HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - COMPLETE AGENDA - 04/08/2025Fort Collins City Council
Work Session Agenda
6:00 p.m., Tuesday, April 8, 2025
300 Laporte Avenue, Fort Collins, CO 80521
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A solicitud, la Ciudad de Fort Collins proporcionará servicios de acceso a idiomas para personas que
no dominan el idioma inglés, o ayudas y servicios auxiliares para personas con discapacidad, para
que puedan acceder a los servicios, programas y actividades de la Ciudad. Para asistencia, llame al
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City of Fort Collins Page 1 of 2
City Council
Work Session Agenda
April 8, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Jeni Arndt, Mayor
Emily Francis, District 6, Mayor Pro Tem
Susan Gutowsky, District 1
Julie Pignataro, District 2
Tricia Canonico, District 3
Melanie Potyondy, District 4
Kelly Ohlson, District 5
Council Information Center (CIC)
300 Laporte Avenue, Fort Collins
Cablecast on FCTV
Channel 14 on Connexion
Channel 14 and 881 on Comcast
Carrie Daggett Kelly DiMartino Delynn Coldiron
City Attorney City Manager City Clerk
CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION
6:00 PM
A) CALL MEETING TO ORDER
B) ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION
1. Staff Report: Electric Vehicle Readiness Roadmap Update
The purpose of this item is to provide Council with an overview of the Electric Vehicle Readiness
Roadmap (EVRR) Update. The EVRR provides the community with a high-level overview of
electric vehicles and charging infrastructure including information such as ownership
considerations, EV benefits and shortcomings, vehicle capabilities and limitations, barriers to
adoption, funding opportunities, current trends, and future projections. The staff report will detail
the update process, key findings, recommendations, and next steps.
2. Council Priority: Update on Progress to Accelerate Zero Waste Infrastructure and Policies
The purpose of this item is to share progress on the items within the Zero Waste Infrastructure and
Policies Council Priority, which includes identifying pathways to compost, construction and
demolition infrastructure, and expanding residential yard trimmings service.
3. Council Priority: Improve Human and Social Health for Vulnerable Populations
The purpose of this item is to provide an update on progress toward Council’s Priority: Improve
Human and Social Health for Vulnerable Populations, discuss identified barriers and programs
focused on removing obstacles, share real-life human stories of impact, and discuss newly
emerging barriers and challenges.
C) ANNOUNCEMENTS
Page 1
City of Fort Collins Page 2 of 2
D) ADJOURNMENT
Upon request, the City of Fort Collins will provide language access services for individuals who have limited
English proficiency, or auxiliary aids and services for individuals with disabilities, to access City services,
programs and activities. Contact 970.221.6515 (V/TDD: Dial 711 for Relay Colorado) for assistance.
Please provide advance notice. Requests for interpretation at a meeting should be made by noon the day
before.
A solicitud, la Ciudad de Fort Collins proporcionará servicios de acceso a idiomas para personas que no
dominan el idioma inglés, o ayudas y servicios auxiliares para personas con discapacidad, para que
puedan acceder a los servicios, programas y actividades de la Ciudad. Para asistencia, llame al
970.221.6515 (V/TDD: Marque 711 para Relay Colorado). Por favor proporcione aviso previo. Las
solicitudes de interpretación en una reunión deben realizarse antes del mediodía del día anterior.
Page 2
File Attachments for Item:
1. Staff Report: Electric Vehicle Readiness Roadmap Update
The purpose of this item is to provide Council with an overview of the Electric Vehicle
Readiness Roadmap (EVRR) Update. The EVRR provides the community with a high-level
overview of electric vehicles and charging infrastructure including information such as
ownership considerations, EV benefits and shortcomings, vehicle capabilities and limitations,
barriers to adoption, funding opportunities, current trends, and future projections. The staff
report will detail the update process, key findings, recommendations, and next steps.
Page 3
City Council Work Session Agenda Item Summary – City of Fort Collins Page 1 of 1
April 8, 2025
WORK SESSION AGENDA
ITEM SUMMARY
City Council
PRESENTER
Dashiell Bubar-Hall, Transportation Planner, FC Moves
SUBJECT FOR DISCUSSION
Staff Report: Electric Vehicle Readiness Roadmap Update
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The purpose of this item is to provide Council with an overview of the Electric Vehicle Readiness
Roadmap (EVRR) Update. The EVRR provides the community with a high-level overview of electric
vehicles and charging infrastructure including information such as ownership considerations, EV benefits
and shortcomings, vehicle capabilities and limitations, barriers to adoption, funding opportunities, current
trends, and future projections. The staff report will detail the update process, key findings,
recommendations, and next steps.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Presentation
Page 4
Item 1.
Electric Vehicles
Readiness Roadmap
Update-Staff Report
4/8/2025
Dashiell Bubar-Hall
FC Moves
Page 5
Item 1.
Types of Electric Vehicles 2
Page 6
Item 1.
Electric Vehicle Readiness Roadmap
•EVRR Format
•Introduction
•Vision and goals
•EV overview
•General EV information
•Charger types and considerations
•EV Market Assessment
•Local trends and projections
•Readiness Strategies
•Recommended strategies
•Added points of emphasis with the update
•Equity
•Evenhanded portrayal
•Electric transportation options (e-bikes, e-
scooters, carshare)
3
Page 7
Item 1.
4EVRR Vision Statement
Fort Collins will promote the community’s adoption of electric
vehicles through equitable access to charging infrastructure,
engaging outreach and education, innovative policy
approaches, and leading by example.
Page 8
Item 1.
5EVRR Goal Areas
•Mobility: Support the electrification of shared transportation options in Fort Collins, including carshare,
rideshare, shared micromobility, and transit, to ensure equitable access and foster a sustainable, interconnected
transportation system.
•Equity: Engage disproportionately impacted communities to develop suitable EV-related outreach, projects,
and incentives that increase awareness and access to electrified transportation options.
•Environmental: Reduce local contributions to climate and air pollution from transportation sources through
increased adoption of electrified transportation options.
•Utility/ Grid Infrastructure: Identify the need for additional level 2 and 3 public charging infrastructure
throughout the city and support the installation of needed infrastructure and corresponding utility
improvements.
•Residential Charging: Increase access to charging infrastructure for rental properties and multi-family units,
prioritizing the most affordable housing stock.
•Policy: Review and update existing City policies related to electric vehicles, electric transportation devices, and
charging infrastructure. Recommend additional policies to facilitate increased adoption and access to
alternative electrified transportation options.Page 9
Item 1.
•84% of EV owners can reliably charge at home
•27% of Non-EV Owners could reliably
charge at home if they had an EV
•Primary barriers to EV adoption were purchase price,
charging availability, and battery performance in cold
weather
•Expanding public charging was the highest priority
by a large margin
•Less than 10% of respondents who own an EV use
public chargers on a weekly basis
6Key Findings-EVRR Community Questionnaire
•Renters were more likely to report not being able to
charge at home than homeowners.
•Multifamily residents were less likely to purchase an
EV and cited access to charging as the main barrier
•Residents making less than $75,000 yearly ranked
accessibility and affordability as their highest priority
Page 10
Item 1.
Expand Charging Infrastructure
•Increase the Number of Charging Stations:
Develop more charging stations in key locations such
as public facilities, shopping centers, and residential
areas.
•Strategic Placement: Ensure charging stations are
distributed in high-traffic areas and near essential
services to maximize accessibility.
Address Cost Concerns
•Subsidize Public Charging: Explore options to
subsidize or lower the cost of public charging stations
to make them more affordable.
•Incentivize Home Charging: Offer incentives or
rebates for residents who install home charging
equipment to reduce the financial burden.
7Key Findings-EVRR Focus Group
Enhance Educational Outreach
•Organize Community Workshops: Host regular
workshops and information sessions on EVs,
including their benefits, costs, and maintenance.
•Develop Multilingual Resources: Provide
educational materials in multiple languages to reach
a broader audience and ensure clear communication.
Page 11
Item 1.
8Key Findings-Barriers to Electric Vehicle Adoption
•High purchase price
•Access to charging at home
•Multifamily
•Renters
•Lack of charging infrastructure
•Local, regional, state, national
•Single vehicle households
•Range anxiety
•Awareness and education related to EVs
Page 12
Item 1.
9Key Findings-Barriers to Charging Infrastructure
•Cost of installation
•Networking Costs
•Impact Fees
•Capacity Fees
•3 Phase 480V Service
•Ongoing maintenance costs
•Site variability/suitability
•Lack of ROI
•Charging Providers avoiding Fort Collins
specifically regarding Level 3 charging
•Upfront fees deterring private
sector installations
•Unclear funding future
Page 13
Item 1.
Key Findings-Fort Collins Electric Vehicle Snapshot
Vehicles
•Number of EVs on the road: 5248 (2025 Q1)
•4.27% of light-duty vehicles
•Percentage of new vehicle purchases
•Fort Collins area: 20% (end of 2024)
•Statewide: 25.3% (2024 Q3)
•#1 State for market share of new EVs
Chargers
•147 Public Level 2 ports
•166-255 recommended
•6 Public Level 3 ports
•16-26 recommended
10
Page 14
Item 1.
Key Findings-Charger Snapshot 11
0
50
100
150
200
250
9 13 36 84 154 245 408 358 426 1091 1366 1802 2468 3337 5248
Nu
m
b
e
r
o
f
C
h
a
r
g
e
r
s
Number of Evs
Charging Infrastructure
Needed Existing
Page 15
Item 1.
12EVRR Strategy Recommendation Areas
Outreach and
Education
Regional and Partner
Coordination Policy Incentives
Infrastructure Leading by Example Emerging Technology Equity
Page 16
Item 1.
Next Steps
•Finalize EVRR Document
•Late April-early May
•Establish and convene EV Working Group
•May
•Prioritize Strategies and develop short-term
implementation plan
•Identify responsible staff/departments
•Identify community partners
•Develop budget and Identify funding
sources
13
Page 17
Item 1.
For More Information, Visit
THANK YOU!
Dashiell Bubar-Hall dbubar-hall@fcgov.com
Page 18
Item 1.
•Outreach and Education
•Educate local businesses
about workplace charging
•Regional and Partner Coordination
•Encourage EV ride-hailing
and car sharing
•Policy
•Monitor and refine current
policy (ex. building code)
•Incentives
•Income-qualified vehicle
purchase rebate
15EVRR Strategy Examples
•Infrastructure
•Expand City-owned public
charging stations
•Leading by example
•Employee incentives for
sustainable forms of
transportation
•Emerging Technology
•Battery Recycling
•Equity
•Inclusive EV programing
Page 19
Item 1.
File Attachments for Item:
2. Council Priority: Update on Progress to Accelerate Zero Waste Infrastructure and
Policies
The purpose of this item is to share progress on the items within the Zero Waste Infrastructure
and Policies Council Priority, which includes identifying pathways to compost, construction and
demolition infrastructure, and expanding residential yard trimmings service.
Page 20
City Council Work Session Agenda Item Summary – City of Fort Collins Page 1 of 4
April 8, 2025
WORK SESSION AGENDA
ITEM SUMMARY
City Council
STAFF
Jacob Castillo, Chief Sustainability Officer
Caroline Mitchell, Lead Waste Reduction and Recycling Specialist
SUBJECT FOR DISCUSSION
Council Priority: Update on Progress to Accelerate Zero Waste Infrastructure and Policies
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The purpose of this item is to share progress on the items within the Zero Waste Infrastructure and
Policies Council Priority, which includes identifying pathways to compost, construction and demolition
infrastructure, and expanding residential yard trimmings service.
GENERAL DIRECTION SOUGHT AND SPECIFIC QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED
1. Do Councilmembers have any questions about the elements underway in this Council Priority?
2. Do Councilmembers have any feedback on the proposed path forward?
BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION
Alignment with Adopted Goals and Plans
In addition to being a Council Priority, this topic is aligned with the following:
Council-adopted Goal: Zero W aste by 2030
Our Climate Future Big Move 2: Zero Waste Neighborhoods and Big Move 10: Zero Waste
Economy
City Plan Principle ENV 5: Create a Zero Waste System
Strategic Plan ENV 1: Implement the Our Climate Future Plan to advance the City’s greenhouse
gas, energy and waste goals; reduce air pollution; and improve community resilience
Council Priority
In 2024, Council adopted council priorities, including to Accelerate Zero Waste Infrastructure and Policies.
While this title is broad, the Council Priority includes specific deliverables.
Page 21
Item 2.
City Council Work Session Agenda Item Summary – City of Fort Collins Page 2 of 4
1) Leverage Existing Infrastructure to increase Yard Trimmings Composted
Accomplished: Implement contracted hauling program, including yard trimmings collection
Problem this addresses:
Unlike food scraps, Fort Collins currently has access to infrastructure to compost yard trimmings. Fort
Collins’ prior residential program included opt-in yard trimmings collection, meaning residents had to
contact their hauler to request yard trimmings collection and pay extra for the service. Under that
system around 14% of residents had yard trimmings collection.
Progress details:
City staff and Republic services collaborated to successfully roll out the contracted hauling program in
fall of 2024. The contracted hauling program includes yard trimmings automatically. Residents may
decline the service and receive a $5 decrease in their monthly bills.
With the new system and cost barriers, 46% more households now have curbside yard trimmings
collection (an additional 11,400 homes).
The program has not been in place long enough to have data about increased yard trimmings collected,
but increased collection is likely to result in more yard trimmings composted.
