Summer 2020 Resident Newsletter and Latest Updates
June 26, 2020
A Letter From Boulder Housing Partners' Executive Director
We hope you are staying healthy and well in the Safer-at-Home phase in Colorado. We're writing today to share some of our facility updates, latest community resources, and ways to connect this summer in Boulder - whether it be outdoors on the trails or virtually through local online events.
We continue to follow safety protocols at Boulder Housing Partners and we remind everyone to wear face coverings in community spaces, to maintain 6 feet of distance, and to wash hands regularly to support health and safety in our communities. Boulder County Public Health recently posted this video: youtu.be/sRIdkWKcRbo by the National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST) demonstrating how air moves when we breathe out, and how different face coverings minimize where it spreads. It’s a great short visual by NIST (our Boulder neighbor!) if you’d like to take a moment to watch.
I'd also like to highlight another neighboring organization in Boulder, Boulder B-Cycle, and thank them for their partnership in providing free Annual Passes to their bike sharing program for BHP households. Read on below to learn more.
Stay well,
Jeremy Durham
Latest Updates on BHP Facility Openings
Remote Services Continue
To ensure safety of community members and staff, Boulder Housing Partners will continue to provide most services remotely via phone or email. During this time, we encourage everyone to continue to stay in touch by:
- Conducting business by phone or email. Our main office can be reached at (720) 564-4610 or bhpinfo@boulderhousing.org
- Emailing or dropping off any and all paperwork in drop boxes.
- Placing maintenance requests for BHP apartment homes at (720) 564-4620 or workorder@boulderhousing.org. Workorders are being prioritized based on critical need at this time.
Limited In-Person Appointments
The Property Management, Resident Services and Housing Choice Voucher teams are now offering limited in-person appointments in addition to remote services by phone and email. In-person meetings can be scheduled by appointment only to complete essential functions that cannot be efficiently completed otherwise. For everyone’s health and safety, only scheduled appointments can take place in-person, and both staff and members of the public will be required to follow safety guidelines.
BHP's main office is open by appointment only on Mondays and Wednesdays from 8 a.m - 2 p.m. Offices located at BHP communities are open by appointment only as needed. Contact your BHP team member directly to schedule an appointment.
Playgrounds
Following Boulder County Public Health and the City of Boulder Parks and Recreation guidelines, we are pleased to share that BHP's playgrounds are now open again. When using the playgrounds, please follow the guidelines required by Public Health:
- Please note that playgrounds and other surfaces are not disinfected.
- Wash and or sanitize hands before, during and after use of any playground equipment.
- Stay home if you feel sick.
- Maintain 6 feet of space from anyone not from your household.
- Always bring a face covering to wear outdoors.
- Playground is limited to 25 people. Limit other group sizes to 10 people.
Thank you for protecting the well-being of your community by following these expectations. With your help, we hope to keep the playgrounds open so children can enjoy the playground equipment.
Community Centers
For now, Boulder Housing Partners' community centers remain closed. We will share any future updates with you.
Neighborhood News
Free Annual Boulder B-cycle Pass Available to BHP Residents and Participants
Experience the ease and fun of shared bicycles! Boulder B-cycle’s 300 shared bikes are available at more than 40 locations in Boulder for short trips between stations, and, we're excited to share that BHP residents and participants qualify for free system use. Every trip less than 60 minutes will be free; overtime fees of $3/half hour apply to all trips over 60 minutes.
- To receive your free pass details, visit: www.boulderhousing.org/bcycles-bhp
- To learn about Boulder B-cycles, visit: www.boulderbcycle.org or call (303) 532-4412 (option 3) any day of the week from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
A Note from your Pest Safety Team
With nature blooming around us, we often see more ants, insects and other small critter activity. As pest tedhnicians, our goal is to always ensure protection and safety for BHP residents, communities and property. With that in mind, your pest safety team asks you to follow these guidelines to minimize pest activity:
- Call in a routine workorder as soon as you suspect a problem with any critters: 720-564-4620. Pest inspections are free to residents.
- Dispose of garbage quickly and keep flooring & counter surfaces clean.
- Be sure to fully read and follow instructions you may receive from your pest team.
- Contact pest specialist Nancy Specian at (720) 564-4611 with any questions or concerns.
In the Community
Boulder Public Library’s Summer of Discovery
Explore book recommendations and free virtual events for adults, teens, tweens and kids.
