Written by: Beverly Corbell - Ouray County Watch
Posted by: Erin Eddy
County assessor offices make valuations of property every two years, Griffith said, and many property owners expected to see their property values going lower than they were in 2007.
But that’s not the reality, she said.
“The perception of property owners, especially those who have had their property on the market for a length of time, is that values are dropping,” Griffith said in a news release. “However, in general, that is not the case. The assessors’ values are not based on the number of sales but on the prices of the properties that have sold.”
Actual values of properties are determined “after careful analysis” of sales prior to June 30, 2008, and the value becomes the basis for property taxes, Griffith said.
“To derive the property tax, the actual value of the property is multiplied by the assessment rate,” she said. “This result is then multiplied by the total mil levy specific to each property.”
The data that revealed the Western Slope is “bucking the trend” nationally was the result of several weeks of collaboration to identify trends in valuations for the region, with a lot of help from Montrose County Assessor Brad Hughes and Ouray County Assessor Susie Mayfield, Griffith said. Also helping compile data were the county assessors from the counties of Moffatt, Routt, Rio Blanco, Garfield, Eagle, Mesa, Pitkin, Delta, Gunnison, San Miguel, San Juan, Montezuma, and La Plata.
The collaboration was a first for the 16 counties, Griffith said.
“We actually started working on the project in January, and this is the first time we all came together with a press release, but we all wanted to get this information out,” she said.
Just what the future holds as far as valuations are concerned is anybody’s guess, Mayfield said.
The next valuation period, in 2011, will depend on sales from January of this year through June of 2010, she said.
“It’s hard to say what 2011 will bring,” she said. “We haven’t gotten to the normal real estate market time – summertime – and it’s hard to say what the economy will do and what people will be able to pay for a home or land.”
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Ouray Real Estate up for bid
County puts surplus land up for bidding
Written By Patrick Davarn
Posted by: Erin Eddy
www.ourayland.com
www.ridgwayland.com
County commissioners are in the process of offering for sale, to the highest bidder, several parcels of land in Ouray.
The Board of County Commissioners adopted a resolution Monday that declares Lots 3-5, and Lots 20-22, both within Block 1 near and above the intersection of Highway 550 and County Road 361 as surplus. The property will be offered for sale in accordance with the county policy.
County Administrator Connie Hunt described access to the parcels as Òvery verticalÓ and at present of no practical use to the county. Consideration of selling it began when adjacent property owner Bob Smith approached the BOCC last month and asked about a right-of-way easement or if he could buy the property.
HuntÕs follow-up report to the BOCC included a suggestion of declaring the property as surplus as it has Òno efficient or appropriate useÓ and that it not be sold for less than fair market value. An appraiser will be hired and Hunt said the buyer, if any bid is accepted, will reimburse the county for that cost.
During last monthÕs discussion, Commissioner Keith Meinert suggested that the land be put up for bid. On Monday he repeated his assertion that it is not being done specifically for one interested party.
ÒWe are not catering to one individual,Ó said Meinert. ÒAll we are saying is this property is surplus, it doesnÕt fit any county purposes and we are willing to dispose of it.Ó
Meinert said if the county agrees to accept a bid on the property, any development of the parcels must conform with City of Ouray regulations.
Hunt said at the BOCCÕs April 13 meeting that any proceeds from the sale, should the county accept a bid, will be deposited and held in a separate account. She suggested that any such funds be used in the future for capital projects or to have matching funds required for most grants.
BOCC Chairman Heidi Albritton said she liked the idea of a separate account, not placing any such revenues in the General Fund. ÒI suggest we have a discussion on how to earmark these kinds of funds, especially for use in improving our (county) facilities,Ó she said.
Commissioner Lynn Padgett agreed. ÒDay-to-day operations should not be funded by the sale of our assets.Ó
Smith informed county officials that he owns six lots next to those owned by the county and two lots owned by Tom and Cynthia Vallejos, with whom he is seeking access. In a letter to the BOCC he said their intention is to gain access to their land from a site near the Colorado Department of Transportation facility along CR 361.
Written By Patrick Davarn
Posted by: Erin Eddy
www.ourayland.com
www.ridgwayland.com
County commissioners are in the process of offering for sale, to the highest bidder, several parcels of land in Ouray.