2) Identify Pathways to Construction and Demolition (C&D) and Food Scraps Infrastructure
Underway: Pathways to food scraps infrastructure
Problem this addresses:
Food scraps and yard trimmings are a significant area of opportunity to make progress on both Fort
Collins’ zero waste and climate action goals (when food or yard trimmings break down in a landfill, they
create methane, which is ~80 times more potent than carbon dioxide at trapping greenhouse gasses).
The closest location that composts food scraps at a community scale is A1 Organics in Keenesburg,
over 60 miles from Fort Collins. Hauling materials that distance is uneconomical for a community-scale
program. (Note that two small businesses currently offer opt-in food scraps collection in Fort Collins
but are not operating at a community scale.)
Progress details:
Fort Collins received a grant for consulting support to identify pathways to composting or C&D
infrastructure. The project started in summer 2024 and included extensive engagement with potential
partners and analysis.
The grant was designed to start with a wide net of options to consider and then to narrow in on a single
option for detailed analysis. In February of 2025, City staff reviewed the initial analysis of the options
for a C&D recycling facility, a compost facility or a transfer station. Since Larimer County is making
progress toward a C&D facility, staff selected a compost facility for further feasibility analysis.
There is regional activity around composting as well – the City of Denver and Boulder County are each
completing feasibility studies for compost facilities, and the City of Longmont is taking action to make
City-owned property available for a potential compost facility.
With these many moving pieces to consider, the City may consider contributing funding to complete a
feasibility analysis on a transfer station. A transfer station would allow compostable materials from Fort
Collins to more efficiently be transported to a partner’s compost facility.
Page 22
Item 2.
City Council Work Session Agenda Item Summary – City of Fort Collins Page 3 of 4
Having feasibility analysis on both types of facilities would allow Fort Collins to be more nimble in future
decision making and have options that make sense whether or not potential partner communities move
forward with compost facilities.
The feasibility analysis will wrap up late summer or early fall of 2025. At that point, City staff will share
results to ensure alignment on next steps.
After the feasibility analysis, should the City choose to move forward, next steps would be to select a
type of infrastructure, seek to identify a property, then move forward with engineering analysis specific
to that property, and move to construction. This would likely be a 3 – 5-year process. Given that food
scraps have significant greenhouse gas impacts, the 2050 Climate Fund could potentially be leveraged
to help support this infrastructure. State grant funding could also potentially be available to help fund a
facility.
Underway: Pathways to C&D infrastructure
Problem this addresses:
Fort Collins has required construction and demolition projects to recycle wood, aggregates, metal and
cardboard since 2012. These requirements are enforced via documentation and on-site inspections.
However, C&D recycling now is much like the early days of curbside recycling – materials have to be
collected in separate bins and have very low contamination thresholds before the entire load will be
rejected. The space and time resources for C&D sites to recycle now is significant. A mixed C&D sorting
facility would enable recycling similar to current single stream recycling – all recyclables could go in
one bin and be sorted out at a facility. This would increase participation and materials recycled.
Progress Details:
Larimer County is exploring a mixed C&D materials recycling facility just south of the current landfill at
Taft Hill Road and Trilby Road. The City continues to partner with Larimer County on this project. On
February 11, 2025, City Councilmembers expressed alignment with creating a letter of support for
Larimer County’s grant application and potentially committing City funding to support a mixed C&D
recycling facility.
If Larimer County receives grant funding for the facility, staff will engage with Councilmembers about
next steps and timelines as they become clearer.
Potential Future Next Moves
While outside the scope of this Council Priority, there are many additional opportunities to make
progress on Zero Waste. In a resource-constrained environment, it will be essential to prioritize
opportunities. Attachment 1 includes a brief summary of potential future next moves to consider for
future discussion.
NEXT STEPS
Infrastructure: Given the necessity of additional infrastructure to continue to make progress on zero waste
goals, and that infrastructure projects take significant staff resources and a long time to implement, City
staff recommends a continued focus on progress for food scraps and C&D infrastructure. Staff proposes
a work session in fall 2025 to share findings of the feasibility analysis and align on next steps with
Councilmembers.
Other next moves: If Councilmembers are interested in prioritizing any of the Potential Zero Waste Next
Moves, staff can provide further information, potential timelines and tradeoffs in a future work session.
Page 23
Item 2.
City Council Work Session Agenda Item Summary – City of Fort Collins Page 4 of 4
ATTACHMENTS
1. Next Moves and Potential Future Moves
2. Presentation
Page 24
Item 2.
Next Moves in Council Priority:
Accelerate Zero Waste Infrastructure and Policies
Future Potential Zero Waste Next Moves
Commercial
yard trimmings policy High
Develop food scraps policy High
High
Deconstruction practices Med/High
Additional plastics
reduction policy Low health, and prevents
approaches / updated Low development with updated
Next Move Diversion Impact Notes
Expanded yard trimmings
collection through
contracted hauling
High Complete
Food scraps composting
site or compost transfer
station
High
Underway;
multiple years to full
implementation
Mixed C&D recycling sorting
facility High
Underway;
multiple years to full
implementation
Page 25
Item 2.
Headline Copy Goes Here
Lead Waste Reduction and Recycling
Specialist
Caroline Mitchell
Council Priority
Check-in:
Accelerate Zero
Waste
Infrastructure and
Policies
4-8-2025
Page 26
Item 2.
Headline Copy Goes Here 2Strategic Alignment
City Plan
Council Priority:
Accelerate Zero
Waste Infrastructure
and Policies
Principle ENV 5:
Create a Zero Waste
system.
Environmental Health 1
Strategic PlanCouncil Priority Our Climate Future
Big Move 2:
Zero Waste
Neighborhoods
Big Move 10:
Zero Waste Economy
Critical Path to
Achieving Climate
Goals (composting)
Page 27
Item 2.
Headline Copy Goes Here
3
Questions
•Do Councilmembers have any questions about the elements underway in this
Council Priority?
•Do Councilmembers have feedback on the proposed path forward?
Page 28
Item 2.
Headline Copy Goes HerePresentation contents
4
1)Fort Collins’ Zero Waste Context
2)What We’re Doing Now
3)Next Steps
Page 29
Item 2.
Headline Copy Goes Here
Context
5
Page 30
Item 2.
Headline Copy Goes Here 6Zero Waste Context
2023 Diversion Rates
Residential Commercial Industrial
Combined
(Community Diversion Rate)
Recycled Composted Landfilled
Goal: Zero Waste by 2030
25%40%82%61%
Page 31
Item 2.
Headline Copy Goes Here 7Fort Collins Diversion Rates in Context of Leading Colorado Communities
25%
58%
37%
42%
33%
40%44%
37%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Fort
Collins
Loveland Boulder Longmont Golden Durango
Residential CommercialPage 32
Item 2.
Headline Copy Goes Here 8What’s in Our Landfilled Waste?
Waste Composition (2016 data)
Residential Commercial Industrial
40%
20%
40%40%
20%
40%35%
48%
18%
Could Be Recycled Could Be Composted No Options Other Than LandfillPage 33
Item 2.
Headline Copy Goes Here
Pathways Potential
Construction and
Demolition
Yard Trimmings and
Food Scraps
City Industrial Waste
20%
12%
6%
2%
Page 34
Item 2.
Headline Copy Goes Here
What We’re Doing Now
10
Page 35
Item 2.
Headline Copy Goes HereCurrent Policies and Programs by Sector
11
•Volume-based trash pricing
•Recycling and yard
trimmings included for no
additional charge
•Contracted hauling:
consistent, affordable pricing
•Recycling included with
trash service
•Grocers required to compost
•Requirements to recycle
cardboard, metal, wood,
aggregates
•Regular inspections of C&D
sites
Plastic bag ban, Paper bag fee, Styrofoam ban
Education and outreach programs, Landfill ban on cardboard
Infrastructure: Timberline Recycling Center, Hoffman Mill Crushing Facility
Industrial / Const & DemoCommercial & Attached Res.Detached Residential
Page 36
Item 2.
Headline Copy Goes HereCouncil Priority Elements Complete or Underway
12
•Grant-funded
consulting support
•Regional Wasteshed
partnership
Identify Pathways to
C&D and Food Scraps
Infrastructure
Underway
•Implement
contracted hauling
with increased yard
trimmings collection
Leverage Existing
Infrastructure to
increase Yard
Trimmings Composted
Complete
Page 37
Item 2.
Headline Copy Goes HereComplete: Increased Yard Trimmings through Contracted Hauling
13
46% more households
now have curbside collection
(11,400 homes)
Yard Trimmings collection:
Page 38
Item 2.
Headline Copy Goes HereUnderway: Pathways to compost infrastructure
14
Infrastructure for food scraps composting essential to further progress
Feasibility-Level
Analysis
July 2025
Focus on:
compost
facility,
transfer station
Engagement
and Analysis
Grant-funded consulting work to identify
composting and C&D infrastructure pathways
Page 39
Item 2.
Headline Copy Goes HereUnderway: Pathway to Construction & Demolition Infrastructure
15
Infrastructure for mixed
construction & demolition
material is important for
further progress
Recent Council guidance:
Letter of support for Larimer
County C&D Facility
Page 40
Item 2.
Headline Copy Goes Here
Next Steps
16
Page 41
Item 2.
Headline Copy Goes HereNext steps: Pathways to compost, C&D facilities
17
Construct
Site
selection
Engineering
design
Pathway
decision
Feasibility-
Level
Analysis
July 2025
Grant-funded consulting work to identify
composting and C&D infrastructure pathways
Page 42
Item 2.
Headline Copy Goes HereNext steps: Mixed Construction & Demolition
18
Larimer County C&D Site:
(if state grant is awarded and
remaining funding identified)
•Provide funding
•City already adopted policy
to direct material to site
Page 43
Item 2.
Headline Copy Goes Here
19
Council Priority Items Underway or Complete
Next Move Diversion
Impact Notes
Expanded yard trimmings collection
through contracted hauling High Complete
Food scraps composting site or compost
transfer station High
Underway;
multiple years until full
implementation
Mixed C&D recycling sorting facility High
Underway;
multiple years until full
implementation
Page 44
Item 2.
Headline Copy Goes Here
Next Move Diversion
Impact Notes
Commercial yard trimmings policy High Leverages existing
infrastructure
Develop food scraps policy High Dependent on
infrastructure timing
Increase municipal reuse / recycling High
Deconstruction practices Med/High
Additional plastics reduction policy Low Impacts behavior change
Additional measurement approaches
/ updated waste composition study Low Updated info for
infrastructure planning
Potential Zero Waste Next Moves
Page 45
Item 2.
Headline Copy Goes Here
21
Proposed next steps
now 2030+2026 2027 2028 2029
Develop compost and C&D infrastructure
Commercial yard
trimmings policy
Implement expanded
bags, styro policy*
*ongoing work, but not part of this Council Priority
Page 46
Item 2.
Headline Copy Goes Here
22
Potential additional next moves
now 2030+2026 2027 2028 2029
Develop compost and C&D infrastructure
Commercial yard
trimmings policy
Additional municipal industrial material reuse & recyclingUpdated waste
composition
Food scraps policy
Deconstruction practices
Implement
expanded bags,
styro policy
Additional single-use
plastics policyPage 47
Item 2.
Headline Copy Goes Here
23
Proposed next steps
now 2030+2026 2027 2028 2029
Develop compost and C&D infrastructure
Commercial yard
trimmings policy
Check in on
next
prioritization
Check in on
infrastructure
next steps
Implement expanded
bags, styro policy
Additional next
moves as prioritized
Page 48
Item 2.
Headline Copy Goes Here
24
Questions
•Do Councilmembers have any questions about the elements underway in this
Council Priority?
•Do Councilmembers have feedback on the proposed path forward?
Page 49
Item 2.
Headline Copy Goes Here
Thank you!
Caroline Mitchell, Lead Waste Reduction and Recycling Specialist cmitchell@fcgov.com
25
Page 50
Item 2.
File Attachments for Item:
3. Council Priority: Improve Human and Social Health for Vulnerable Populations
The purpose of this item is to provide an update on progress toward Council’s Priority: Improve
Human and Social Health for Vulnerable Populations, discuss identified barriers and programs
focused on removing obstacles, share real-life human stories of impact, and discuss newly
emerging barriers and challenges.
Page 51
City Council Work Session Agenda Item Summary – City of Fort Collins Page 1 of 12
April 8, 2025
WORK SESSION AGENDA
ITEM SUMMARY
City Council
STAFF
Jacob Castillo, Chief Sustainability Officer
Claudia Menendez, Equity and Inclusion Officer
Beth Yonce, Social Sustainability Department Director
SUBJECT FOR DISCUSSION
Council Priority: Improve Human and Social Health for Vulnerable Populations
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The purpose of this item is to provide an update on progress toward Council’s Priority: Improve Human
and Social Health for Vulnerable Populations, discuss identified barriers and programs focused on
removing obstacles, share real-life human stories of impact, and discuss newly emerging barriers and
challenges.
GENERAL DIRECTION SOUGHT AND SPECIFIC QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED
1. Does the work and programs highlighted sufficiently progress toward meeting Council’s expectations
to support this Council Priority?
