Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Mail Packet - 9/12/2023 - Memorandum From Anissa Hollingshead Re: Letter From Ascsu Supporting Repeal Of U+2 Occupancy Ordinance City Clerk 300 Laporte Avenue PO Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522 970.221.6515 970.221-6295 - fax fcgov.com/cityclerk elections@fcgov.com MEMORANDUM DATE: September 7, 2023 TO: Mayor and Councilmembers THROUGH: Kelly DiMartino, City Manager Rupa Venkatesh, Assistant City Manager FROM: Anissa Hollingshead, City Clerk RE: Letter from ASCSU Supporting Repeal of U+2 Occupancy Ordinance The attached letter was provided by Nick DeSalvo, Student Body President, on behalf of the leaders of the three branches of the Associated Students of Colorado State University following public comment at the September 5, 2023 Council Meeting. ASSO IATED STUDENTS Colorado State University Lory Student Center Room 206 Campus Delivery 8036 FortCollins,Colorado 80523 COLORADO STATE UNI%ERSITY August 30,2023 Fort Collins City Council, The branch leaders of The Associated Students of Colorado State University (ASCSU)are writing to you today to repeal the U 2 Housing Occupancy Ordinance.The issue regarding the lack of housing affordability and access in this city as a result of U 2 has been one that our organization has heavily focused on for decades.The ordinance has disproportionately impacted students,fact.However,it has also impacted so many of our most vulnerable community members,including educators,health care professionals,first responders,and non-profit workers For the same length of time that our organization has pushed back against this ordinance,elected officials and some conununity members have consistently demonized college students as being lazy or unmotivated.The value of students in this city has been greatly underappreciated,and the lack of serious reconsideration into U+2 is a direct result of this reality.When an organization such as Preserve Fort Collins uses dishonest tactics to drum up support for a repeal of the Land Use Code,this Council took them seriously.However,when students have - in good faith expressed concern about the inability to afford housing,they have been met with gross generalizations of young people,and stories meant to strike fear into the minds of Fort Collins residents. We are appreciative that this current Council has been receptive to hearing the realities of this occupancy ordinance,and we believe that it is in the best interest of this city to expand U+2 through a rigorous community engagement process that leads to action by Council.We also believe,given the data,immediate action is required.According to a 2021 CSU Economic Study’,$36 million is generated for the Fort Collins area in local sales and use tax revenue as a result of CSU related activity involving operations,student spending,and university business assistance.Out of around 84,000 jobs in the city,CSU direct and indirect impacts were estimated to make up 17,300 jobs,or nearly 21%of the total workforce.Students not originally from the city spend $319.1 million a year within the community,supporting 2,700 jobs and $7.9 million in local sales tax and revenue.Faculty,staff,and students are being priced out of living in the city,meaning that the personal connection they have to Fort Collins along with the revenue they generate becomes lost.The people that work and study at CSU should be able to afford housing in the city that CSU is in the heart of. The success of CSU is the success of the city,but that can only be accomplished if students can afford to live, work,and go to school here.Therefore,we urge you to repeal and replace U 2.We can no longer stand idly by on the sidelines as our constituents and your constituents have been suffering for years,and continue to do so today.The time is now.U+2 must be put to rest,and ASCSU will not yield until everyone can afford to live in our community together. AvaAyala ~qaç~ruxaI Speaker of Chic Justice Student Body President ‘NeiL Cara.~~CSU System Economic Siudy Shows Impaci on Talent Reiention,Jobs,Revenue.”SOURCE,Colorado State University,9 Feb.2021.