County approves letter to request $50,000 DOLA incentive funding for expedited housing review

The Ouray County Board unanimously approved a request to send a letter to the Colorado Department of Local Affairs seeking up to $50,000 in early‑adoption incentive funding for fast‑track affordable‑housing review processes under Proposition 123. Eva Henson, housing services director with Home Trust of Ouray County, explained the county qualified for the incentive and that the additional funds would require no local match.

Henson said the requested incentive would be added as a new line to an existing regional grant, extend Home Trust’s housing services‑administrator contract for up to one additional year, and allow Home Trust to provide financial oversight and grantee administration for the added funds covering Ouray County, the City of Ouray and the Town of Ridgeway. "The county is currently eligible for $50,000 in incentive funding specifically for the fast track…processes," Henson said, and asked the board to authorize the letter and to include all three commissioners' signatures on the submission.

Commissioners directed staff to add all three commissioners’ names and authorized routing of the signed letter through the county manager or staff who manage signatures to meet DOLA’s timeline. Henson said DOLA's guidance suggested batching letters monthly and that first‑round incentive processing takes roughly two months; she planned to route the signed letter promptly so Ridgeway and the county could submit timely requests.