2. Does Council need any additional information or have any feedback to provide?
BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION
On February 27, 2024, Council passed Resolution 2024-013, adopting a Council Priority to improve human
and social health for vulnerable populations. The problem statement for this priority states: Obstacles and
barriers exist that impede access to services for our underserved community members. We need to work
with our regional partners to invest in a robust and accessible safety net to create conditions where one is
not needed. Existing oil and gas wells in and around Fort Collins cause harmful pollution and have negative
environmental and human health impacts. Four objectives outline actions to take to advance this priority:
1. Expand human services funding; align with top community needs
2. Embed equity throughout City services, programming, and operations; monitor progress
3. Address environmental concerns including air quality, and oil and gas policies
4. Continue and expand programs that provide direct support to vulnerable populations
To ensure common understanding of the term “vulnerable populations”, staff is using the State of Colorado
Department of Public Health and Environment definitions:
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City Council Work Session Agenda Item Summary – City of Fort Collins Page 2 of 12
Disproportionately Impacted Communities: Asian, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, African
American/Black, Hispanic/Latin(o)(a)(x), American Indian or Alaska Native; older adults; lesbian, gay,
transgender, bisexual, queer or questioning, gender nonconforming; people with disabilities; people
with low socioeconomic status; people currently or formerly incarcerated; and people who live in rural
and/or geographically isolated communities.
Community-led Engagement: the practice of working collaboratively and through disproportionately
impacted populations to address issues affecting those populations with the goal of using community
expertise to lead, inform, and conduct engagement practices. This can include using culturally and
linguistically tailored outreach, community advisory boards, etc.
Summary of Strategies Status
Staff continues to provide many programs that support increased access and removing obstacles and
barriers. Identified obstacles and barriers include cost/affordability, language, transportation,
Ongoing Timeline Notes Status
Equity Readiness Assessments with Depts. Ongoing 2024-2025 On track
Air Quality Monitoring Ongoing 2024-2025 On track
Identify and address barriers to Get FoCo usage to
boost participation Ongoing 2024-2025 On track
Equity Indicators Dashboard Data Analysis Update Q2-Q3 2025 On track
Planned/Underway Timeline Notes
Complete and Implement Human Services and
Homelessness Priorities Platform
Q3-Q4 2024; utilize in 2025
funding process On track
Continue seeking resolution on Oil and Gas
compliance issues and initiating State assessment
of underutilized wells and aging pipeline system
Oct. 2024: Well closure ordered
by State; reclamation in
progress
Complete
Budget/Council Contingent Timeline Notes
Immigration Legal Fund, Eviction Legal Fund,
Mobile Home Parks program, Community
Consultants program
Budget Offer 2025/2026 to
continue programs Funded
1FTE Equity Office Underserved Communities
Engagement and Outreach
Budget Offer 2025/2026 to
expand program Unfunded
Human Services Program Funds
Continuing Enhancement
Budget Offer 2025/2026 - $150k
(not ongoing budget offer)
Unfunded
1FTE Healthy Homes Navigator and Direct
Household Support
Budget Offer to enhance
program Funded
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City Council Work Session Agenda Item Summary – City of Fort Collins Page 3 of 12
communication and outreach, documentation and fear, digital divide, and difficult processes. As noted
above, several programs are highlighted and monitored within the scope of this Council priority including:
Translation and Interpretation Services
Human Services Program funding
Eviction Legal Fund
Immigration Legal Fund
Community Consultants Program
Mobile Home Parks Program
Equity Readiness Assessments
Get FoCo Program
o Grocery Rebate Program
o Reduced-rate Connexion
o Reduced-rate Recreation
o Spin Access
o The Gardens on Spring Creek Access
Digital Inclusion Program
Utilities Affordability Programs
Air Quality and Healthy Homes Program
In addition to the programs specifically called out within this priority, it is important to acknowledge several
other Council-funded programs/projects provided by the City that support this Council priority including
(this may not be an exhaustive list):
Adaptive Recreation, Reduced Fee Scholarships, and Behavioral Support Specialist
Universal Preschool
Multicultural Business and Entrepreneurship Center (MBEC)
NoCoBiz Connect (Equitable Business Support and Recognition)
Conflict Transformation Works
Rental Housing Program
Municipal Court Specialized Services
Homeless Outreach and Proactive Engagement (HOPE) Police Team
ADA Bus Stop Improvements
Transit Security and Mental Health Collaboration
Cultural Community Programs
Dial-A-Ride
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Strategy 1: Expand human services funding; align with top community needs
Beginning in 2024, staff has worked to develop the Human Services and Homelessness Priorities Platform
which is a blueprint for how the Social Sustainability Department delivers resources, programming, and
partnership toward human services and homelessness in Fort Collins. It will influence staff work plans as
well as the competitive grant funding process. It underscores and recognizes the adversities experienced
by residents with disproportionately impacted identities. It will be reviewed and adapted annually to
respond to changing community conditions and to measure success. To see the Human Services and
Homelessness Priorities Platform, please visit this link:
https://www.fcgov.com/socialsustainability/documents.
Human Services Priorities:
Caregiving
Prevention
Intervention
Food Security
Financial Stability and Opportunity
Homelessness Priorities:
Sheltering
Supportive Services
Prevention
One primary barrier for this strategy is adequate funding to make deeper impact. While the Priorities
Platforms helps narrow the focus to enable deeper impact, unfortunately, the amount of funding available
has decreased. There is no longer ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) or other recovery funds available,
and there has been a reduction to the Human Services Program funding. While there is a reduction in
funding, there has not been a reduction in community needs.
Here are the grant funding amounts provided to nonprofit partners in 2024 and 2025 through the Human
Services Program and Equity Grant Fund:
Funding Program 2024 2025
Human Services $920k (GF) $770k (GF)
Homelessness Response $1.1M (ARPA) $1M (GF)
CDBG Public Service (Sheltering/Prevention) $181k (HUD) $165k - $180k
(HUD)
Childcare and Social Services Recovery $603k (ARPA) --
Equity Grant Fund $400k (ARPA) --
TOTAL $3,204,000 $1,935,000-
$1,950,000
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While numbers and data help show impact of these programs, we also want to incorporate some real-life
human stories to better explain how these programs impact people in Fort Collins.
Elderhaus Adult Day Program: Joe had been caring for his wife, Jane, who has advanced Alzheimer’s, in
his home with limited supports. Joe was exhausted, and Jane continued to become more and more restless
and agitated. After learning about Elderhaus, Joe decided to bring Jane one day each week. After the very
first day, Joe saw a change in Jane. She came home exhausted and content. Within a month, Joe added
a second day for Jane to attend. Joe recently shared that their lives have changed for the better. “I have
more time than I know what to do with! Jane is so much more relaxed, her agitation decreased – and while
she can no longer speak – she knows where she is going when we pull into the Elderhaus driveway – and
I get to see that smile that has been absent for years.”
Meals on Wheels: “To Meals on Wheels, The gift bag was such a nice surprise. There were so many
interesting things in it. It was fun opening it and very much appreciated. We like the food we receive. There
is nice variety. Merry Christmas!”
Boys and Girls Club and The Food Bank: “Dear workers at the Food Bank, First, I want to say I really
appreciate you guys getting together all the food we eat. Sometimes I don’t have home lunch or my mom
didn’t go grocery shopping, but I can rely on the food at school. I really appreciate you guys.”
Strategy 2: Embed equity throughout City services, programming and operations; monitor
progress
The Office of Equity and Inclusion shares responsibility with all departments to embed equity
considerations to all aspects of equity work, from data-informed analysis to using shared language and
definitions. It is vital that the City has a shared understanding of what equity is, why it is important, and
how everyday decision-making can work toward providing supportive experiences for all community
members.
The 2023-2026 Equity and Inclusion Plan guides how the City develops work to implement the shared
vision toward building a more inclusive and equitable Fort Collins. Listed below are the three prioritized
goals identified to embed equity in all stages of project planning and all relevant activities implemented to
advance inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility for the City of Fort Collins community and staff. (2024
Equity Inclusion Impact Report and Digital Inclusion Annual Report attached)
Goal 1: Commitment and Common Language
Employee Education and Training
Employee Resource Groups
Accessibility and Compliance Work
Equal Employment Opportunity Education
Inclusive Language Guide and Module
Goal 2: Inclusive and Equitable Engagement
Digital Inclusion – Get FoCo
ADA Compliance
Cultural Events and Engagement
Proclamations and Community Receptions
Event Sponsorships
Community Connectors
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City Council Work Session Agenda Item Summary – City of Fort Collins Page 6 of 12
ARPA Equity Grant Fund
Boards and Commissions
Goal 3: Data Accountability
Equity Readiness Assessments
Equity Indicators Update
Equity Office Intake Form – Data Collection
Web and Digital Accessibility Compliance
A human impact story to share here includes kudos to Eric Patton in Transfort and Jan Reece in the Equity
and Inclusion Office for their work with a community member to address ADA issues on City buses and
bus stops.
A visually impaired community member, but not blind, was riding city buses and noticed that the
bus stops are not announced. Eric has provided training to bus drivers, so all stops are announced
which benefits all riders.
The community member also pointed out that bus stop signage placement was too high for folks
who may use wheelchairs. Transfort is working on adjusting the heights so all persons can easily
access bus schedules at stops.
Eric and Jan worked on these issues together and brought updates to the Disability Advisory Board.
The community member provided a glowing review on the great customer service that Eric and Jan
have provided him and praised their ongoing, clear and kind communication and ability to be
receptive to his living experience as a person with blindness. He is extremely grateful for all the
work Eric and Jan have been able to put in place so quickly. Thanks for your thoughtful service,
Eric and Jan!
Strategy 3: Address Environmental Concerns including Air Quality and Oil and Gas Policies
Environmental concerns effect disproportionately impacted communities including young, elderly, and
people with respiratory/cardiovascular conditions regardless of location. For this reason, both air quality
monitoring and oil and gas policy are included in this Council Priority. Highlights include:
Ongoing Monitoring: The City collaborates with the Larimer County Department of Health and
Environment (LCDHE), and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE)
to monitor regulatory pollutants of concern, such as ozone and particulate matter.
Implementation of an EPA Air Toxics Grant: In a collaborative effort with Larimer County and
Colorado State University, the City is in year 2 of a 3-year grant focused on environmental justice
concerns related to toxic air pollutions. This has included formation of an Air Quality – Monitoring
Advisory Committee, which includes diverse representation from across the County.
Implementation has included responsive monitoring and coordination with County staff for
responses (e.g., for odors detected at a gas station near homes). Engagement efforts have
included workshops and an air quality and art exhibit at the CSU Gregory Allicar Museum of Art,
which included community art pieces created using particle pollution.
Cessation of Oil and Gas Operations: As of October 2024, there are no active oil and gas
operations in Fort Collins, due to a settlement following a number of violations of environmental
regulations. Equipment still exists on site, and the City is working with Larimer County and the
Colorado Energy and Carbon Management Commission (now owners of the wells) to track and
potentially expedite final reclamation activities.
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Healthy Homes Program:
The Healthy Homes Program provides bilingual indoor air quality assessments and weatherization and
furnace inspections/cleanings. Resources are provided including smoke alarms, fire extinguishers, Carbon
Monoxide alarms, portable air cleaners, doormats, and radon test kits. Many home projects provided
improved the health, safety, and climate resiliency of participants’ houses.
In 2024:
60 indoor air quality assessments provided:
16 participants were Spanish-speaking households, 44 were English-speaking households
23 were in mobile home parks
33 also received furnace inspections and cleanings
28 also received weatherization work
35 smoke alarms, 48 fire extinguishers, 27 CO alarms, 46 portable air cleaners, 44 doormats, and over
570 radon test kits provided.
Home projects that improved the health, safety, and climate resiliency of participants’ homes, including the
following:
9 furnace repairs or replacements (many of these furnaces were an immediate health and safety
issue)
3 roof repairs
3 installations of oven hood vents
2 bathroom fan installations
2 insulation projects
Additional projects such as duct cleaning, wall repairs, door repairs/replacements, fixing electrical
hazards, floor repairs, rubbish removal, water heater replacement, humidifier repair, and air
conditioning installation
Presentations and events that reached over 400 community members with information on radon, fire
safety, and other Healthy Homes topics. Interpretation was provided at all events.
Half of the Healthy Homes participants responded to a feedback survey which demonstrates some of the
human impacts because of the program:
90% said that their knowledge of indoor air contaminants improved
70% said that their overall health in their home improved
74% said that their home’s indoor air quality improved
93% would recommend the program to a friend
Many of the home projects completed addressed severe safety issues such as exposed wiring, holes in
roofs or floors, or carbon monoxide leaks. Relationships and coordination strengthened between the
Healthy Homes team and partners, including internal departments (Neighborhood Services, Utilities), and
external organizations (Poudre Fire Authority, Poudre School District).
Again, while numbers and data help show impact of these programs, we also want to incorporate some
real-life human stories to better explain how these programs impact people in Fort Collins. To watch a 15-
minute video showing more information and human impacts about the Healthy Homes Program please go
to this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-zvS0-aXnY
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Quote from participant: “I am incredibly pleased with this program. I learned so much about indoor air
quality from the Healthy Homes team, and thanks to Arus, I also found that our stove/oven is putting off
too much carbon monoxide upon startup. Addressing the issues that both teams pointed out has helped
me health-wise, and I feel more confident in being able to assess and fix any other air-quality issues in the
future.”
