the future.
“Besides affordability of living in the area, please keep our environment and open spaces, as this is the
core beauty of this part of the country.”
9 City of Fort Collins Our Climate Future: Big Move 11: Healthy Natural Spaces HNS5
City Manager’s Office
City Hall
300 LaPorte Ave.
PO Box 580
Fort Collins, CO 80522
970.221.6505
970.224.6107 - fax
fcgov.com
Proposed Regional Applications for State ARPA Funding
Summary:
Two of the fourteen projects previewed on December 17, 2021, were proposed by City staff. The
list below is an overview of project title and summary. The idea of many of the projects is that
they can be placed anywhere in the region but customized for the need of the local community.
Due to the shift in application deadlines, team leads are meeting with working teams to refine the
project applications. Staff will continue to update Council on the changes to the projects and
timeline, as they become available.
PROJECT TITLE AND
LEAD
SUMMARY
1.Multicultural Business and
Entrepreneur Center (MBEC)
Lead: City of Fort Collins
The purpose of the MBEC is to create multilingual business and
entrepreneur centers located throughout the County (at various
community hubs and workforce training centers):
•Provide entrepreneurs easy access to business services,
resources, mentorship, and specialty training.
•Connect entrepreneurs with critical resources to create,
launch, and grow a business, furthering the commitment
that all businesses are privy to the same information.
•Enhance and complement existing business support
programs and agencies by providing multilingual
workshops and training for entrepreneurs and small
businesses.
•Foster new relationships and build trust across the business
community, especially with BIPOC, non-English speaking,
and women entrepreneurs.
*NOTE: in this context “businesses” include both for profit and nonprofit or
not-for-profit entities.
ATTACHMENT 4
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2. North Fort Collins
Community Hub
Lead: City of Fort Collins
This project is a 35-acre redevelopment in North Fort Collins.
Despite being less than a mile from Downtown Fort Collins, many
that live north of the Poudre River see their community as being
disconnected from Downtown and the rest of the community.
Through various community engagement efforts, community
members have expressed the need for more affordable housing
options, access to training for job skills, and gaps in services for
people experiencing mental health issues. This is especially true
for Latino/Latinx community members. The City of Fort Collins
has made strategic investments in this area to support these
objectives. The City owns a parcel slated for regional stormwater
detention permit development in this area along with a 5-acre
parcel set aside for permanent affordable housing. Transfort is
currently exploring opportunities to bring rapid transit bus service
to the corridor. In partnership with Bohemian Foundation and
others, the City looks to assemble the remaining parcels in this 35-
acre area to develop a community hub in North Fort Collins. This
community hub would address many of the deficiencies
community members see in their neighborhood and feel more of a
sense of belonging and opportunity in Fort Collins.
The resources offered related to workforce development and
mental/behavioral health can be scaled to reach communities
across the County. By partnering with the Larimer County
Workforce Development Center, we can provide these job training
resources across Larimer County. Loveland and Estes Park have
both expressed an interest in partnering on bringing these
resources to their communities and tailoring it to their needs. We
envision a similar model for providing mental and behavioral
health resources.
3. 24/7 Homeless Shelter
Lead: Denver Rescue Mission
Building adequate 24/7 shelter for our region’s homeless
population is not only a life-saving amenity providing basic needs
to instill dignity for those experiencing homelessness like
overnight beds, showers, bathrooms, and storage, but also a crucial
entryway to actual housing solutions via case management,
housing navigation, and access multiagency housing resources.
4. Youth Homeless
Shelter/Housing
Lead: Poudre School District
Youth shelter/services hub/campus to include emergency youth
sheltering (12-20 years of age), supportive/transitional housing for
youth exiting systems such as foster care, McKinney-Vento
programming with school districts, and juvenile justice (18-24
years of age), and appropriate wrap-around services such as case
management, economic security, behavioral health, etc (for both
shelter and transitional housing youth populations).
3
5. Affordable Housing Pipeline
– New and Preservation
Lead: Housing Catalyst
Fund for construction of new and preservation of existing
permanently affordable rental units. Fund will provide “gap”
funding to catalyze these shovel-ready developments sooner rather
than later to meet our dire affordable housing needs side, but also
on the development cost side.
