Neighbors press Grand Junction council over 448 Bookcliff, HOME Act limits on regulating group living

Neighbors around 448 Bookcliff and leaders of A Special Place confronted the Grand Junction City Council on March 19 over whether the facility operating there falls within local land-use rules and how Colorado’s recent HOME Act affects municipal oversight.

The most newsworthy point: Council member Cody Kennedy recused himself from the agenda item because he owns the subject property; the council then discussed the limits the 2024 HOME Act places on regulating occupancy and whether the city should pursue code changes or seek legislative fixes.

Why it matters: House Bill 241007 (referred to in staff materials as the HOME Act) restricts local governments’ ability to limit how many unrelated people can live together, leaving municipalities' primary levers for intervention tied to “demonstrated health and safety standards.” Neighbors said a provider operating at 448 Bookcliff — referred to as A Special Place — is advertising capacity for up to 20 men and operating with paid staff and court referrals, which they described as a commercial operation in a residential zone.

Neighbors’ concerns and provider response

Victoria Patzentaras, who said she has lived at 301 Bookcliff Court for 24 years, described the property’s change from an owner-occupied small group home to a facility she characterized as a business with court referrals and website advertising. “This is not an instance of nine roommates pooling money,” she told the council, and asked officials to “help us find facts about the actual use and then decide if this use ... is allowed in our residential area.”

Several neighbors reported safety worries and said they had not received notice about the facility. Karen Cordova told the council that recently someone from Lifespan Psychiatry had dropped off two men at the house and said she felt “intimidated” when one later approached her yard. Thane Depuy, who lives two houses away, urged the council to require fire and health inspections for high-density homes under the HOME Act.

Carrie Shabarami, who identified herself as executive director of A Special Place, said the organization is a nonprofit that provides housing and 24/7 staffing for people with serious medical and behavioral-health needs, including referrals from hospitals and emergency rooms, domestic-violence victims and people awaiting competency evaluations. “There is no profit,” she said, “we care about these individuals as human beings.” She added that competency housing helps people engage with legal processes and that staff work to protect both clients and neighborhoods.

Council and staff response

City staff and the city attorney described uncertainty in implementing the HOME Act because the statute refers to “demonstrated health and safety standards” without defining them. City planning staff said changes to Title 21 (the zoning and development code) would require planning commission review and a formal code text amendment process.

Mayor Pro Tem Reitz and other council members emphasized the need to keep the discussion at a policy level while staff investigates the specific property for any operational code or health-and-safety issues. Council members asked staff to prepare detailed information for a future workshop, including possible code text amendments, guidance on inspections, and neighborhood outreach strategies. Council indicated it expects the planning commission to vet any proposed zoning text changes before council consideration.

Ending: Council did not take enforcement action or vote on the property at 448 Bookcliff on March 19. Staff said they will continue work on how to apply health-and-safety standards under the HOME Act, refer code changes to planning commission and return to council with recommendations.