Many home projects addressed severe safety issues. In Winter, a family residing in a mobile home received
a furnace inspection which revealed leaking carbon monoxide and required an immediate shut down. The
furnace needed repair, but a roofing issue prevented thermal regulation of the home. Healthy Homes
coordinated temporary heating and the repairs of the roof and furnace, and the family had a warmer, safer
home just in time for the frigid January weather.
Strategy 4: Continue and expand programs that provide direct support to vulnerable populations
The Mobile Home Park (MHP) Residents’ Rights Team presented challenges and opportunities for
additional local and state-level policy and MHP enforcement at a recent City Council Work Session and
will be returning with another Work Session later this year to share details about potential options for
consideration.
The ongoing Mobile Home Park Program continues to be impactful by:
Keeping residents in their homes with home improvement projects
Supporting housing quality and aging in place with educational workshops
Connecting neighbors by funding mini-grant projects
In 2024, the City’s mobile home park program:
Repaired 37 mobile homes with roofing, flooring, deck/handrail, electrical, and plumbing projects
Hosted and assisted with 5 resource fairs and community events
Taught 350 senior and primary Spanish speaking mobile home park residents do-it-yourself skills
like plumbing and power tool use
A couple of human impact stories from the Mobile Home Park program include:
One resident needed a new electrical panel and upgrades to transition their stove from gas to electric. He
had been using a countertop "hot plate" while saving money for the work and new stove. The electrical
work was under budget, so he received a new stove from the grant too. For the first time, this grant recipient
was able to cook a “proper holiday dinner” as a result of having updated electrical lines and a stove. “I am
so happy and appreciative! Thank you so much, City of Fort Collins!”
Another resident had been walking over large gaps in their subflooring, supported primarily by only
carpeting in front of their door and in their bedrooms. Some of the flooring was also in rough shape because
of the older carpet and accumulated household belongings putting added pressure on the flooring. This
resident said he got a new job, not having to be as concerned with saving money to clean out of the home
and get flooring repairs done. His roommate now also has higher quality housing.
Immigration Legal Fund:
Each of the three service providers for the Immigration Legal Fund has a unique delivery model. One
employs a full-time attorney and paralegal, another pays for scholarships to private attorneys who charge
low-bono rates, and the final nonprofit maintains a network of attorneys across Colorado who volunteer
their time as well as a permanent stable of immigration attorneys working exclusively for the organization.
The organizations coordinate Know Your Rights trainings, resource fairs, and Ask A Lawyer clinics to
provide a spectrum of legal support from self-advocacy through full representation for the life cycle of the
cases.
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In 2024, the Immigration Legal Fund helped with the following:
8 new work authorizations
245 people reached through education and self-advocacy sessions
33 asylum cases supported
18 crime, trafficking, and domestic violence visas processed
21 Special Immigrant Juvenile Status cases
103 cases actively managed
Immigration Legal Fund Human Impact Story:
Bob*, who is a US citizen, is petitioning for his wife, Joy*, to become a lawful permanent resident. They
have been married and living abroad for over 20 years working for several non-governmental organizations
and non-profits fighting human trafficking in developing countries. They traveled to Fort Collins this summer
with one of their two children for a work-mandated sabbatical to the US. They had intended to stay for only
several months, but when they arrived in Fort Collins to stay with Bob's parents, they discovered that both
of his parents were in poor physical health and now require full time care. They have a salary that is
sufficient for living in a developing country, but don't have the many thousands of dollars to pay for a private
immigration attorney and USCIS fees. They are now working with the Immigration Legal Fund to prepare
Joy’s petition and leveraging grant funding from the Women's Foundation of Colorado for filing fees. The
family continues to fight trafficking from their new home in Fort Collins.
*Names changed to protect confidentiality
Eviction Legal Fund:
Eviction Legal Fund (ELF) service providers work with tenants and landlords in conflict to proactively
address housing instability. The three organizations in the ELF offer specialty programs and support for
populations at higher risk for eviction like seniors, mobile home park residents, and renters who speak a
primary language other than English.
In 2024, the Eviction Legal Fund helped with the following:
Attorneys represented 136 clients in non-court appearances
366 renters reached through Know Your Rights trainings
1,119 people received educational materials
49 eviction mediation and housing hotline volunteers trained
1,101 renters served
108 landlords served
Community Consultants:
Community Consultants is an equity-centered program that hires community members with lived
experience to develop and implement solutions that strengthen engagement and strategic planning efforts
for 40-60 hours of consulting on specific projects. In 2024, Neighborhood Services Community Consultants
worked on two projects: Mobile Home Energy Efficiency Upgrade outreach and Mobile Home Park Code
Enforcement education.
Amy Perea and Alvaro Acevedo worked with Utilities Energy Services staff to promote the Colorado’s
Affordable Residential Energy (“CARE”) program to provide free in-home energy assessments and offer
free appliance replacements for big ticket items like furnaces or stoves as well as smaller energy efficiency
upgrades. Our Community Consultants hosted a series of events for mobile home park residents, became
residential subject matter experts who answer questions from community members outside of the events,
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and assisted with filling out program applications in English or Spanish. Having these co nsultants work in
neighborhoods they are from built instant trust and credibility for the program and helped build relationships
with the City. Their outreach also resulted in over 90 CARE applications.
Eva Perez assisted with the Mobile Home Improvement grant administration, scheduling, and bilingual
customer support. She also hosted grant applicant outreach, resource fairs, and assisted with marketing
events and grant opportunities to residents in her mobile home park.
Debbie Bradberry from North College Mobile Home Park performed Code Enforcement educational
assessments in the 55+ neighborhood, providing important information to shape recommendations for City
Council and changes to local policy. Some resources were offered to residents to assist them with voluntary
compliance.
Get FoCo Program and Digital Inclusion:
For many people in Fort Collins, gaps in economic and educational opportunity exist between those who
have access to digital devices, skills, and the Internet, and those who do not. This is the digital divide. The
City is committed to reducing this digital divide and increasing access to fast and reliable internet and
digital literacy through the Digital Inclusion Program.
Get FoCo is an all-in-one online platform for accessing the City’s income-qualified programs. By collecting
City programs under one umbrella, the application process is simplified and has increased access through
the standardization of requirements, the cross-promotion of programs, and increasing the convenience
simplicity of applying.
To ensure equitable access, the City offers in-person and phone appointments in English and Spanish at
multiple locations. The City also partners with organizations such as the Partnership for Age-Friendly
Communities, Poudre School District, and Poudre Libraries, among others, that have trained staff to help
residents with the Get FoCo application.
Get FoCo now offers access to 5 different programs for income-qualified residents:
Grocery Tax Rebate – 3,150 applications processed with $578k in rebates provided in 2024.
Reduced-rate Recreation – 2,444 households applied in 2024
Reduced-rate Connexion – 970 households received Connexion broadband services
Spin Access – 765 households applied in 2024
The Gardens on Spring Creek Access – nearly 300 applications in less than 3 months
At the end of 2024, Get FoCo has approved 3,184 households and 970 are receiving Connexion
broadband services.
To ensure equitable access to digital services and the skills needs, the City’s Digital Inclusion program
partners with local organizations committed to promoting digital equity in Fort Collins. Some examples
include:
Poudre School District – Digital Equity Liaison – supported over 300 families and offered support
and training to more than 50 PSD staff members.
Partnership for Age-Friendly Communities – Tech Buddy – Volunteers offer support to older adults
at Poudre Libraries, the Senior Center, Senior Apartment complexes, coffee shops, and 1:1 in
people’s homes.
Poudre Libraries – Old Town Library – In partnership with the Occupational Therapy Department
at Colorado State University, Old Town Library launched an OT program for patrons experiencing
homelessness. During the 480 hours offered, they assisted 112 individuals receive support learning
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how to check out laptops and use them to create resumes, search and apply for jobs, create email,
look up bus schedules, access online banking, and more.
Economic and Workforce Development – Digital Roots – program dedicated to help job seekers
learn or grow digital skills – received over 200 requests for digital literacy support and 67
participants successfully completed the program and received a device. Thanks to their bilingual
staff, 25% of participants received help in Spanish and 21% were over the age of 55.
The Family Center – Mi Voz and Family Support Services – In 2025, device library for community
members – accessed for First Aid and Mental Health Classes.
Harmony Village Foundation – In 2025, nonprofit dedicated to supporting the residents of Harmony
Village are online and able to help residents, especially those living with disabilities.
Heartside Hill – The City’s Digital Inclusion program partnered with Connexion and CARE Housing
to guarantee that the Heartside Hill low-income housing development will be equipped with the
essential infrastructure for delivering complimentary Connexion services to its residents.
The City was awarded the status of Digital Inclusion Trailblazer by the National Digital Inclusion
Alliance – a recognition reserved for local governments leading the way in the digital inclusion space.
Utilities Affordability Programs:
1,758 households have enrolled in the Utilities Income-Qualified Assistance Program (IQAP) as of
January for the 2024-2025 season (November through April)
$51,284 has been distributed to 168 households (at or below 80% of the area median income)
through the Payment Assistance Fund, in partnership with Energy Outreach Colorado
Launched on January 1, 2025, the Utilities Emergency Fund has distributed approximately $86,000
to 292 households (no income eligibility required)
New or Emerging Barriers
Recognizing an ever-evolving landscape, engagement continues with our community to understand new
or emerging obstacles or barriers exist that impede access to services for underserved and
disproportionately impacted communities.
The Resilient Housing Group meets to align work outcomes, share guidance, and discuss developments
in creating climate-resilient, efficient, and safe homes in Fort Collins. This group creates an efficient and
effective way to share plans and opportunities for collaboration and partnership (members include staff
from Healthy Homes, Epic Homes, Rental Housing Program, and Mobile Home Park Program).
Additionally, this group helps problem-solve unique situations of community members’ homes. For
example, they might discuss the best approach to help someone with home energy efficiency issues as
well as challenging landlord/tenant relationship. This is a main challenge as staff is seeing each
participant’s situation requires a unique approach based on their needs, what they quality for, and what
they can/cannot access, in a resource landscape that is patchy and complex.
Staff works closely with community-led groups including Community Consultants and Community
Connectors (volunteer educators) to learn from them about how the City’s programs impact them, helps
identify ways to improve access and reduce barriers, bringing their experience as foundational to
understand how the City can improve services as well as including them as residents serving our City.
Staff has heard from immigrant community members that they feel their future is so uncertain in this country
that they are not sure it is worth applying to programs and putting time, energy, and money into their home.
Some folks in the immigrant community as well as long -term citizens from Communities of Color are
reluctant to send children to school, attend worship services, or participate in any program associated with
any government entity. Some service providers are rebranding events and programs and have developed
safety protocols for participants. There is some evidence of ICE activity in Fort Collins, and nonprofit
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partners are in close communication with Police Services and Larimer County Sheriff’s Office about the
activity and their concerns.
Additionally, seniors and families with young children are expressing concern about potential cuts to federal
programs like Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security as they depend on these programs for housing and
healthcare.
NEXT STEPS
Staff will continue to provide programs to increase access and decrease barriers to the Fort Collins
community while also listening to and bringing disproportionately impacted community members’
experience as foundational in understanding where the City can increase accessibility and decrease
obstacles.
ATTACHMENTS
1. 2024 Equity and Inclusion Impact Report
2. Digital Inclusion Annual Report 2024
3. Presentation
Page 63
Item 3.
Office of Equity & Inclusion
2024 Impact Report
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Item 3.
2024 Equity & Inclusion Impact Report | 2
Land Acknowledgement
We acknowledge and honor the lands situated within the City of
Fort Collins as the original homelands of the Hinono’eiteen
(Arapaho), Tsétsėhéstȧhese (Cheyenne), Nʉmʉnʉʉ (Comanche),
Caiugu (Kiowa), Čariks i Čariks (Pawnee), Sosonih (Shoshone),
Oc'eti S'akowin (Lakota) and Núuchiu (Ute) Peoples. This area is
an important site of trade, gathering, and healing for these Native
Nations. These lands are home to a diverse urban Native
community representing multiple Native Nations and Indigenous
Peoples. Despite forced removal and land dispossession, they
continue to thrive as resilient members of our community. We are
grateful for Native community members and honor the rich cultural
heritage they bring to our collective community. We further
recognize and value their social, intellectual, economic, and cultural
contributions. The City of Fort Collins is committed to supporting,
partnering, and working with the Native and Indigenous community.
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Item 3.
2024 Equity & Inclusion Impact Report | 3
Land Acknowledgement ............................................................................................................. 2
Letter from the Team.................................................................................................................. 4
Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA) ................................................................... 5
Equity Plan Goals Update .......................................................................................................... 7
Goal 1: Commitment & Common Language in the Workplace ................................................ 7
Employee Education and Training ...................................................................................... 7
Employee Resource Groups (ERG) .................................................................................... 8
Accessibility & Compliance Work ........................................................................................ 9
Goal 2: Inclusive & Equitable Engagement ............................................................................11
Recreation & Parks Staff ....................................................................................................11
National Employment Disability & Awareness Month Lunch & Learn Series ......................12
Equity Collaborative ...........................................................................................................12
Digital Inclusion ..................................................................................................................13
Web & Digital Information Standards Compliance ..............................................................14
Title VI ...............................................................................................................................14
Cultural Events & Engagement ..........................................................................................16
Boards & Commissions ......................................................................................................22
Goal 3: Data Accountability ...................................................................................................24
Equity Readiness Assessments .........................................................................................24
Equity Indicators ................................................................................................................25
Equity Office Intake Form-Data Collection..........................................................................25
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Item 3.
