Affordable housing activists tread local path of awareness

0 Comments | Gazette, The (Colorado Springs), Aug 15, 2004 | by DENNIS HUSPENI THE GAZETTE

Dozens of activists let their feet do the talking Saturday as they hiked along Monument Creek to raise awareness about the lack of affordable housing in Colorado Springs.

Organized by Housing Justice, a nonprofit advocacy group based in Denver, the Colorado Springs leg of the "People's Walk" came near the end of an 800-mile trek that started in Denver on June 5.

"People don't understand that affordable housing affects civil workers, teachers, police, firefighters," said Karen Jolly of Colorado Springs, the event's local organizer. "Colorado Springs is a desirable place to live, so people with money come in and drive the price of housing up."

Although most of the 30 or so walkers Saturday were connected to Housing Justice, some were Colorado Springs residents.

Patti White of Colorado Springs fitted her golden retriever, Chauncey, with a small Housing Justice sandwichboard sign.

"I hope this would be a good way to raise awareness," White said.

Colorado House District 18 Rep. Mike Merrifield, D-Manitou Springs, participated. In comments before the walk, he defined the affordable housing problem, saying 17,000 Colorado residents are homeless.

"Stagnant wages and everincreasing housing costs have left increasing numbers of families homeless," Merrifield said, pointing out that minimumwage workers make $10,700 annually, $3,000 below the federal poverty level.

He challenged El Paso County legislators to take steps to improve the affordable housing market.

Denver architect Blake Chambliss, 69, has walked every step, from Denver to Fort Collins out to Grand Junction, down to Pueblo and north again.

"It's a great way to see Colorado," said Chambliss, who has been walking 10 to 15 miles a day, six days a week since June 5. He estimates he will have put one foot in front of the other 1.6 million times by next Saturday. He trained for six months.

"I've been involved with affordable housing for 35 years," he said. "The problem has gotten particularly worse in the last 15 years as federal funding has dried up, and the state has reduced its commitment.

"Most people don't have a housing problem, so they don't realize the problems others are having. This is not just an issue for homeless people, it's an issue that affects the people sitting beside you in church."

Housing Justice hopes to create a Colorado Housing Trust Fund, which would help people with down payments and provide rent subsidies and award grants to businesses building affordable housing.

The walkers marched past a group of homeless people hanging out and smoking in Monument Valley Park.

How's the affordable housing in Colorado Springs?

"Real quick and easy, it sucks," said Vernon McCune, 38. "I don't have enough to pay the rent with these jobs welfare wants you to take."

McCune said he's got a wife and four children and can't find a job that will pay for housing and food.

"If you use the shelter as your address, people won't hire you," McCune said. "They think you're an alcoholic or drug addict. But anyone can have a personal mishap where you have to start all over again."

Marlon Wilson, 50, said he tries to work day labor, but at the end of a day of physical work, he's got $35. He often must decide whether to use the money for food or to get into a cheap hotel for one night.

"I don't know anyone who can get anywhere taking day labor," Wilson said. "I've even tried to knock on doors to cut people's lawns."

Wilson agreed it would help if the minimum wage went up.

"The costs of all the things you need are going up: food, clothes - - so personal wages should go up, too," he said.

The walk culminates in Denver on Saturday, where organizers will present to state legislators the shoe prints of all who walked.

"We spent a lot of hours meeting people," said Director Britta Fisher.

"It's important to capture what they're saying and feeling and take that back to the Capitol."

CONTACT THE WRITER: 636-0110 or dhuspeni@gazette.com