Aurora staff, consultant outline HUD-required five-year consolidated plan and early findings on housing needs

City staff and consultant Heidi Aguilar of RootPolicy presented an update on Aurora’s five-year consolidated plan — a HUD-required document that steers how the city uses federal housing and community development grants for the next five years. Aguilar said the consolidated plan will be integrated with the city’s housing strategy update and must be submitted to HUD by mid-August.

Aguilar outlined the federal programs covered by the plan including the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), the HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) and the Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG). She said Aurora receives roughly $1 million annually in HOME funding and noted CDBG has a cap limiting services to 15% of that program’s allocation. The consolidated plan must show how HUD funds will address housing, community development, supportive services and institutional gaps for low- and moderate-income residents.

Aguilar presented market analysis findings: household incomes have risen since 2018, but income growth has not matched the increase in home prices and interest rates, making purchasing a home more difficult. She said cost burden — households paying more than 30% of income for housing — remains high among renters (about 59%), while severe renter cost burden (more than 50% of income) rose from roughly 30% to 33%.

The consultant also presented a gaps analysis showing insufficient affordable rental supply for renters earning up to about $50,000 annually; the largest shortages are among very low-income renters and those earning $25,000–$35,000. Aguilar said buying a home in Aurora remains out of reach for many renters unless household income approaches six figures. Early community engagement has included about 15 stakeholder interviews, tabling at public events and a resident survey that was open through June 30; Aguilar said staff are scheduling focus groups with people with lived experience of homelessness and other targeted conversations.

Stakeholders and residents raised concerns about displacement pressures in Northwest Aurora, including around the Anschutz Health Campus (noted in stakeholder remarks). Residents and providers said more flexible emergency assistance, security-deposit support and child-care access to enable work are needed. Aguilar said staff will publish a draft plan for public comment in mid July and hold hearings before the mid-August submission deadline.