2024 Equity & Inclusion Impact Report | 4
Letter from the Team
Greetings Colleagues and Community,
The City of Fort Collins Office of Equity & Inclusion is invested in relational work that fosters trust
and creates an inclusive workplace and community. Through shared commitment and
understanding, data accountability and inclusive engagement we are embedding equity into all
practices and processes. Working in collaboration with City staff and community to cultivate
inclusion, diversity, equity and accessible environments for the workplace and community is our
highest priority.
We firmly understand that municipal governance is the level of government closest to its people.
The decisions the City makes on engagement design, policy, process, and service delivery have
profound impacts on daily community life and the workplace. We have the responsibility to provide
programs that exemplify inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility (IDEA) so community
members and staff of all backgrounds have opportunities for civic engagement, cultural
enrichment, and participation in decision-making processes.
The Office of Equity & Inclusion dedicates time and resources on internal staff development and
community relationships efforts that focus on building skills and competencies that contribute
toward increasing access by identifying and removing barriers to City programs and services. We
work is intrinsically connected to Council Priorities, the City Strategic Plan, and Equity Plan to
develop work streams that align to big picture, systemic work that advance the City mission, vision
and values. To reach desired outcomes we work alongside teams to help design and embed
equity focused solutions and processes into projects and everyday activities. We aim to develop
programs, services and activities that grow a sense of belonging, safety and accessibility and our
efforts are inclusive of all identities across the organization and the Fort Collins community.
We do this work wholeheartedly and with great joy and we look forward to ongoing work and
focusing on building even stronger relationships with staff and the Fort Collins community
members in 2025.
Sincerely,
The Equity & Inclusion Team
Claudia Menéndez, Equity & Inclusion Officer
Liz Messenger, Lead Equity & Inclusion Specialist
Brigid Hinterberger, Lead Equal Employment Opportunity Investigator
Jan Reece, Lead Equal Employment Opportunity & Compliance Specialist
Tyler Wenande, Data Analyst
África Garcia, Digital Inclusion Specialist
Melanie Clark, Executive Admin Assistant
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Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA)
One big move the Equity & Inclusion Office took this year is to start socializing the addition of
Accessibility to the acronym DEI. Commonly, we see this as DEIA. However, the State of
Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) uses a different arrangement of the acronym using
IDEA instead. Following DOLA’s lead, we are leaning in and adopting the IDEA acronym as a
framework to help structure and talk about how inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility are
integral to all aspects of our work. We are focused on embedding IDEA into our systems,
processes, practices, and organizational culture.
The IDEA framework creates the pathway for how we develop collaborative workstreams to
accomplish what we set out in the Equity Plan and address Strategic Objective Neighborhood
and Community Vitality 3:
Identify and remove systemic barriers and advance equity so that persons of all identities,
including race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression,
age, mental and physical abilities, and socioeconomic levels can access programs and
services with ease and experience equitable outcomes.
IDEA Framework
Inclusion The active, intentional, and ongoing commitment to ensure all people feel
authentically welcomed, respected, and able to fully participate in shared
spaces and experiences. This involves creating environments where every
person feels valued for their unique contributions and has meaningful
opportunities to shape their communities. Inclusion goes beyond mere
representation to ensure genuine full participation and active belonging.
Diversity The rich variety of human experiences, perspectives, and identities that make
our communities and workplaces vibrant and strong. This includes but goes
far beyond visible differences, encompassing the full range of human
characteristics: ways of thinking, cultural richness and backgrounds, life
experiences, family structures, and the many other aspects that make each
person unique while connecting us in our shared humanity.
Equity Equity recognizes that different people have different starting points
This involves identifying and removing barriers, providing resources based on
needs to ensure ease of access to City programs services and activities
Equity means local government engages with and responds to what the
community says they need.
Accessibility The intentional design and creation of environments, programs, services, and
experiences that welcome and enable full participation by all community
members and staff. This includes physical, digital, social, and cultural aspects
of programs and services that ensure everyone can meaningfully engage,
regardless of their physical or mental abilities or circumstances. True
accessibility considers the full spectrum of human needs and experiences and
incorporates universal design that benefits all abilities.
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Equity Plan Goals Update
The Office of Equity & Inclusion shares responsibility with all departments to embed equity
considerations to all aspects of our work, from data-informed analysis to using shared language
and definitions. It is vital that we have a shared understanding of what equity is, why it is important
and how everyday decision-making can work toward providing supportive experiences for all
community members.
The 2023-2026 Equity & Inclusion Plan is guiding how we develop work to implement the shared
vision toward building a more inclusive and equitable Fort Collins. Listed below are the three
prioritized goals identified to embed equity in all stages of project planning and all relevant
activities implemented to advance IDEA for the City of Fort Collins community and staff.
Goal 1: Commitment & Common Language in the Workplace
As defined in the Equity Plan: We will normalize and operationalize a Citywide understanding of
equity and inclusion principles and provide development opportunities for staff across all levels.
We aim to share examples from across the City to demonstrate how departments are embedding
equity. Educational opportunities for staff provide shared understanding and common language
across service areas on embedding inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility into all aspects
of a project life cycle.
Employee Education and Training
Equity Plan Goals Lunch & Learn Series
In Q1 we hosted a monthly Lunch & Learn to provide an opportunity to connect with staff and
discuss each of the Equity Plan goals. We invited staff from various departments to present on
how they are embedding equity into their projects and planning processes.
January- Data Accountability
o Focus in EOA Map
o Data Library Project
o Health Equity Index Use
February- Shared Language
o Discussion for a language guide
o Present ideas for a new inclusive workplace module
March- Inclusive Engagement
o Communications and Public Information Office (CPIO) collaboration
o Inclusive Language Guide and Language Access Guidelines
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Work started in 2024 and in progress:
Inclusive Language Guide Draft- Roll out Q2 of 2025
Inclusive Workplace Module- Launch end of Q1 2025
Equity Collaborative Learning Community (six 2-hour meetings total in 2024)
Creating Inclusive Excellence Program (CIEP) Training: Colorado State University
(CSU)- City Partnership (82 staff registered).
In collaboration with CSU's Office of Inclusive Excellence, the Office of Equity & Inclusion
and HR launched the Creating Inclusive Excellence Program (CIEP). The 2024 cohort
engaged 82 employees across all city departments, with 36 employees completing the full
6-session professional development certificate program, demonstrating a strong
organizational commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
CIEP is a comprehensive, well-established certificate program that has been a
cornerstone of talent development at CSU for many years. For this reason, we considered
this training as a good program for City staff as we move towards building shared
knowledge across institutions and strong partnership with CSU.
The comprehensive program covered critical topics including diversity foundations,
unconscious bias, social identity, oppression, inclusive language, and bystander
intervention, equipping city employees with essential skills to create more inclusive
workplace environments.
Plans for continuing to offer CIEP sessions are on hold due to unforeseen changes
occurring in the Office of Inclusive Excellence due to executive orders. We hope to find a
way to continue working with our colleagues at Colorado State University and offer
opportunities for employee development in creating inclusive and respectful workplace
environments.
Employee Resource Groups (ERG)
Time and effort has been dedicated to creating an ERG policy to help shape the future work. A
new policy was written to structure ERG work and partnerships to assure ERG feel supported.
This foundational work will continue in 2025 so the City organization has a shared understanding
and commitment to the work ERGs are leading.
Read the policy here: ERG Policy Document Final.docx
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Accessibility & Compliance Work
ADA compliance work for facilities is led by Operation Services. The Equity & Inclusion Office
has built trusting relationship with this department, so their communication is fluid, and the
teams are responsive to needs that are identified as we work more closely with community
members with diverse abilities and learn from their lived and living experiences. Operations
Services as a secure budget of $500,000 annually dedicated to facilities ADA compliance work.
Facilities Work Completed:
o Northside Atzlan 2nd floor workout room entrance
o Downtown Transit Center exterior concrete work
o ADA lift for Green Ice Rink spectator area at EPIC
o EPIC dispersed seating at spectator areas
o Lee Martinez Farm ADA entrance gate improvements
o Police Services registration and release door slope correction and ADA parking
improvements
o City Park Nine Clubhouse path of travel and restroom remodel
o Gardens on Spring Creek single user restroom ADA operator installation.
o Collingdale Golf ADA outdoor patio and path from parking lot
Early stages/design:
o Parks Shop (City Park) entrance vestibule
Gender Inclusive Restrooms
PRIDE Employee Resource Group and Office of Equity & Inclusion continue to partner with
Operation Services to identify were gender inclusive, single occupancy restrooms will be located.
Signage for those bathrooms will be specific to show that all gender identities may use them and
maps to show the locations so individuals can easily find an inclusive restroom. This project has
provided an opportunity for staff from across departments to talk openly and increase
understanding around sexual orientation, gender roles, gender identity, gender expression, and
caretaking responsibilities and how the City can be supportive of all identities to meet their basic
needs in a safe environment. 
Facilities with Gender Neutral Restrooms
Single user restrooms with signs:
o City Hall
o Museum of Discovery
o Gardens on Spring Creek
o 281 N. College (City building)
o Northside Atzlan Community Center
o EPIC
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o City Park Nine clubhouse
o East Side Parks Shop
o Center for Creativity at the Historic Carnegie Library
Early stages/design:
o Utilities Services Building single user included as part of lobby restroom
upgrades.
o EPIC Ice Rink gender neutral locker room (part of ADA upgrades to one locker
room).
o 215 N. Mason St – City building and municipal court - 5-year renovation planned
to have one new single user on first/ground floor and one on second floor.
o New Southeast Community Center (Library and recreation facility).
o Lincoln Center- Reviewing motorized Evacuation Chairs for installation at the
lower emergency exit paths. This would allow us to circumvent the current
shelter-in-place option in the alternate emergency egress pathways should the
main exits be blocked for some reason.
o Lincoln Center- At the suggestion of the Disability Advisory Board we are
currently reviewing plans for a redesign of the access ramp connecting the
southeast parking lot (at the corner of Mulberry and Meldrum) to the building.
Consideration for 2025:
o Create new single restroom at Foothills Activity Center.
o Create new single restroom at 222.
o Upgrades and/or new restroom at Senior Center.
o Continued work on various existing restrooms to ensure they meet ADA and
House bill HB 2-1110 (ex. adding baby changing station).
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Goal 2: Inclusive & Equitable Engagement
As defined in the Equity Plan: We will build organizational capacity to engage and partner with
community groups to co-create how we advance equity for all, emphasizing participation of
demographic and geographic groups where opportunity to improvement is greatest and identified
disparities and inequities can be reduced or removed all together.
Since starting to offer education for employee development in 2022, the Office of Equity &
Inclusion has engaged with hundreds of employees in a formal training. 732 employees
registered for offerings. W e have offered 8 different types of opportunities that are open to all
employees of all levels.
Recreation & Parks Staff
The Office of Equity and Inclusion made significant strides in cultivating organizational belonging
through its innovative seasonal staff learning opportunity launched in Summer 2024. The Office
developed and delivered comprehensive presentations that wove together fundamental EO
(Equal Opportunity) and IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility) concepts with
practical applications focused on fostering belonging within Recreation and Parks departments
for new and existing staff members.
Through an engaging gamification approach, participants actively practiced implementing these
principles in real-world scenarios, transforming abstract concepts into actionable behaviors.
Participant feedback demonstrated the program's effectiveness in building cultural competency
among seasonal staff members who serve as crucial touchpoints with our diverse community.
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The development of this standardized, interactive learning module represents a sustainable
approach in the department's equity goals, as it can now be readily adapted and deployed across
various divisions. The successful implementation of programs like this one, establishes a strong
foundation for making belonging-centered learning an integral part of the seasonal staff
experience in future years.
Sessions are in planning for 2025.
National Employment Disability & Awareness Month Lunch & Learn Series
The month of October was National Employment Disability Awareness month. The Equity and
Inclusion office dedicated October to educating City staff in relation to interviewing, hiring and
support of persons living with disabilities and invisible disabilities. Lead Equal Opportunity
Compliance Specialist collaborated with the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and Arc to
provide weekly lunch and learns for staff, human resources and hiring managers. These sessions
took employees’ understanding of equity to a deeper level by providing an even stronger
framework for adhering to Americans with Disability (ADA) laws, understanding reasonable
accommodations, how to file an ADA concern with the City and most importantly, how to recognize
that persons with invisible disabilities having the same rights as those with physical disabilities.
This weekly training allowed for employees to ask questions of the experts, to learn more about
ADA rights in the workplace and to foster an inclusive working environment for all. The training
concluded with a panel of individuals with disabilities who live and work in the community. Each
person provided their prospective on finding employment in Fort Collins and the obstacles they
faced in both interviewing and being hired due to their capabilities and qualifications. The trainees
were allowed to ask questions of the panel to better understand how to support and advocate for
others.
Equity Collaborative
Equity Collaborative (EC) met 8 times during 2024. The EC is composed of dedicated equity
champions and its purpose is to build relationships, share information, collaborate and strategize
how to embed equity into City processes with a people-first approach. The EC is focused on
strategic alignment to improve consistency and effectiveness across efforts, to offer meaningful
opportunities for staff to grow as leaders and changemakers while shaping institutional culture, to
strengthen cross-department relationship-building and communication, and to intentionally
embody an inclusive, accountable, supportive and intersectional culture we want to see. We
encourage and value a growth-oriented culture of feedback, honesty, and transparency for all
staff. We currently have 30 staff members dedicated to this work.