The Board of County Commissioners adopted a resolution Monday that declares Lots 3-5, and Lots 20-22, both within Block 1 near and above the intersection of Highway 550 and County Road 361 as surplus. The property will be offered for sale in accordance with the county policy.
County Administrator Connie Hunt described access to the parcels as Òvery verticalÓ and at present of no practical use to the county. Consideration of selling it began when adjacent property owner Bob Smith approached the BOCC last month and asked about a right-of-way easement or if he could buy the property.
HuntÕs follow-up report to the BOCC included a suggestion of declaring the property as surplus as it has Òno efficient or appropriate useÓ and that it not be sold for less than fair market value. An appraiser will be hired and Hunt said the buyer, if any bid is accepted, will reimburse the county for that cost.
During last monthÕs discussion, Commissioner Keith Meinert suggested that the land be put up for bid. On Monday he repeated his assertion that it is not being done specifically for one interested party.
ÒWe are not catering to one individual,Ó said Meinert. ÒAll we are saying is this property is surplus, it doesnÕt fit any county purposes and we are willing to dispose of it.Ó
Meinert said if the county agrees to accept a bid on the property, any development of the parcels must conform with City of Ouray regulations.
Hunt said at the BOCCÕs April 13 meeting that any proceeds from the sale, should the county accept a bid, will be deposited and held in a separate account. She suggested that any such funds be used in the future for capital projects or to have matching funds required for most grants.
BOCC Chairman Heidi Albritton said she liked the idea of a separate account, not placing any such revenues in the General Fund. ÒI suggest we have a discussion on how to earmark these kinds of funds, especially for use in improving our (county) facilities,Ó she said.
Commissioner Lynn Padgett agreed. ÒDay-to-day operations should not be funded by the sale of our assets.Ó
Smith informed county officials that he owns six lots next to those owned by the county and two lots owned by Tom and Cynthia Vallejos, with whom he is seeking access. In a letter to the BOCC he said their intention is to gain access to their land from a site near the Colorado Department of Transportation facility along CR 361.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Affordable Ouray Real Estate
Regional Housing Authority Moves Ahead With Plan
by Gus JarvisApr 15, 2009 | 40 views | 0 | 0 | | Short-Term Solutions Include Home Rehabilitation and Weatherization
OURAY – While there is little question of the need for affordable housing in Ouray County, the actual number of units required to catch up with the region’s current growth, and projected growth, is a moving target. Combine that with the recession and streamlined budgets of local governments and the process of solving the region’s housing problems has been no easy task for the 10-member Regional Housing Authority.
Still, the group of elected and appointed officials from the City of Ouray, Town of Ridgway and Ouray County is three-quarters of the way finished with a housing plan.
Ridgway Town Planner Jen Coates, who sits on the housing authority board, told the Ouray Board of County Commissioners on Monday that even if affordable housing units cannot be funded immediately because of tightened budgets, the housing authority still intends to create an effective and realistic housing plan for the region.
The authority, with the help of consultant Melanie Rees, has been formulating its plan with data from the 2008-completed housing needs assessment. According to that assessment, there is currently a need for 149 units of affordable housing to catch up with current demands. By 2015, the region will need close to 200. The assessment also states that 75 percent of employees who work within Ridgway live outside Ouray County and that housing costs have increased 10 percent a year with real employee wages increasing at a rate of 2.1 percent a year.
With the understanding that those numbers may have changed from the time the assessment was completed in 2008, the housing authority decided to reassess them in formulating the plan.
“In light of the current economy and changes, we thought it would be a good idea to check in to make sure we end up with a realistic and effective plan that we can feel comfortable putting into action,” Coates told the commissioners. She did not go into details on how those housing needs may have changed, but said the housing action plan and final report will be completed by the end of May.
“We know what the need is,” she said, adding that the question the group now faces is “how do we put a plan into place.”
Coates said that the final report will be made up of six components. It will address the 2008 needs assessment as well as the reevaluation and modification of those numbers to coincide with current conditions. The group also looked at housing trends in Ouray County, like second home ownership and the mix of housing types and income targets.