Affordable housing development and preservation deals are
extremely complex and require a multitude of layering “gap”
sources. Our community has a finite amount of gap funding
resources, so our affordable housing organizations often end up
competing against one another or postponing projects into future
funding rounds. Housing Catalyst, Loveland Housing Authority,
Estes Park Housing Authority, Neighbor to Neighbor, CARE
Housing and Habitat for Humanity all have projects that can be
completed in the next few years if gap funding is available.
Housing Catalyst may also have an additional project ready to go
acting as Wellington Housing Authority.
$18M fund would provide “gap” funding in the amount of
approximately $30K per unit for approximately 600 units of new
and preserved affordable housing. While these projects are in the
pipeline, this fund is transformational in that it helps these projects
come to fruition as soon as possible to meet our urgent and
emergent needs and to ensure they can come to fruition given new
challenges created by Covid.
$30K per unit is now an amount also used by other funders such as
DOH, knowing that multiple gap funding sources are required to
develop permanently affordable housing.
Currently, $313,442 per unit is an average cost per unti of new
construction per CHFA.
4
6. Heartside Hill Development
(Early Childhood Education)
Lead: CARE Housing
Heartside Hill is a multi-faceted, collaborative development
project addressing Larimer County’s greatest challenges- ranging
from access to affordable rental housing and homeownership,
early childhood education, and other community resources
including workforce development, youth programming, and
behavioral/mental health services. While this summary covers the
entire project, the request is specifically for the community center
including an early childhood center and other critical community
resources.
Heart of the Rockies Christian Church has always planned to
donate its undeveloped land at the northwest corner of Trilby and
Lemay in Fort Collins to local nonprofit organizations to benefit
the greater community. In 2019, three primary partners were
selected to join in a collaborative effort to develop the property –
CARE Housing, Fort Collins Habitat for Humanity, and L’Arche
Fort Collins.
7. Micro Housing to Reduce
Homelessness
Lead: City of Loveland
Project One is supportive housing located in Loveland. Project
Two is housing in north Loveland, south Fort Collins, or
unincorporated Larimer County to provide housing to homeless
youth, ages 18 to 24, specifically for youth working to complete
high school.
Both projects are modeled after the Greenspire Apartments in
Longmont (https://heartofabuilding.com/greenspire-apartments/).
The cost of the Greenspire apartments was $3.4M. The budget and
architectural plans are public information on this site. The cost of
these two projects have been increased by $600K and $800K
respectively to account for increases in the cost of materials and
the need to purchase land for youth housing. Both are
overestimated and will be narrowed down once I am able to add a
developer to the project.
Both projects will require on-going services and both complexes
will have an office to accommodate both staff and property
management.
5
8. Behavioral Health Center –
Youth + Training Institute
Lead: Larimer County
Address existing gaps in behavioral health services specifically for
youth, such as residential treatment, IOP, OP, family, group and
substance use disorder treatment. Increased partnerships with
youth serving organizations and school districts will be critical to
the success of this effort.
Increase equitable and paid training opportunities for students
pursuing behavioral health-related careers
Provide opportunities to re-skill and up-skill the current BH
workforce (from MD to Peer Specialist) as well as increase
credentialed/non-credentialed behavioral health workforce and fill
current/future vacancies locally, statewide, nationally, and
internationally through partnership with CSU, etc.
Provide on-site supports and services to students
(internships/fellowships/residencies/rotations) including housing,
and clinical supervision, at the Larimer County Behavioral Health
Campus.
9. K-12 Workforce
Development Centers
Lead: Larimer County
A Regional [Youth] Workforce Development Center could serve
as a stand-alone career and technical education (CTE) and college
preparatory facility accessible for high school students in PSD,
TSD, EPSD, disconnected youth and some adult populations.
Programming and curriculum will be focused on the development
of knowledge, skills and abilities for high-demand, upwardly
mobile careers and tied to industry recognized credentials and
certifications. The centers will leverage the existing Work Based
Learning Alliance to provide “earn while you learn” opportunities
like internships and apprenticeships. The centers can also serve as a
bridge to college or entrepreneurial opportunities, as well as a
community focal point for cross-sector and educational
partnerships.