In 2025, the Equity Collaborative is looking to create a community of practice group where they
can discuss, test, explore and modify work practices. We will host three sessions with Dr. Cori
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Wong from March-June to guide the group to draw on the expertise, lived experiences, and
insights already present in this group, helping us all strengthen our collective impact.
Digital Inclusion
For many Fort Collins residents, gaps in
economic and educational opportunity exist
between those who have access to digital
devices, skills, and the Internet, and those who
do not. This is the digital divide. The City of
Fort Collins is committed to reducing this
digital divide and increasing access to fast and
reliable internet and digital literacy of Fort
Collins residents through our Digital Inclusion
program.
Get FoCo is an all-in-one online platform for
accessing the City’s income-qualified programs. By collecting City programs under one
umbrella, we have simplified the application process and increased access through the
standardization of requirements, the cross-promotion of programs otherwise unknown, and
increasing the convenience of applying at anytime from anywhere.
However, we also understand that online applications require technology and skills that not
everyone possesses. For this reason, and to ensure equitable access to our programs, the City
offers in-person and phone appointments in English and Spanish at multiple locations. We also
partner with organizations such as the Partnership for Age-Friendly Communities, Poudre
School District, and Poudre Libraries, among others, that have trained staff to help residents
with their Get FoCo application.
Get FoCo now offers access to 5 different programs for income-qualified residents.
Grocery Tax Rebate
Reduced-Rate Recreation
Reduced-Rate Connexion
Spin Access
The Gardens on Spring Creek Access
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At the end of 2024 Get FoCo has approved 3,184 households and 970 total are enjoying
Connexion broadband services.
Web & Digital Information Standards Compliance
The City of Fort Collins is committed to making content and information provided on digital
platforms accessible to all users. These guidelines not only help make technology accessible to
users with sensory, cognitive and mobility disabilities, but ultimately to all users, regardless of
ability.
The City of Fort Collins has created a plan to prioritize, evaluate, remediate, and continuously
improve every digital touchpoint within our services, programs, and activities in accordance with
Colorado House Bill 21-1110 which requires state and local government entities to ensure their
digital content is accessible to individuals with disabilities. Below, you will find just some of the
measures that the City of Fort Collins is undertaking. Visit this link for more information and
reports on our progress- https://www.fcgov.com/legal/digital-access-progress
Title VI
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (“Title VI”), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
and the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) mandate that state and local governments
provide meaningful and effective communication for the programs, services and activities that
they provide. The Equity & Inclusion Office’s Lead Equal Opportunity Compliance Specialist,
who also acts as Title VI Coordinator. Listed below are some main program developments:
Developed Title VI training for Specialized Coordinators
Created a list of Title VI Specialized Coordinator contacts for City reference
Invited Specialized Coordinators to quarterly trainings
Educated Specialized Coordinators on City policy 11.03 Title VI Plan
Collected statistics for the End of The Year Report
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Collaborated with departments for compliance upon receiving a concern
Created a Language Access Survey to be completed each April
https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/7570148/Title-VI-Limited-English-Proficiency-LEP-Annual-
Survey-2023-Transfort-copy
CPIO educated Specialize Coordinators on survey in April 2025
Completed quarterly trainings on:
o Introduction to Title VI
o Title VI Law and Requirements
o Language Access
o Title VI End of the Year Report
City of Fort Collins Title VI Specialized Coordinators
Service Area Name Department Phone Location
Neighborhood
Services
Leo Escalante Social Sustainability 221-6264 215 N Mason
Planning Shar Manno CDNS 221-6767 281 N College
Transfort Eric Patton Transfort 416-2239 250 N Mason
FCPS J Gilmore Police Services 567-8825
Utilities Nick Combs Connections 221-6214 222 Laporte
Community Services Valerie Van Ryn Recreation 221-6875 215 N Mason
Sustainability Emily Wenger Sustainability 221-6265 222 Laporte
Municipal Court Jack Bryant Municipal Court 221-6801 215 N Mason
OPS Services Brian Hergott Operation Services 221-6804 City Hall-East
City Clerk's Office Cecilia Good City Clerk’s Office 416-4206 City Hall-West
City Manager Office Jan Reece Equity & Inclusion 416-4254 CMO
IES Margaret Moxley Finance 221-6246 215 N Mason
Human Resources Brigid Hinterberger Equity & Inclusion
CPIO William Bevil CPIO 416-2056 215 N. Mason
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Cultural Events & Engagement
The events highlighted in this section demonstrate the care taken to build highly collaborative
community projects. These events all required months of preparation and many planning
meetings and conversations to come to fruition. Collaboration to create inclusive events is
paramount for building community trust and a strong sense of belonging in Fort Collins. It is
through these connections that community diversity is celebrated in programming and services
and the marginalized voices are elevated, heard, and valued and become a prominent part of the
social fabric in the community.
Native American Community Engagement- ARPA funded project
Work with the Native American community has focused wholeheartedly on bringing community
together, creating spaces of belonging, rebuilding trust in government, and resourcing events and
activities that are meaningful to the community. The collaboration between staff and the
community has been encouraging and reciprocal, leading to many successful and well-attended
events. Here is a shortlist of the areas of focus and Native-led initiatives in 2024:
Community meetings
o February – Community Meeting
o May - Bison Blessing at Soapstone Prairie Natural Area
o September- Back to School Blessing
Gardens on Spring Creek Community Native Plants Plot- Staff and
community-led project
o In 2024 harvested 800 lbs of squash, corn, beans, potatoes
o Planning for 2025 season underway
Collaboration with Lincoln Center and Natie Community for the performance of
Robert Mirabal at the Lincoln Center
April 12-14 Northern Colorado Indigenous Powwow Assoc. (NCIPA) Powwow
o Covered facilities rental and helped coordinate volunteers
November- Supported and provided facilities space for the annual Harvest
Dinner
December- Supported and provided space for Christmas Banquet
In April 2024, the City of Fort Collins hosted Tribal Consultation for specific Natural Areas and
Utilities projects and established Government-to-Government relations to help guide decisions
around the management and protection of cultural material resources. The three current
projects are:
Fossil/Stanton Creek Restoration Project
Arapaho Bend Natural Areas Project
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Soapstone Prairie Leopard Frog Restoration Project & Willow Planting
Latiné/Hispanic Heritage Month
On October 5th the Office of Equity & Inclusion with
City partners at the Gardens on Spring Creek and
Cultural Services hosted the annual Latiné/Hispanic
Heritage Month Community Celebration. This is a
community-wide collaboration engaging non-
profits, agencies, small businesses, several City
departments, and over 800 community members.
Cultural Services took the lead in creating a vibrant
list of performers to showcase the rich diversity of
Latin America. The Gardens on Spring Creek was
a beautiful setting for all to enjoy and brought many
first-time visitors to the Gardens.
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PRIDE LGBTQIA+ Customer Service Training
The PRIDE ERG was granted Municipal
Innovation Fund grant in 2023 for a
LGBTQ+ Inclusive Customer Service
Training. The PRIDE ERG identified a
need for expanded LGBTQ+ inclusive
training and this award provided funding
for an external facilitator to work with
ERG staff and the Office of Equity &
Inclusion to facilitate this citywide training.
Between March and May 2024, 20 teams
including 474 colleagues engaged and participated in this training focused on creating trust,
inclusive customer service and a safer work environment for LGBTQ+ staff.
PRIDE Community Celebration
On July 15, the Equity Office was a sponsor of the PRIDE Community Celebration at The Ranch
organized by NoCo Equality. We tabled along with Human Resource Talent Acquisition staff, City
Council, and many community organizations. Over 4,000 attendees participated.
Rainbow Crosswalk
As a testament to seeding ideas and waiting for them to grow, the City created and inaugurated
their first rainbow crosswalk. This was made possible through great collaboration between the
Planning, Development and Transportation Service Area, PRIDE Employee Resource Group and
Equity & Inclusion Office. We had a group of over 100 people come celebrate the ribbon cutting
with us!
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2024 Proclamations & Community Receptions
Proclamations are one way to bring people together and encourage community members to be
involved and participate in all aspects of City government. Proclamations elevate the diversity of
cultures, traditions, achievements, celebrations and special days, months and annual
recognitions. For many of the proclamations listed below community members were involved in
writing and shaping the meaning of proclamations. In some cases, the proclamations are coupled
with a reception to give staff and community members the opportunity to connect and learn about
each other.
The following proclamation readings and receptions were organized by the Office of Equity &
Inclusion and Cultural Services:
February 20 – Black History Month with reception featuring projects Cultural
Enrichment Center. Video by Herb Saperstone:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJjwj5FxMvk
April 4 – Southwest Asian North African Heritage Month
April 16 – Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month with community
reception and Tai Chi demonstration
April 2- Autism Awareness & Acceptance Month with community reception
June 4 – PRIDE Month with community reception and drag performances
June 19 – Juneteenth – proclamation read at the Juneteenth event
October 1 – National Disability Employment Awareness Month
October 5 – Latino Hispanic Heritage Month
November 19 – Transgender Remembrance and Acceptance Month with
community reception and DJ, mocktails, and featured artists
December 3 – National Human Rights Day (paired w Human Relations Awards)
Event Partnerships
The Office of Equity & Inclusion partnered with many community-led initiatives and partnered by
providing sponsorships and space for the events. This is an area where community groups are
requesting increased support and for the City to show their commitment to recognizing cultural
diversity and investing in meaningful events and celebrations prioritized by community groups.
January 1 – December 26: Culture Classes led by Northern CO Intertribal
Powwow Association (NICPA) (200 attendees)
January 20: Dr. Martin Luther King Community Celebration (2,000 attendees)
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January 25: Native American Community Meeting (30 attendees)
February 10: Asian Lunar New Year Celebration (100 attendees)
March 25: Native American Community Meeting (20 attendees)
April 13-14: Northern CO Intertribal Powwow Association (NCIPA) Powwow (3,000
attendees)
April 27: Día del Niño (400 attendees)
May 4: Bison Blessing at Soapstone Natural Area (100 attendees)
June 4: PRIDE & Juneteenth Proclamation and Reception (100 attendees)
June 14-16: Juneteenth Community Event (2,500 attendees)
June 29: NoCo Equality PRIDE Celebration (3,000 attendees)
October 5: Latiné/Hispanic Heritage Month Community Celebration (1,000
attendees)
November 21: Indigenous Harvest Dinner (130 attendees)
December 17: Native American Christmas Celebration (250 families)
Quarterly Multicultural Community Resource Fair (500 at each event)
Embedding Equity in Cultural Event Support
The Equity & Inclusion Office created a strategic partnership with Cultural Services to embed
equity to support cultural events financially. Cultural Services will include Juneteenth,
Latino/Hispanic Heritage Month and the Native American Powwow financial support and
participating in planning committees into their programming. This will ensure that these
relationships with community groups leading this work continue and are supported beyond the
Office of Equity & Inclusion.
Community Connectors
The Community Connectors is a group of Latina community leaders committed to creating a more
just and inclusive society. Through their voices, perspectives, and experiences, we work together
to promote inclusion, diversity, equity, and access for all members of our community, especially
Latino and minority populations. Our goal is to build bridges between the community and local
government, advocate for the rights of our neighbors, share key information, improve social and
economic conditions, and make sure our resources are used fairly and equitably. Through
collaboration with government agencies, local organizations, and other stakeholders, we seek to
empower our community and encourage their active participation in the social, economic, and
political process.
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This group made up of 12 community members meets monthly to learn about City services,
programs and activities and engages in dialogue with staff and councilmembers.
Department Discussions:
Safe Community: Discussion on Fort Collins Police Services and Sheriff’s Office
Transportation and Mobility – Discussion on route frequency and limitations on service
industry workers who live in mobile home parks and depend on public transit to get to
and from work; discussed bus driver needs and hiring process
High Performing Government: City Clerk’s Office - Public Comment Practice and
overview of elections
Council Priorities Conversations:
Aug 9th – Economic Health and Making government more accessible,
approachable and fun
October 11th – Affordable Housing and Improving Human and Social Health For
Vulnerable Populations
ARPA Equity Grant Fund
The Equity & Inclusion Officer visited with the following grant recipients to hear their COVID
recovery stories and see projects firsthand. Small organizations like these are having to reinvent
themselves and find new ways to fundraise now that ARPA funds are dwindling from the City,
the County and other sources. These small organizations provide important community services
and fill in the service gap. They know the community well and often serve some of the most
marginalized groups. They are doing remarkable work and providing much needed services to
older adults, at-risk youth, newcomers, income constrained families and individuals, biracial and
ethnically diverse youth and families.
1. A Little Help - $8,000
2. Alianza Norco - $15,000
3. Catholic Charities - $8,000
4. Christ Clinic, Inc - $5,000
5. CSU - For the True Color Effect -
$8,000
6. Feeding Our Community Ourselves -
$15,000
7. Fuerza Latina - $15,000
8. ISAAC - $15,000
9. Launch: Community Through
Skateboarding - $6,000
10. Lydia Lerma Foundation - $8,000
11. Museo de las Tres Colonias - $3,000
12. Neighbor to Neighbor - $15,000
13. NoCoCamara - $12,000
14. Queen's Legacy Foundation - $10,000
15. Sound Affects Music - $8,000
16. SPLASH Youth of Northern Colorado -
$15,000
17. The BIPOC Alliance - $17,000
18. United Way of Larimer County - $14,000
19. Vindeket - $5,000
20. Youth Celebrate Diversity - $5,000
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Boards & Commissions
The Office of Equity & Inclusion coordinates in partnership and provides staff support for the
Human Relations Commission (HRC) and Disability Advisory Board (DAB). All projects are
initiated by the HRC and DAB.