Other components of the plan call for the authority to create housing goals and objectives that outline the actual housing numbers targeted and to decide on priority strategies to solve the housing problem.
“This is, in part, where we are at right now,” Coates said. “What are our catch-up strategies and what are our keep-up strategies? Frankly, the keep-up strategies are easy. The catch-up strategies require funding. We are excited about keep-up but catch-up is going to be tricky.”
For example, Coates said municipalities can enact certain regulations for future developments that would include a certain percentage of affordable housing. These regulations, like inclusionary zoning, once in place, will be the “keep-up” as the region grows.
To play “catch-up” with the region’s housing needs, money is the main factor.
In the short-term, Coates said, one strategy is to look at the existing housing stock and then lower housing costs through house rehabilitation and weatherization programs.
“There is funding out there for those that don’t require a significant amount of cash,” she said. For example, the Youth Corps recently performed energy audits on 25 homes in Ouray County, and in so doing provided energy efficient light bulbs, handed out exterior and interior laundry lines, and installed energy efficient thermostats. The audits were funded through the Governor’s Energy Office and created by Grand Junction-based Housing Resources. Such programs can be used in this belt-tightening economy to lower housing costs and will be a part of the housing authority’s final plan.
Coates said another portion of the plan will outline the methods of implementation, while the final piece of the plan deals with its administration, or the “who is going to do it and what is it going to look like.”
After hearing from Coates, the commissioners generally agreed that the group is moving in the right direction and that collaboration between the City of Ouray, the Town of Ridgway and Ouray County to addrress housing needs remains a priority.
The final housing action plan is scheduled for presentation on May 27 at the Ouray Community Center.
by Gus JarvisApr 15, 2009 | 40 views | 0 | 0 | | Short-Term Solutions Include Home Rehabilitation and Weatherization
OURAY – While there is little question of the need for affordable housing in Ouray County, the actual number of units required to catch up with the region’s current growth, and projected growth, is a moving target. Combine that with the recession and streamlined budgets of local governments and the process of solving the region’s housing problems has been no easy task for the 10-member Regional Housing Authority.
Still, the group of elected and appointed officials from the City of Ouray, Town of Ridgway and Ouray County is three-quarters of the way finished with a housing plan.
Ridgway Town Planner Jen Coates, who sits on the housing authority board, told the Ouray Board of County Commissioners on Monday that even if affordable housing units cannot be funded immediately because of tightened budgets, the housing authority still intends to create an effective and realistic housing plan for the region.
The authority, with the help of consultant Melanie Rees, has been formulating its plan with data from the 2008-completed housing needs assessment. According to that assessment, there is currently a need for 149 units of affordable housing to catch up with current demands. By 2015, the region will need close to 200. The assessment also states that 75 percent of employees who work within Ridgway live outside Ouray County and that housing costs have increased 10 percent a year with real employee wages increasing at a rate of 2.1 percent a year.
With the understanding that those numbers may have changed from the time the assessment was completed in 2008, the housing authority decided to reassess them in formulating the plan.
“In light of the current economy and changes, we thought it would be a good idea to check in to make sure we end up with a realistic and effective plan that we can feel comfortable putting into action,” Coates told the commissioners. She did not go into details on how those housing needs may have changed, but said the housing action plan and final report will be completed by the end of May.
“We know what the need is,” she said, adding that the question the group now faces is “how do we put a plan into place.”
Coates said that the final report will be made up of six components. It will address the 2008 needs assessment as well as the reevaluation and modification of those numbers to coincide with current conditions. The group also looked at housing trends in Ouray County, like second home ownership and the mix of housing types and income targets.
Other components of the plan call for the authority to create housing goals and objectives that outline the actual housing numbers targeted and to decide on priority strategies to solve the housing problem.
“This is, in part, where we are at right now,” Coates said. “What are our catch-up strategies and what are our keep-up strategies? Frankly, the keep-up strategies are easy. The catch-up strategies require funding. We are excited about keep-up but catch-up is going to be tricky.”
For example, Coates said municipalities can enact certain regulations for future developments that would include a certain percentage of affordable housing. These regulations, like inclusionary zoning, once in place, will be the “keep-up” as the region grows.
To play “catch-up” with the region’s housing needs, money is the main factor.
