Westminster staff backs participation in DRCOG regional housing assessment; council presses for inventory of aging affordable units and water constraints

Westminster staff told the City Council on Aug. 18 that joining the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) regional housing needs assessment would allow Westminster to comply with statutory housing‑needs requirements due in December 2026 while preserving local control over implementation.

Vivianne “Vivi” Delpizo, the city’s housing administrator, said the DRCOG assessment projects a regional need of between 220,000 and 230,000 new homes across the Denver region from 2023–2032 and that the DRCOG analysis attributes roughly 7,300 housing units to Westminster’s share of regional demand in that period. She told the council the regional report breaks need by area median income (AMI) bands and that the greatest need is for households below 50% of AMI.

Delpizo emphasized the DRCOG work gives Westminster access to a shared data foundation and technical assistance while allowing the city to continue its own local housing analysis. “The regional housing needs assessment allows Westminster to comply with the statutorily required housing needs … by December 2026 while maintaining our flexibility and our local control,” she said.

Councilors pressed staff on several follow‑up items. They requested a local inventory of aging and naturally occurring affordable housing to understand which low‑cost units are at risk from physical deterioration or expiring deed restrictions. Councilors also asked staff to map deed‑restricted properties whose affordability covenants may be nearing expiration and to provide a GIS view showing where affordable units, supportive housing and market‑rate development are concentrated.

Water and sewer capacity were raised repeatedly as practical constraints on new housing. Staff acknowledged limits on water rights and sewer infrastructure in parts of the city and said the city is conducting an in‑house analysis to estimate how many units could realistically be built under current zoning, comp‑plan designations and utility constraints. Staff said they expect to return with that analysis later this year or in early 2026 to inform an actionable housing strategy aligned with physical capacity and infrastructure.

Councilors and staff noted complementary local work already under way—Westminster’s past housing needs assessment, CDBG allocations and code/policy changes intended to encourage missing‑middle and for‑sale housing. Several councilors supported participating in DRCOG’s regional assessment as a cost‑effective way to obtain data and tools the city could use alongside its own targeted study.

No formal vote was taken Aug. 18; staff said they would transmit council comments to DRCOG and continue the city’s internal build‑capacity study and mapping work.