Human Relations Commission
The Human Relations Commission (HRC) was established by City Council to enhance the
acceptance and respect for diversity through educational programs and activities, and to embrace
inclusion of individuals reflective of characteristics such as race, ethnicity, gender identity and
expression, physical abilities/qualities, sex, sexual/affectional orientation, age, culture, different
ideas and perspectives, familial status, immigration status, geographic background, marital
status, national origin, religious and spiritual beliefs, socioeconomic status, and veteran status.
Education and Outreach Committee
Organized and delivered “The Human Library” program held on August 4th at the
Museum of Discovery in collaboration with Museum of Discovery, and the Poudre
River Public Library District. The program was designed to promote understanding
of individual differences – to unjudge a human “book” by its cover. Approximately
130 “readers” attended the program, and 25 human “books” shared their stories of
intolerance and bias. Due to the success of the program, the HRC will support a
2025 Human Library program.
Sponsored the “Cross Cultural Communication” educational program at the Senior
Center on Oct 9th. This session was facilitated by Alma Vigo Morales and Barb
Kistler, HRC member, and approximately 100 community members attended.
Dinner was provided.
Human Relations Awards
The annual Human Relations Awards
ceremony recognizes individuals and
organizations in our community that promote
equity, inclusion and respect for diversity.
Sixty-three nominations were received, and
one individual, group, and youth are selected
by commission member votes.
The 2024 Awards Ceremony was held on
Dec. 12 at City Hall and celebrated the
following recipients:
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Individual Award: Arpi Misha Miller
Individual Award: Nina Rubin
Organization/Team Award: Fort Collins Museum of Discovery
Organization/Team Award: Project Self Sufficiency
Read the full 2024 HRC Annual Report at www.fcgov.com/humanrelations.
Disability Advisory Board
The Disability Advisory Board (DAB) advocates for overall inclusivity through the improvement,
exposure, education and participation of the community while increasing the level of awareness
with the needs, hopes and desires of those with disabilities in the community.
Improved conversations and cultivate a relationship with Transfort through quarterly
reviews of transportation issues and ongoing progress toward service capabilities.
Transfort agreed to continue to provide quarterly updates of key initiatives and
ongoing projects to the Disability Advisory Board beginning in 2025.
Advocated for the expansion of Dial-a-Ride services for all qualified individuals
within City limits. This depends on federal regulations and may not occur as DAB
suggests.
Actively provided input on the Dial-a-Ride Eligibility Application and recommended
removal of barriers and streamlining the application process. Application was
shorten from 12 pages to 9 pages and questions rewritten w clear and kind
language.
Advocated for updated bus stops and overall usability and accessibility
DAB chair and community member visit the Lincoln Center to provide first-hand
experience and recommendations to increase accessibility. New ramp will be
installed to improve ease of access to the building from the parking lot. New chair
lift for emergency exit is being installed in early 2025.
Read the DAB full 2024 annual report at www.fcgov.com/dab.
Page 86
Item 3.
2024 Equity & Inclusion Progress Impact Report | 24
Goal 3: Data Accountability
As defined in the Equity Plan: We are developing processes to systematically collect, analyze,
and interpret qualitative and quantitative data, disaggregated by race data, to remain accountable
and transparent to the City organization and community. Data will inform updates to policies,
programs, and services to increase access for those most impacted by social, economic,
environmental inequities.
Work started in 2024 and in progress:
Update to Equity Indicators Dashboard underway and expected to be published in
Q2 2025
October- Presentation to City Council on Equity Indicators and IDEA work
Collaboration on Equity Opportunity Assessment Map next steps
Collaboration on Data Library Project
Collaboration on Customer Experience Project
Equity Readiness Assessments
The ERA is a facilitated discussion guided by a list of demographic and communication
considerations that take a people and community centered approach when evaluating for equity
in a project phase or life cycle. After utilizing the assessment tool, teams identify areas of refocus
as well as curiosities and new avenues to explore. Refocusing for equity is a path to identifying
and removing barriers to achieve meaningful outcomes and addressing diverse community
interests, concerns, and needs as they relate to City services. Employees are encouraged to
dream big, be thoughtful, and visualize a future where equity, inclusion and belonging abound,
and projects are successful.
9 Equity Readiness Assessments conducted in 2024:
1. Parks Strategic Trails plan
2. Economic Health MBEC
3. Light & Power
4. Social Sustainability Revolving Childcare Loan Project
5. Recreation Bus Project
6. Human Resources Internal Projects
7. Conflict Transformation Works
8. Utilities One Water Strategic Plan
9. Arapahoe Bend Natural Area Visitor Use Plan
Page 87
Item 3.
2024 Equity & Inclusion Progress Impact Report | 25
Equity Indicators
Presentation to Council on October 11, 2024
Create new dashboard visual with current indicators (model after current Housing
Dashboard)
o Share new dashboard on website
o Analyze and update current indicators in current domains
o Expand domains on dashboard to cover full Equity Indicators report
domains
Equity & Opportunity Assessment (EOA) Map
o Update current map with recent data
o Transition to public access
o Preserve original map with original data
Regular Data Collection
o Gauge baseline equity "skills", attitudes towards equity office,
effectiveness of trainings
Equity Office Intake Form-Data Collection
To help track staff requests of the Equity Office we have implemented using an intake form.
Staff is asked to fill out the form to give us an idea of what topics are top of mind for staff and
the data collected show us the trends and help us quantify our interactions and consultations
with staff. Below is a graph displaying the key services along with number of requests per type
of service. The Equity Office responded to 41 requests from across all Service Areas. Not all
requests were captured via this form, but in 2025 we are improving how we capture data. Check
out the form here: Equity and Inclusion Intake Form
Equity Readiness Assessments (ERAs)
Equity scans for specific projects and locations
Presentations and training on equity topics
Consultation on equity action plans
Support for inclusive community outreach
Guidance on accessibility and language access
Page 88
Item 3.
2024 Equity & Inclusion Progress Impact Report | 26
Page 89
Item 3.
WHAT IS DIGITAL INCLUSION?
For many Fort Collins residents, gaps in economic and educational opportunity exist between those who have access to
digital devices, skills, and the Internet, and those who don’t—the digital divide. The City of Fort Collins is committed to
reducing this digital divide and increasing the digital literacy of Fort Collins residents through our Digital Inclusion program.
THE PILLARS OF DIGITAL INCLUSION IN FORT COLLINS
Our program is focused on promoting and increasing access to devices, skills, the Internet, and City programs. These
pillars address a unique barrier that often hinders underrepresented and historically underserved residents from achieving
digital equity and fully participating in our community. While it may not be possible to eliminate these barriers overnight,
we can make meaningful strides by actively working to support these goals and gradually reducing their impact over time.
DEVICES & SKILLS: COMMUNITY INVESTMENT
To ensure equitable access to digital devices and the skills needed,
the City’s Digital Inclusion program partners with local organizations
committed to promoting digital equity in our community.
• Poudre School District
Digital Equity Liaison
PSD’s bilingual Digital Equity Liaison
directly supported over 300 families
through 1:1 appointments, classes,
and events. In addition, he also
offered digital support and training
to more than 50 PSD staff members
and developed projects such as the
Instant Language Assistant (ILA)
protocol for schools: a step by step
guide and training so PSD staff and families are familiar and
comfortable with these language interpretation devices available
at PSD schools.
• Partnership for Age-Friendly Communities
Tech Buddy
PAFC’s Tech Buddy Program works with volunteers who offer
digital support to older adults, so they can gain confidence in
accessing and navigating the digital world. Tech Buddies offer
regular assistance at their clinics in locations such as Poudre
Libraries, the Senior Center, and Senior Apartment complexes. In
addition, they also offer 1:1 assistance at people’s homes, coffee
shops, and even Zoom and phone appointments.
• Poudre Libraries
Old Town Library
In partnership with the Occupational Therapy Department at
CSU, Old Town Library launched an OT program for patrons
experiencing homelessness. During the 480 hours OT grad
students were available at the library, they assisted 112 individuals
that received support learning how to check out laptops and use
them to create resumes, search and apply for jobs, create email
accounts, look up bus schedules, access online banking, and a
number of other daily online tasks that are sometimes taken for
granted, but access is not guaranteed for all. Several patrons
reported gaining employment after getting assistance with job
searches and resumes!
• Economic and Workforce Development
Digital Roots
Digital Roots is a program dedicated to help job seekers learn
or grow digital skills for a successful job search. In 2024, Digital
Roots received over 200 requests for digital literacy support and
67 participants successfully completed the program and received
a device to keep to assist with their job search efforts. In addition,
thanks to their bilingual staff, 25% of participants were able to
receive help in Spanish and 21% were over
the age of 55.
• The Family Center
Mi Voz and Family Support Services
The Family Support Services team
put together a “device library” for
community members. These devices
have already been used to access
First Aid and Mental Health classes for youth and adults,
GED classes, job search, etc. The leaders from the program
Mi Voz received digital devices and training to support their
community efforts.
• Harmony Village Foundation
A non-profit dedicated to supporting the residents of
Harmony Village, HVF’s committee members are now online
and able to offer support to their residents from anywhere,
as well as access the resources needed to help them thrive.
This is important in any community, but it has been reported
as specially needed and helpful for people living with
disabilities, as is this case.
DIGITAL INCLUSION
2024 ANNUAL REPORT December 2024
Humberto
Cruzado-Novoa, PSD’s
Digital Equity Liaison, was
recognized by the state of
Colorado as one of five 2024
Digital Equity Champions
during Digital Inclusion
Week in October
2024.
LOOKING
FORWARD TO 2025!
Awarded Digital
Inclusion funding
in late 2024.
“ Our program is
focused on promoting
and increasing access
to devices, skills, the
Internet, and City
programs.”
Page 90
Item 3.
INTERNET CONNECTIVITY:
• Reduced Rate Connexion
Despite the disappearance of the Affordable Connectivity
Program in early 2024, municpal-owned broadband proved
to be a game-changer. We saw a record enrollment in our
reduced-rate Connexion Internet package, with almost 1,000
income-qualified households benefiting. This success story is
a testament to the effectiveness of collaborative initiatives in
addressing digital equity.
• HeartSide Hill
The City’s Digital Inclusion program has partnered with
Connexion and CARE Housing to guarantee that the Heartside
Hill development, now under construction, will be equipped
with the essential infrastructure for delivering complimentary
Connexion services to all residents. This initiative reflects
our commitment to enhancing community connectivity and
supporting the needs of future residents.
Household enrollment
in Get FoCo programs
20
2
4
3,184households
20
2
2
729households
20
2
3
1,532households
970households20
2
4
529households20
2
3
299households20
2
2
121households20
2
1
Household enrollment in the
reduced-rate Connexion program
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, CONTACT:
África García-Fariña, M.A.
Senior Specialist, Digital Inclusion
Office of Equity and Inclusion, City of Fort Collins
970-221-6749 • agarcia-farina@fcgov.com
hablo
español
CITY PROGRAMS: GET FOCO
Get FoCo is an all-in-one online platform for accessing the City’s
income-qualified programs. By collecting City programs under one
umbrella, we have simplified the application process and increased
access through the standardization of requirements, the cross-
promotion of programs otherwise unknown, the convenience of
applying at any time from anywhere, and more.
However, we also understand that online applications require
technology and skills that not everyone possesses. For this reason,
and to ensure equitable access to our programs, the City offers
in-person (and phone) appointments in English and Spanish at
multiple locations. We also partner with organizations such as the
Partnership for Age-Friendly Communities, Poudre School District,
and Poudre Libraries, among others, that have trained staff to help
residents with their Get FoCo application.
In the fall of 2024, as part of our commitment to continuous
improvement and growth, Get FoCo introduced a new income-
qualified initiative: the Gardens on Spring Creek Access Program.
Although the Gardens program became available on Get FoCo in
mid-October, it had already received nearly 300 applications by
the end of the year.
Get FoCo now offers access to 5 different programs for income-
qualified residents:
• Grocery Tax Rebate
• Reduced-Rate Recreation
• Reduced-Rate Connexion
• Spin Access
• The Gardens on Spring Creek Access
Household enrollment
in Get FoCo programs
20
2
4
3,184households
20
2
2
729households
20
2
3
1,532households
Household enrollment in the
reduced-rate Connexion program
Inter-departmental
Collaboration
A new Digital Inclusion initiative was
launched in 2024! We believe this is
a team effort, and there’s room for Digital Inclusion in all
departments. This year, we collaborated with Volunteer
Services to donate digital devices that were no longer
needed/in use to Poudre School District, who will identify
the families that could benefit the most from these devices.
2024 Digital Inclusion Trailblazer
The City of Fort Collins was awarded the status of Digital
Inclusion Trailblazer by the National Digital Inclusion
Alliance- a recognition reserved for local governments
leading the way in the digital inclusion space.
Page 91
Item 3.
Headline Copy Goes Here
Equity & Inclusion Officer
Beth Yonce
Council Priority:
Improve Human &
Social Health for
Vulnerable
Populations
04-8-25
Claudia Menendez
Social Sustainability Dept. Director
Jacob Castillo
Chief Sustainability Officer
Page 92
Item 3.