In the short-term, Coates said, one strategy is to look at the existing housing stock and then lower housing costs through house rehabilitation and weatherization programs.
“There is funding out there for those that don’t require a significant amount of cash,” she said. For example, the Youth Corps recently performed energy audits on 25 homes in Ouray County, and in so doing provided energy efficient light bulbs, handed out exterior and interior laundry lines, and installed energy efficient thermostats. The audits were funded through the Governor’s Energy Office and created by Grand Junction-based Housing Resources. Such programs can be used in this belt-tightening economy to lower housing costs and will be a part of the housing authority’s final plan.
Coates said another portion of the plan will outline the methods of implementation, while the final piece of the plan deals with its administration, or the “who is going to do it and what is it going to look like.”
After hearing from Coates, the commissioners generally agreed that the group is moving in the right direction and that collaboration between the City of Ouray, the Town of Ridgway and Ouray County to addrress housing needs remains a priority.
The final housing action plan is scheduled for presentation on May 27 at the Ouray Community Center.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Ouray Geothermal Usage
Written by: Beverly Corbell
Posted by: Erin Eddy
www.ourayland.com
www.ridgwayland.com
OURAY — The Ouray City Council took measures at its Monday meeting that will have direct effects on the Ouray Hot Springs Pool: bring more hot water in and keep cold water out.
The council awarded an engineering contract at the meeting to study replacing the Skyrocket Creek diversion, which washed away in 2006, and “in a major flood event” could potentially flood out the pool, said city manager Patrick Rondinelli. The contract was awarded to McMillan Engineering of Ridgway.
A second engineering contract was given to Monadock Mineral Services of Ouray to determine work needed to replace the hot water line from Box Canyon that feeds the Ouray pool.
The current line leaks, Rondinelli said, losing water and heat along the way. The section of line to be replaced runs from Box Canyon to Third Avenue and Oak streets, he said.
“Where the source is, are significant holes in the line from scree debris, and with the river channel, it undercuts the line and (the line) is actually hanging in the air,” he said. “We’re in jeopardy of closing that line, which would have significant impact on the pool.”
Not only will the hot water line be replaced, but other sources of hot water from the many geothermal springs around Ouray will be located, not only for the pool but to increase the likelihood of producing geothermal energy.
Monadock will partner with West Water Engineering to complete the study, Rondinelli said.
“We are really excited to move forward, and in the best-case scenario we hope to have the engineering done by mid-summer and start construction this fall during low river season,” he said. “We still have to go out and get funding for construction and it will probably be next year before the real work is done.”
The Skyrocket diversion project will protect both the pool and U.S. Highway 550 from potential flood damage in case of a major flood event like the flood of 1929. That event “flooded the power plant, took the railroad section house and almost got the depot. Bridges and roads vanished and the Hot Springs Pool filled with mud, rock and debris…,” according to A Brief History of Ouray by historian Doris Gregory.
The Skyrocket diversion has not been replaced since it washed away in 2006, Rondinelli said, and the channel of the creek still wants to run north – to the pool.
“If we do have a significant event, there is nothing to stop it from coming back to its historical drainage, especially if it became plugged,” he said. “Everything would go toward the pool, and we’re just lucky that it hasn’t happened.”
Funding for both engineering studies comes from a $60,000 grant from the state Department of Local Affairs and $40,000 in matching funds from the city, Rondinelli said.
Both projects are vital to Ouray, Rondinelli said. Flooding from Skyrocket Creek could damage the pool in a major flood, he said, and could wash away sections of U.S. Highway 550, the major evacuation route from Ouray to the north.
Keeping the city-owned hot springs pool hot is important because the pool attracts visitors and contributes about $1 million annually to the city’s parks system, Rondinelli said.
“It’s a major tourist attraction, one of the many assets we have along with the beauty of the terrain, the Jeep trails and hiking trails, restaurants and shops, and obviously is a major draw that helps bring people here,” he said.
Posted by: Erin Eddy
www.ourayland.com
www.ridgwayland.com
OURAY — The Ouray City Council took measures at its Monday meeting that will have direct effects on the Ouray Hot Springs Pool: bring more hot water in and keep cold water out.
