Westminster staff present housing strategy, affordable projects and repair programs amid documented housing deficits

City planning and economic development staff outlined Westminster’s housing strategy, preservation programs and current affordable-housing projects during a community board meeting.

The presentation, led by John McConnell, planning manager; Andrew Spurgeon, long-range planner; and Vivian Del Peso, housing administrator, summarized recent changes to city policy, the housing element added to the city’s comprehensive plan, and active projects and programs intended to expand and preserve affordable housing.

Why it matters: staff said Westminster faces multi-tier housing deficits across income bands and that local tools — planning changes, incentives and targeted funding — are needed to preserve existing affordable units and expand new ones.

Key policy changes and planning context

Andrew Spurgeon described the planning framework. He said the city’s new comprehensive plan now contains an explicit housing element and that staff have focused on aligning development requirements with a shrinking land inventory (roughly 2% of city land remains developable, by staff comment). The plan seeks to increase “missing middle” housing types — duplexes, townhomes and smaller multiunit buildings — and to site higher densities in targeted areas such as Downtown Westminster and Westminster Station.

Spurgeon also outlined code changes already adopted: an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) ordinance enacted last fall and inclusion of a code appendix to allow tiny homes in the city’s building code. He described a free pre-application process that brings planning, building, fire and utilities staff together early with prospective developers to reduce upfront design costs.

Active affordable projects and partnerships

Vivian Del Peso described two projects in development. Maker (a housing authority based in Adams County, referenced in the presentation as “Maker”) is planning roughly 70 affordable units in the Uplands area; Del Peso said 10 of those units will be set aside for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and that the ground floor may host a Head Start preschool to provide wraparound supports for families.

A separate project, identified in the presentation as the Overlook at Uplands from Saint Charles, was described as proposing approximately 247 affordable units targeted to households at roughly 40%–70% of area median income (AMI). Del Peso noted AMI-based targeting is required for many state and federal funding programs used to support affordable projects.

Preservation and repair programs

Del Peso and staff explained the city’s Emergency Essential Home Repair (EEHR) program, funded with Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) federal dollars. The program provides up to $10,000 in eligible repairs for income-qualified, owner-occupied households, with an explicit focus on safety and accessibility upgrades (for example, mobility ramps and handrail/stair replacements). The city also uses limited CDBG funds to help multifamily affordable properties cover necessary repairs that preserve affordability and prevent displacement.

Housing needs assessment and gaps

Staff cited a 2024 housing needs assessment that shows shortages across multiple income bands. They emphasized that units at the lowest income levels (0–30% AMI) usually require deep subsidy and wraparound services typically run by county partners, while units in the 30–80% AMI range rely heavily on housing authorities and state or federal funding to be financially feasible. Staff said deficits in market-rate units in turn pressure middle-income availability.

Tools and incentives under consideration

Del Peso and Spurgeon said the city currently relies mainly on negotiation and incentives — such as fee rebates or development agreements — to secure affordability in larger projects, particularly when the city owns land or can offer infrastructure concessions. Staff said they are exploring broader strategies to increase affordable supply and expect to bring a set of recommendations to City Council for further policy direction later in the year.

Quotations from presenters

“We want more variety, more mixed use, more diversity in housing,” Andrew Spurgeon said, summing up the comprehensive-plan direction. “There are only about 2% of our land sites still available for development.”

Del Peso said the availability of some supportive programs is uncertain at the federal level and that sponsors are discussing contingency strategies: “If there isn’t funding for Head Start, that’s something partners are discussing and planning for.”

Ending

Staff concluded by encouraging continued board engagement and said they would return to Council with more robust recommendations on housing strategies. Board members thanked the presenters and said they would follow up with additional questions and requests for data.