10. Innovation Hub at NoCo
Airport
Lead: Larimer County
As a general aviation and commercial airport, the NoCo Airport
(FNL) is a major economic catalyst in the Northern Colorado
region. It can serve as a test bed and training ground for leading
edge technology associated with, but not limited to aviation,
avionics, unmanned aircraft, remote tower air traffic control,
electric vehicles, materials, science, and related fields. This project
consists of construction of a new terminal and community facility
with ample dedicated room and appropriate technology for CTE
for students in PSD, TSD and EPSD, Aims CC and FRCC. The
facility would also have space for targeted workforce development
programs for adults and could accommodate corporate trainings
and community gatherings.
6
11. Collaborative Child, Youth
and Family Services Campus
Lead: Larimer Boys and Girls
Club
The concept is a place-based campus approach that will house
multiple agencies who will specialize in direct services needed by
families, with a prominent focus on childcare and youth
programming, and mental health.
Specific services would include:
1. Childcare, 0-3 years old
2. Full Day and Half Day Preschool options, 4-5 years old
3. Before/After School Care for youth ages, 5-12 years old
4. Teen development services for youth ages 13-18 (academic
support, workforce readiness and more)
5. Specialty care for children and youth with physical or
developmental disabilities
6. Mental health support for youth and families
7. Food & basic needs distribution
8. Recreation
9. Adult education
10. Case work to support families through immigrant
resources, housing, and legal counseling
11. Unique and comprehensive transportation route tailored to
specific areas in Loveland
Additional benefits of this collaborative model include: a shared
workforce, collaborations on staff training and childcare licensing,
joint fundraising, uniform operating models and systems of care
that work better for families, long-term youth tracking, shared
back offices systems and protocols.
7
12. Recreational Sports
Complex at The Ranch
Lead: Larimer County
The primary objective for this project is spur economic recovery
through a transformational opportunity to reshape recreation and
sports-related tourism industries in Northern Colorado, while
providing much needed amenities for young people and adults.
The County heard from key community stakeholders that there is a
significant need for more local swim and hockey (ice)
programming. That “need” was verified by a consulting firm.
Both Poudre and Thompson School Districts expressed that ice
sheets are one of the top two major needs among their athletic
programs when the study was conducted. Multiple organizations
interviewed expressed an interest in moving existing operations to
a potential new ice facility and utilizing it as their “home
rink”. The following groups expressed an interest in using a new
facility, Colorado State University Women’s Hockey, Northern
Colorado Youth Hockey Association, Greeley Youth Hockey,
Resurrection High School. There is a shortage of local
competitive swim facilities. The following area groups expressed
an interest in using a new facility, Colorado Swim Academy, and
Loveland Swim Club. Both indicated they could grow their
programs with additional pool availability and shared that a new
facility may be better able to accommodate swim meets.
13. Castle Ridge Home
Ownership Development
Lead: Town of Estes Park
The project will serve working individuals within the Estes
Park Community with an opportunity to purchase a deed
restricted townhome. Approximately half would/could be sold
as market rate (to support income for additional development or
deed restricted opportunities and the other half to be sold as
deed restricted units serving those at or below 150% AMI in
perpetuity.
8
14. Workforce Housing and
Childcare on Town-Owned
Land
Lead: Town of Estes Park
The Town of Estes Park owns two parcels – one with about 45
developable acres and another with less than one acre – on
which workforce housing could be constructed along with a
space or spaces for childcare. The Town is currently engaged in
negotiations with a nonprofit workforce housing developer to
assist with development on the larger parcel, known as the Fish
Hatchery property. We believe ARPA funds could help finance
the portion of the project planned to be owned by the Town,
including a space for childcare and associated housing for the
childcare workforce. We expect that we could develop six to
eight additional workforce housing units on the smaller parcel
located at 179 Stanley Circle.
The lack of workforce housing and spaces for childcare in Estes
Park have each been characterized as at crisis levels. A 2016
housing needs assessment identified the need for about 1,600
workforce housing units locally (our population is about 6,000).
We expect that number has increased in recent years and, in fact,
have secured funding to assist with a new needs assessment and
strategic plan in 2022. On the childcare front, we have zero
licensed childcare space for infants in Estes Park. What this
means is that working people wishing to start families often have
to move out of the area or cannot move here until their children
are school-aged.
