Resident engagement is focal point for 2023 Meth contamination
The Longmont Housing Authority hopes to increase its resident outreach efforts in 2023.
During its regular meeting Tuesday, the LHA Board of Commissioners, which consists of the Longmont City Council, discussed the authority’s goals for the year.
No. 1 on its list: “Ensure that Longmont Housing Authority (LHA) residents and properties are safe and welcoming using healthy and inclusive communication processes.”
LHA provides housing and related services to low and moderate income families and elderly individuals.
The authority has 462 units across nine properties and had a 93% overall occupancy rate in December.
“We’ve made sure that resident quality of life is a standing agenda item at the (LHA) Advisory Board (meetings),” Molly O’donnell, Longmont housing and community investment division director, said during Tuesday’s LHA Board meeting. “And, make sure we’re doing quality-oflife add-ons at the properties as much as possible. We were able to increase budgets for that … (in) 2023.”
Last year, the LHA started holding “Coffee & Conversations” at each of its properties on a quarterly basis to discuss property-specific goals brought up by residents.
The authority plans to host more quarterly engagement events in 2023, including “addiction recovery support, neighborhood watch meetings, (and) talks on topics by subject matter experts,” according to the packet of materials for Tuesday’s meeting.
“We are hitting this where we can, but you can see there is still work to be done,” O’donnell said.
As of Jan. 10, two units at The Suites Supportive Housing, at 2000 Sunset Way, were “down due to meth,” according to an LHA occupancy report.
One of the units still needed to be decontaminated and the other, which has been vacant for 229 days, is undergoing reconstruction, the report stated.
An LHA spokesperson previously said that meth contamination in a one-bedroom apartment at The Suites cost approximately $100,000 to remediate, including roughly $3,000 for testing, $25,000 for cleaning and $73,000 for remodeling.
The authority is in communication with a New Zealand-based company to utilize 50 meth detectors as part of a test project. The devices would work similar to carbonmonoxide detectors but for methamphetamine and, officials hope, would deter individuals from using the highly addictive substance in their units.
“When you look at the cost of (meth) remediation and what we’re having to do, it’s a big difference,” said Harold Dominguez, Longmont city manager.
A separate property update said that public safety calls to The Suites were “low” in December.
“At the end of the day it’s about the health, safety and welfare of all the residents that are living in these facilities and making sure that they’re safe,” Dominguez said.