The council awarded an engineering contract at the meeting to study replacing the Skyrocket Creek diversion, which washed away in 2006, and “in a major flood event” could potentially flood out the pool, said city manager Patrick Rondinelli. The contract was awarded to McMillan Engineering of Ridgway.
A second engineering contract was given to Monadock Mineral Services of Ouray to determine work needed to replace the hot water line from Box Canyon that feeds the Ouray pool.
The current line leaks, Rondinelli said, losing water and heat along the way. The section of line to be replaced runs from Box Canyon to Third Avenue and Oak streets, he said.
“Where the source is, are significant holes in the line from scree debris, and with the river channel, it undercuts the line and (the line) is actually hanging in the air,” he said. “We’re in jeopardy of closing that line, which would have significant impact on the pool.”
Not only will the hot water line be replaced, but other sources of hot water from the many geothermal springs around Ouray will be located, not only for the pool but to increase the likelihood of producing geothermal energy.
Monadock will partner with West Water Engineering to complete the study, Rondinelli said.
“We are really excited to move forward, and in the best-case scenario we hope to have the engineering done by mid-summer and start construction this fall during low river season,” he said. “We still have to go out and get funding for construction and it will probably be next year before the real work is done.”
The Skyrocket diversion project will protect both the pool and U.S. Highway 550 from potential flood damage in case of a major flood event like the flood of 1929. That event “flooded the power plant, took the railroad section house and almost got the depot. Bridges and roads vanished and the Hot Springs Pool filled with mud, rock and debris…,” according to A Brief History of Ouray by historian Doris Gregory.
The Skyrocket diversion has not been replaced since it washed away in 2006, Rondinelli said, and the channel of the creek still wants to run north – to the pool.
“If we do have a significant event, there is nothing to stop it from coming back to its historical drainage, especially if it became plugged,” he said. “Everything would go toward the pool, and we’re just lucky that it hasn’t happened.”
Funding for both engineering studies comes from a $60,000 grant from the state Department of Local Affairs and $40,000 in matching funds from the city, Rondinelli said.
Both projects are vital to Ouray, Rondinelli said. Flooding from Skyrocket Creek could damage the pool in a major flood, he said, and could wash away sections of U.S. Highway 550, the major evacuation route from Ouray to the north.
Keeping the city-owned hot springs pool hot is important because the pool attracts visitors and contributes about $1 million annually to the city’s parks system, Rondinelli said.
“It’s a major tourist attraction, one of the many assets we have along with the beauty of the terrain, the Jeep trails and hiking trails, restaurants and shops, and obviously is a major draw that helps bring people here,” he said.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Ouray Real Estate Land Use Mining Claims
March 20, 2009
Posted by: Erin Eddy
Written by: Christopher Pike
www.ourayland.com
www.ridgwayland.com
RIDGWAY – A proposed code that determines how and where a home can be built on mining claims is now in the hands of the Ouray County Planning Commission.
The document, "Historic Mining Claims District Overlay," was written by County Attorney Mark Deganhart and delivered Tuesday to planning commissioners and County Planner Mark Castrodale.
If passed, the final version will be incorporated into the Land Use Code.
The Board of County Commissioners opened its March 17 work session by explaining the vision, goals and objectives of the proposed code. Included in the draft's "purpose and intent" is a commitment to preserve the right of underground mining while accommodating residential home construction on mine land parcels. Moreover, the county seeks to "conserve and protect the natural environment and its resources while also recognizing private property rights associated with parcels in the Mining District."
The BOCC stressed there will be limited public services and facilities available to such properties due to extreme alpine terrain, geohazards and harsh climate. In some cases access by emergency vehicle may not be possible.
Provisions in the draft code include limiting road and driveway improvements and maintenance; preserving historic structures and public access to trails; restricting a home and accessory structure as well as septic and other utility systems to the site's activity envelope; and setting guidelines as to design, visual impact, lighting, fire mitigation and small-scale renewable energy systems.
"This addresses upgrading (mine land development) to something beyond what it was historically allowed," said County Commissioner Lynn Padgett.
A committee comprised of representatives from the county, U.S. Forest Service and area recreational groups is developing a map of historic trails and roads. Establishing where these routes cross existing mining claims may affect where homes can be built. "It's a huge can of worms and we're not trying to have the planning commission address that," said BOCC Chairman Heidi Albritton.