City Recovery Plan01.11.2022Travis Storin, Chief Financial OfficerSeonAh Kendall, City Recovery ManagerATTACHMENT 5
Agenda1. Recovery Plan• Vision and Timeline• Themes and Outcomes2. American Rescue Plan Act State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (ARPA)• ARPA Allocations to Date• Allocation of Remaining Funds• State Funding Update3. Questions and Discussion
3Questions for Council• What additional outcomes are missing from the Draft Recovery Plan? What should be adjusted?• Does Council support the proposed process of allocated ARPA funds as a part of 2023-2024 BFO?
Recovery Plan
5Recovery Plan VisionFort Collins residents and businesses are able to participate in a resilient,vibrantand inclusive future.HEALING INCLUSION RESILIENCE VIBRANCYDEFINITIONThe process of making or becoming sound or healthy again.An intention or policy of including people who might otherwise be excluded or marginalized. Inclusion requires removing barriers so all can thrive.The ability to better avoid, withstand or recover from difficult conditions of various scales.A sense of place and belonging for all. Full of energy and enthusiasm.
6TimelineJune - OctoberNovember - December January – February March 1
7Engagement Themes•Key Themes• Strong pandemic response programs• Bolster community orgs, networks and spaces that provide direct assistance to those most impacted• Remove barriers to resilience (esp. economic)• Invest in infrastructure and amenities to support a vibrant future• In many ways – responses align with existing priorities and plans• Mental health services• Affordable housing• Higher Wages• Access to childcare
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350Number of RespondentsTop Priority Areas for RecoveryAffordable HousingSmall Business SupportMental & Behavioral HealthWorkforce DevelopmentEconomic Rebuilding StrategyPersonal Health & SafetyFood & Essential NeedsHousing Stability & Those Experiencing HomelessnessNonprofitsEarly Learning & ChildcareOlder AdultsHospitatlity jkljHospitality & TourismLarge EmployersNatural AreasParks and RecreationIndoor & Outdoor Air QualityClimate ResilienceTransportation & MobilityArts & CultureWaterRenewable EnergyZero Waste & Waste ReductionInfrastructureBroadbandHealthEquity & CommunityEconomic RecoveryEnvironmental Resilience
9Summary of Recovery Themes & OutcomesRecovery Themes Recovery Outcomes Health1a. Support clear and effective communication of public health orders.1b. Enhance efforts to ensure basic needs are met in the community.1c. Mental and physical health is valued as necessary and prevention-based.Equity and Community Resilience2a. Foster a sense of belonging and community trust.2b. Accelerate the City’s Housing Strategic Plan’s vision that “everyone has healthy, stable housing they can afford.”2c. Expand and leverage existing partnerships to quickly connect people experiencing homelessness (PEH) to resources and services.Economic Recovery3a. Small businesses, creatives and nonprofits have the resources they need to thrive.3b. Safe and stable employment, current and future.3c. Equitable and affordable childcare is accessible. Environmental Resilience4a. Enhance the City’s commitment to Our Climate Future with regard to resilient neighborhoods and environmental justice. 4b. Resilient infrastructure is reliable, affordable and attainable.4c. Open space and natural amenities are available and preserved.