The library's Summer of Discovery page (www.boulderlibrary.org/summer) offers activities for all ages and a way to track your participation to win prizes. The Summer of Discovery shares great reading ideas and events you can join like taking a hip hop dance class, learning to write your life in poetry, or visiting with some raptors with the Rocky Mountain Raptor program.
Enjoy Boulder's Open Space and Mountain Parks
- Local trails are open for responsible recreation. Visit OSMP's website for trail maps, latest closures and COVID-19 guidelines: www.bouldercolorado.gov/osmp.
- Visit the OSMP kids page for fun activities that can be done on the trails or at home: www.bouldercolorado.gov/osmp/kids-pages
- Visit OSMP's Osprey Cam for an in-home nature experience: www.bouldercolorado.gov/osmp/osprey-cam
- Join the Outside Every Day Challenge for kids created in by OSMP, Thorne Nature Center and other local organizations. When you sign the pledge, you can receive emails from OutsideEveryDayChallenge.org with activities, contests, safety tips, and encouragement. Click here to sign the pledge today: www.outsideeverydaychallenge.org!
Free Technology Support for Older Adults
Tech Pals is a local non-profit that provides free technology support to Older Adults. They help individuals use technology to get groceries delivered, access digital books online, and video chat to keep in touch with loved ones while social distancing. Support can be provided over the phone or on a conferencing application like Zoom. For more information, email info@thetechpals.org or call 720-759-8637.
Haven’t completed your 2020 Census yet? Respond today!
The city of Boulder has reached a 69.5% completion rate as of today! In comparison Boulder County has completed a 72.4%. We need to ensure everyone is counted. Please reach out to friends, neighbors, and family members and spread the importance of completing the Census.
The Census
- Is important to many programs and services such as Medicaid, Section 8 housing vouchers, federal Pell Grants, childcare assistance, Head Start, and many more.
- Impacts voting districts and defines the number of congressional representatives each state gets.
- Is representational of our community. For every person who isn’t counted, we lose about $23,000 over the next decade. If we miss 100 residents, Boulder County could lose almost $2.3 million of dollars in federal funding!
To complete the census visit my2020census.gov or call 844-330-2020 (English) or 844-468-2020 (Spanish).
Community Updates
Coronavirus Relief for BVSD Families: Food Distribution Continues
BVSD will continue distributing several meals' worth of food items and fresh produce to families every Tuesday and Thursday between 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. free-of-charge at different school locations throughout Boulder. Learn more, including locations, contact information, and options if you have challenges picking up food for yourself and family, at: www.food.bvsd.org/programs/emergency-food-program
RTD Resumes Fare Collection and Front-Door Boarding July 1
Beginning July 1, riders will board at the front of buses and will be asked to pay with a ticket, pass or cash when riding on the RTD system. With safety being RTD’s top priority, the agency requests that riders wear a face covering and practice social distancing when riding or waiting to board vehicles by staying at least 6 feet apart from other people. To learn more about the RTD's coronavirus safety measures, visit www.rtd-denver.com/coronavirus.
Mediation Services Offered by the City of Boulder
The City of Boulder Community Mediation Service (CMS) provides free mediation, restorative justice and meeting facilitation services for City of Boulder residents. CMS also provides neutral information relating to landlord-tenant matters. More information can be found at www.bouldercolorado.gov/community-relations/mediation-program, by calling 303-441-4364, or e-mailing mediation@bouldercolorado.gov.
City of Boulder Food Tax Rebate Extended Deadline
The City of Boulder Food Tax Rebate application deadline has been extended from June 30 to September 30. To learn more about eligibility and how to apply visit: www.bouldercolorado.gov/older-adults/food-tax-rebate-program or call Jay Allen, Program Administrator, at 303-441-1836.
Community Food Share Mobile Pantries
Fresh produce, dairy, and pantry items are available free-of-charge through Community Food Share at several outdoor locations in a mobile pantry for those in need of food assistance. Due to COVID-19, food distributions continue to follow a drive-through model. For dates and locations visit: www.communityfoodshare.org/get-food/services-we-provide/mobile-pantries/ or call (303) 652-3663.
Additional COVID-19 Resources
Many organizations are helping in various ways during this time of COVID-19. Visit our COVID-19 additional resources page (www.boulderhousing.org/covid19-resources) to learn more. There you can also find how to connect with Resident Services if you’re looking for help navigating resources or are experiencing isolation during this time. We also encourage all residents to stay in touch with their Property Management teams with any questions!
Thank you
Thank you for remembering to follow The Big 3 of COVID-19 safety, and for your support as we all do our part to keep each other safe and healthy.
