Urban Wildfires Intensify Affordability Crisis in Boulder, Colorado
After the 2021 Marshall Fire, hundreds of homes in Boulder County, Colorado, were rebuilt, but not without changing the character of the community. Homes that once cost around $700,000 were replaced with multi-million-dollar structures, pricing out long-time residents and renters. The fire also exacerbated existing housing affordability issues in the region, which have long been a problem.
Deserai Anderson Crow, a professor at the University of Colorado Denver, noted that disasters often highlight existing inequities, but also exacerbate them. When communities rebuild, homes are often replaced with more expensive and bigger structures, leading to rising property values and higher property taxes, insurance, and rents for surrounding homes.
According to CNN, only 8% of affected homeowners had full guaranteed replacement coverage, and many were forced to sell their properties for under $375,000. Homebound Technologies, a company founded after the 2017 Tubbs Fire in California, bought some of these properties and constructed larger new builds that are selling for over $1.4 million.
Christina Eisert, a single mom who lost her home in the fire, described the experience as a “free-for-all.” She and her sons were displaced and had to navigate a chaotic housing market where rents had increased by over 20%. “The disaster funding wasn’t really accessible to renters, and I probably lost maybe $100,000 worth of property,” Eisert said.
Kelsea Best, an assistant professor at The Ohio State University, research has shown that disasters can lead to increased rents in the years following a storm, particularly for renters. Her research suggests that post-storm assistance should be more targeted to help renters and focus on repairing and reconstructing rental homes.
Efforts to address affordability in Boulder County include creating community land trusts, relaxing rental rules, and ensuring disaster funding reaches those most in need. The Colorado Resiliency Office, established after the 2013 flood in Boulder County, works closely with communities to understand their risks and prepare for potential disasters.
Julie DiBiase, a Boulder resident, started a Facebook group to connect Marshall Fire victims with those affected by fires in California. The group has grown to over 1,100 members and aims to provide survivor-to-survivor support.