American Rescue Plan Act Funds
11City’s ARPA Local Fiscal Recovery Fund$28.1M allocation for Fort CollinsOrdinance No. 079, 2021: short-term, immediate needs$4.2M$3.6M $20.3MAllocation of FundsCouncil Approval of Fort Collins Recovery Plan, February 2022:long-term recovery and resilienceCity Manager’s Recommended Budget 2022
City of Fort Collins ARPA $28.1M State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund$0.3$1.8$1.9$0.1$0.9$1.3$1.3$0.1$4.8$5.9$5.8$3.9$0$1$2$3$4$5$6$7$8$9$10Health Equity & Community Economic Recovery Environmental ResilienceMillionsOrdinance No. 079, 20212022 BudgetProposed Allocation Recovery PlanNOTE: Administrative costs spread throughout each recovery theme. Council can opt to change proposed allocation
13Allocation of Remaining Funds• Allocated as part of 2023-2024 BFO• Specific Offer – tied to Strategic Plan & Recovery Plan• Determine if project is ARPA-eligible before BFO• Specific ARPA BFO TeamSubmit Project Application to ARPA Team• Potential projects for 2023-2024 budget that are recovery-relatedARPA Team determines if project is eligible for ARPA funding• If eligible, project can ask for ARPA funding in BFOProject moves through BFO process• Review & ranking of projects by ARPA BFO Team• BLT makes recommended budget• Budget Council MeetingsBudget Approved, ARPA offers funded• APRA funded projects launch in 2023
State ARPA Funding
• Timeline Change – mid-January project proposal• Project awards – Early Summer 2022• Funds must be encumbered by 2024, spent by 2026• Project focus: Regional impact, economic multiplier, and public/private partnership• Refine project applications first week of January 2022*Amount may change due to ongoing pandemic response funding needs15State ARPA Funding$1.2B available State ARPA Funding*
16Questions for Council• What additional outcomes are missing from the Draft Recovery Plan? What should be adjusted?• Does Council support the proposed process of allocated ARPA funds as a part of 2023-2024 BFO?
For More Information, VisitTHANK YOU!Ourcity.fcgov.com/forfoco
18Methods & Reach• Methods• OurCity webpage • Online & mail surveys• Stakeholder meetings• 13 Paid partnerships• Qualitative analysis • Participation• 2,000 survey responses• 4,500 visits to Our City• 30,000+ social media reach / impressions• 50+ stakeholder meetingsCommunity-wide engagement & targeted engagement to reach vulnerable populations / disproportionately impacted groups:• Youth• Older Adults• Those experiencing homelessness•LGBTQ+• Spanish-speaking• Immigrants including undocumented • Those living in manufactured housing
19Pandemic Impact ExampleIncome Vulnerability Map
20Eligible Uses of FundsEquity-Focused Services• Serve hard-hit communities/families; equity in health; housing; educationPublic Health Response• Contain COVID-19; behavioral healthcare services; communicationNegative Economic Impacts• Assist/support workers & families; small businesses; impacted industries – tourism & hospitalityInfrastructure: Water, Sewer, & Broadband• Clean & drinking water revolving funds eligible projects; broadband for marginalized communityRevenue Loss• Formula-driven replacement of lost 2020 City revenuesINELIGIBLE• Pension fund contribution, debt service; fund reserves; federal match requirementsPer U.S. Treasury Interim Final Rules
21ARPA State & Local Fiscal Recovery FundMust be related to response and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemicRegional Collaboration$28.1M allocated to Fort Collins
Short-Term ARPA Allocation22$6M Tentatively Approved / $7.8M Allocated for ARPA ResponseEconomic Recovery Equity & Community Recovery Health & Environmental Resilience Small Business GrantsBusiness & Entrepreneur CenterExtension of For Fort CollinsParking Structure RepairsExpanded Technical Assistance for Small BusinessesEconomic Health Strategic Plan1.0 FTE City Planner1.0 FTE Cultural Services Community Programs Manager + program supportEviction Legal FundSupport for 24/7 ShelterUtility Direct Assistance ProgramChildcare System SupportExpanded Community Outreach & EngagementRecreation Reduce-Fee Scholarship ProgramDEI Office Program SupportLanguage Access ServicesAffordable Housing Fee Credit FundHomelessness Initiatives IncreaseHuman Service Program IncreaseCultural Services Access FundImmediate PPE and vaccine clinics are currently funded through (CARES)ANTICIPATED: Request for PPE to distribute internally and with community partnersInnovate Fort Collins Challenge –Housing / Climate NexusMental Health Response TeamMunicipal Court Services – Mental Health, Addiction, Teen DiversionOrdinance No. 079, 2021 ST Immediate Needs2022 BudgetCARES
23American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)• Other funds available within (ARPA) for:• Childcare, utility/water bills, libraries, small business, support for people experiencing homelessness and broadband•Collaboration with partners and the State vital to leverage all funds available for the community and avoid duplication of funds$410B Stimulus Checks$360BGovernment $246BExtended Unemployment Programs$194BOther$176BEducation$143BExpanded Tax Credits$123BCOVID-19 Response$105BHealth$59B Small Business$56B Transportation$16B Agriculture$360B Allocated forLocal Government