Headline Copy Goes HereCouncil Discussion
1.Does the work and programs highlighted sufficiently
progress toward meeting Council’s expectations to support
this Council Priority?
2.Does Council need any additional information or have any
feedback to provide?
Page 93
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3
Objectives: Improve Human and Social Health for Vulnerable Populations
Expand human services funding; align with top community needs
Address environmental concerns including air quality and oil and gas policies
Continue and expand programs that provide direct support to vulnerable populations
Embed equity throughout City services, programming and operations; monitor progress
Problem Statement: Obstacles and barriers exist that impede access to services for our underserved
community members. We need to work with our regional partners to invest in a robust and accessible safety
net to create conditions where one is not needed. Existing oil and gas wells in and around Fort Collins cause
harmful pollution and have negative environmental and human health impacts.
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4
Council Priority 2: Vulnerable Populations Definitions
State of Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
Definitions:
Disproportionately impacted communities -Asian, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, African
American/Black, Hispanic/Latin(o)(a)(x), American Indian or Alaska Native; older adults; lesbian, gay,
transgender, bisexual, queer or questioning, gender nonconforming; people with disabilities; people with
low socioeconomic status; people currently or formerly incarcerated; and people who live in rural and/or
geographically isolated communities.
Community-led engagement -the practice of working collaboratively and through disproportionately
affected populations to address issues affecting those populations with the goal of using community
expertise to lead, inform, and conduct engagement practices. This can include using culturally and
linguistically tailored outreach, community advisory boards, etc.
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5
Strategies: Improve Human and Social Health for Vulnerable Populations
Ongoing Timeline Notes Status
Equity Readiness Assessments with department teams Ongoing in 2024-2025 On track
Air quality monitoring Ongoing in 2024-2025 On track
Identify and address barriers to Get FoCo usage to boost participation Ongoing in 2024-2025 On track
Equity Indicators Dashboard Data Analysis Update 4 months (Q2-Q3 2025)On track
Planned/Underway
Complete and Implement Human Services Priorities Platform Q3-Q4 2024; utilize in 2025 process On track
Continue seeking resolution on Oil and Gas compliance issues and initiating State
assessment of underutilized wells and aging pipeline system
Oct. 2024: Well closure ordered by the
State; reclamation in progress Complete
Budget/Council Contingent
Immigration Legal Fund, Eviction Legal Fund, Mobile Home Parks Program,
Community Consultants Program BFO Offer 25/26 to continue program Funded
1FTE Equity Office Underserved Communities Engagement and Outreach BFO Offer 25/26 to expand program Unfunded
Human Service Program Funds
1FTE Healthy Homes Navigator and Direct Household Support
BFO Continuing Enhancement Offer
25/26 $150k
BFO Offer to enhance program
Unfunded
FundedPage 96
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6
Increasing Access: Removing Obstacles and Barriers
Cost Transportation Difficult
Processes
Ensuring an equitable, legal, and responsive approach
Language DocumentationCommunication
and Outreach
Digital
Divide
Immigration
Legal Fund
Reduced-Rate
Connexion
Equity
Readiness
Assessments
Mobile Home
Parks Program
Utilities
Affordability
Programs
Gardens on
Spring Creek
Community
Consultants
Program
Reduced-Rate
Recreation
Human Services
Funding
Grocery Rebate
Program
Translation
and Interpretation Get FoCoAir Quality and
Healthy Homes
Spin
Access
Digital InclusionEviction Legal
Fund
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7
Other City Programs Supporting this Council Priority
Adaptive Recreation,
Reduced Fee Scholarships,
and Behavioral Support Specialist
Universal
Preschool
Cultural Community
Programs
Multicultural Business and
Entrepreneurship Center (MBEC)
NoCoBiz Connect (Equitable
Business Support and
Recognition)
Conflict Transformation
Works
Rental Housing
Program
Municipal Court
Specialized Services
Homeless Outreach and Proactive
Engagement (HOPE) Police Team Dial-A-Ride
ADA Bus Stop
Improvements
Transit Security and Mental
Health Collaboration
Additional Funded Budget Offers Supporting this Priority:
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8
•Priorities Platform: Blueprint for how the Social Sustainability
Department delivers resources, programming and partnership
toward human services and homelessness in Fort Collins. Will
influence staff work plans and FY25 competitive grant funding.
•Underscores and recognizes the adversities experienced by
residents with disproportionately impacted identities.
•Will be reviewed and adapted annually to respond to changing
community conditions.
Caregiving Prevention Intervention Food Security Financial Stability and Opportunity
Sheltering Supportive Services Prevention
Human Services Priorities
Homelessness Priorities
Expand human services funding; align with top community needs
Page 99
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9
Human Services and Homelessness Funding
Human Services
≈$770k GF
Homelessness Response
$1M GF
CDBG Public Service
(Sheltering/Prevention)
≈$165k -$180k HUD
Grant Funding to Nonprofit Partners
Human Services
$920k GF
Homelessness Response
$1.1M ARPA
CDBG Public Service
(Sheltering/Prevention)
$181k HUD
Childcare & Social Services
Recovery
$603k ARPA
Equity Grant Fund
$400k ARPA
20252024
Total: $1,950,000
Total: $3,204,000
Page 100
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10
Real Life Stories
Human Services Program Grant Recipient
Elderhaus Adult Day Program
Joe had been caring for his wife Jane, who has advanced Alzheimers, in his home with
limited supports. Joe was exhausted and Jane continued to become more and more
restless and agitated. After learning about Elderhaus, Joe decided to bring Jane one
day each week. After the very first day-Joe saw a change in Jane. She came home
exhausted and content. Within a month, Joe added a second day for Jane to attend.
Joe recently shared that their lives have changed for the better. "I have more time than
I know what to do with! Jane is so much more relaxed, her agitation has decreased -
and while she no longer can speak-she knows where she is going when we pull into
the Elderhaus driveway-and I get to see a smile that has been absent for years.”
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11
Real Life Stories
Page 102
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Goal 3: Data AccountabilityGoal 2: Inclusive and Equitable EngagementGoal 1: Commitment and Common Language
Embed equity throughout City services, programming and operations;
monitor progress
12
•Employee Education and
Training
•Employee Resource Groups
•Accessibility and Compliance
Work
•Equal Employment Opportunity
Education
•Inclusive Language Guide and
Module
•Equity Readiness
Assessments
•Equity Indicators Update
•Equity Office Intake Form-Data
Collection
•Web and Digital Accessibility
Compliance
•Digital Inclusion -Get FoCo
•ADA Compliance
•Cultural Events and Engagement
•Proclamations and Community
Receptions
•Event Sponsorships
•Community Connectors
•ARPA Equity Grant Fund
•Boards and CommissionsPage 103
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13
Human Story
Kudos to Eric Patton in Transfort and Jan Reece in the Equity & Inclusion Office
for their work with a community member to address ADA issues on city buses and
bus stops.
A visually impaired community member, but not blind, was riding city buses and noticed that
the bus stops are not announced. Eric has provided training to bus drivers, so all stops are
announced which benefits all riders.
The community member also pointed out that bus stop signage placement was too high for
folks who may use wheelchairs. Transfort is working on adjusting the heights so all persons
can easily access bus schedules at stops.
Eric and Jan worked on these issues together and brought updates to the Disability
Advisory Board.
The community member provided a glowing review on the great customer service that Eric
and Jan have provided him and praised their ongoing, clear and kind communication and
ability to be receptive to his living experience as a person with blindness. He is extremely
grateful for all the work Eric and Jan have been able to put in place so quickly. Thanks for
your thoughtful service, Eric and Jan!
Page 104
Item 3.
Headline Copy Goes HereAddress environmental concerns including air quality
and oil and gas policies
14
•No More Oil and Gas Operations
•Prospect Energy ordered to shut down (Aug 2024)
•City working to acquire property to expedite reclamation
•Air Toxics Monitoring
•Year 1 of 3 complete under EPA grant
•Sites prioritized by community interest; data analysis
pending
•Monitoring Advisory Committee
•County-wide initiative supported by EPA grant
•Diverse representation providing feedback on monitoring
locations and community engagement
•Methods: storytelling, public art, workshops, bilingual
website (airready.colostate.edu)
Vulnerable Groups: Young, elderly and individuals with
respiratory/cardiovascular conditions (regardless of location).
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15
Healthy Homes Program
In 2024, Healthy Homes provided:
•Bilingual indoor air quality assessments
•Weatherization and furnace
inspections/cleanings
•Resources including smoke alarms, fire
extinguishers, CO alarms, portable air
cleaners, doormats,and radon test kits
•Home projects that improved the health,
safety, and climate resiliency of participants’
houses
Page 106
Item 3.
Headline Copy Goes HereHealthy Homes: Participant Feedback
16
Video: A Healthy Homes volunteer shares
the program’s impact
90%said that their knowledge of
indoor air contaminants improved
70%said that their overall health
in their home improved
74%said that their home’s indoor
air quality improved
93%would recommend the
program to a friend
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17
Continue and expand programs that provide direct support
to vulnerable populations
The mobile home park work continues to be impactful by:
•Keeping residents in their homes with home improvement
projects
•Supporting housing quality and aging in place with educational
workshops
•Connecting neighbors by funding mini-grant projects
In 2024, the City's mobile home park program:
o Repaired 37 mobile homes with roofing, flooring,
deck/handrail, electrical, and plumbing projects
o Hosted and assisted with 5 resource fairs and community
events
o Taught 350 senior and primary Spanish speaking mobile home
park residents DIY skills like plumbing and power tool use.
Page 108
Item 3.
Headline Copy Goes HereMobile Home Improvement Project Stories
18
Projects funded helped residents improve their home's quality
One resident needed a new electrical panel and upgrades to transition
their stove from gas to electric. He had been using a countertop "hot
plate" while saving money for the work and new stove. The electrical
work was under budget, so he received a new stove from the grant
too. For the first time, this grant recipient was able to cook a “proper
holiday dinner” as a result of having updated electrical lines and a
stove. “I am so happy and appreciative! Thank you so much, City
of Fort Collins!”
Page 109
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19
Immigration and Eviction Legal Funds
19
Attorneys represented
136 clients in non-court
appearances
366 renters reached
through Know Your Rights
trainings
1,119 people received
educational materials
49 eviction mediation
and housing hotline
volunteers trained
1,101 renters served
108 landlords served
8 new work
authorizations
245 people reached
through educational/self-
advocacy sessions
33 asylum cases
supported
18 Crime, Trafficking,
and Domestic Violence
Victim Visas processed
21 Special
Immigrant Juvenile
Status cases
103 cases actively
managed
Eviction Legal Fund
(2024)
Immigration Legal Fund
(2024)
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20
Real Life Stories
Immigration Legal Fund program participant
Bob*, a US citizen, is petitioning for his wife, Joy*, to become a lawful permanent resident. They
have been married and living abroad for over 20 years working for non-governmental
organizations and nonprofits fighting human trafficking in developing countries. They traveled to
Fort Collins last summer with one of their children for a work-mandated sabbatical in the US. They
intended to stay for several months, but when then arrived to stay with Bob’s parents, they
discovered that both of his parents were in poor health and require full time care. They have a
salary that is sufficient for living in a developing country, but don’t have the necessary dollars to
pay for a private immigration attorney and USCIS fees. They are now working with the
Immigration Legal Fund to prepare Joy’s petition and leveraging grant funding from the Women’s
Foundation of Colorado for filing fees. The family continues to fight trafficking from their home in
Fort Collins.
*Names changed to protect confidentiality
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Item 3.
Headline Copy Goes HereUtilities Affordability Programs
21
1,758
households enrolled as of
January for the 2024-2025
season (November through April)
Launched
January 1, 2025
$86,000approx.
has been distributed to
292
households
$51,282
has been distributed to
168
households (at or below 80%
AMI), in partnership with Energy
Outreach Colorado
Income-Qualified
Assistance
Program
Payment Assistance
Fund
Utilities Emergency
Fund
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22
Get FoCo and Digital Inclusion
Get FoCo now offers access to 5 different
programs for income-qualified residents:
Grocery Tax Rebate
•3,150 applications in 2024
•$578k rebates in 2024
Recreation Reduced-rate
•2,444 households applied in 2024
Connexion Reduced-rate
•970 households
Spin Access
•765 households applied in 2024
The Gardens on Spring Creek
•nearly 300 applications in less than 3 months
2024 Digital Inclusion Trailblazer
The City of Fort Collins was awarded the status of Digital
Inclusion Trailblazer by the National Digital Inclusion
Alliance –a recognition reserved by local governments
leading the way in the digital inclusion space.
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23
New or emerging barriers
Council Priority
Obstacles and barriers exist that
impede access to services for our
underserved community members.
•Examples of how we’re working with/for community
–Community Consultants, Community Connectors,
Healthy Homes Educators, and the Resilient
Housing Group
•Immigrant community: uncertain future, reluctant to
send children to school, attend worship services, or
participate in anything associated with any
government entity
•Seniors and families expressing concern about cuts
to federal programs (Medicaid, Medicare, and
Social Security)
Page 114
Item 3.
Headline Copy Goes HereCouncil Discussion
1.Does the work and programs highlighted sufficiently
progress toward meeting Council’s expectations to support
this Council Priority?
2.Does Council need any additional information or have any
feedback to provide?
Page 115
Item 3.