P&Z Chairman Ted Collin said, "We have a lot of questions, not many answers. But private property rights are paramount to our western civilization."
The OCPC will hold four work sessions on proposed mine land regulations with a public hearing May 19. The addition to the LUC should be adopted before July 26, the end of a six-month building moratorium on mining claims.
Posted by: Erin Eddy
Written by: Christopher Pike
www.ourayland.com
www.ridgwayland.com
RIDGWAY – A proposed code that determines how and where a home can be built on mining claims is now in the hands of the Ouray County Planning Commission.
The document, "Historic Mining Claims District Overlay," was written by County Attorney Mark Deganhart and delivered Tuesday to planning commissioners and County Planner Mark Castrodale.
If passed, the final version will be incorporated into the Land Use Code.
The Board of County Commissioners opened its March 17 work session by explaining the vision, goals and objectives of the proposed code. Included in the draft's "purpose and intent" is a commitment to preserve the right of underground mining while accommodating residential home construction on mine land parcels. Moreover, the county seeks to "conserve and protect the natural environment and its resources while also recognizing private property rights associated with parcels in the Mining District."
The BOCC stressed there will be limited public services and facilities available to such properties due to extreme alpine terrain, geohazards and harsh climate. In some cases access by emergency vehicle may not be possible.
Provisions in the draft code include limiting road and driveway improvements and maintenance; preserving historic structures and public access to trails; restricting a home and accessory structure as well as septic and other utility systems to the site's activity envelope; and setting guidelines as to design, visual impact, lighting, fire mitigation and small-scale renewable energy systems.
"This addresses upgrading (mine land development) to something beyond what it was historically allowed," said County Commissioner Lynn Padgett.
A committee comprised of representatives from the county, U.S. Forest Service and area recreational groups is developing a map of historic trails and roads. Establishing where these routes cross existing mining claims may affect where homes can be built. "It's a huge can of worms and we're not trying to have the planning commission address that," said BOCC Chairman Heidi Albritton.
P&Z Chairman Ted Collin said, "We have a lot of questions, not many answers. But private property rights are paramount to our western civilization."
The OCPC will hold four work sessions on proposed mine land regulations with a public hearing May 19. The addition to the LUC should be adopted before July 26, the end of a six-month building moratorium on mining claims.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Ouray County News
Posted by: Erin Eddy
www.ourayland.com
www.ridgwayland.com
Written by:
Gus Jarvis
Ouray County Watch
OURAY – With just over five weeks until President-Elect Barack Obama is inaugurated and with the national economy in a recession, it is the general consensus of the Ouray County Commissioners that the county should make a concerted effort to benefit from the economic stimulus package the incoming president may initiate.
While no formal action was taken at Monday’s regular meeting in Ouray, the conversation was sparked by the county’s Emergency Planning Coordinator Alan Staehle, who asked the commissioners if there are any steps to be taken to make sure the county would be in line if the new Congress funds infrastructure upgrades. Staehle further suggested that Colorado Counties Inc. could be a voice for the county.
“I am wondering if CCI shouldn’t be making sure that counties are in line for some that?” Staehle said. “We might have some opportunity if the president’s new infrastructure initiatives put some money into it at the county level.”
Commissioner Keith Meinert agreed, adding that before the National Governors Association meeting with Obama earlier this month, the Colorado Department of Transportation compiled a list of infrastructure projects that are engineered and ready to go if the new president initiates an infrastructure initiative. Locally, Meinert said the passing lane on Highway 550 near the Colona Gap and the Bear Creek Falls bridge are two projects that could be funded.
Commissioner Don Batchelder said chip-sealing roads to would be another immediate option but later cautioned that the county “is going to have to be conscious” about the cost of sustaining chip-sealed roads.
Commissioner Heidi Albritton added that one of the projects Obama has set his sights on is retrofitting public buildings to make them greener and more energy efficient. At some point the Ouray County Courthouse will be overhauled, she added.
“It sounds like Obama’s transition team is inclined to have stimulus that isn’t just roads, this might be something they would want to fast track,” Meinert said. “We are a long way from going forward with the courthouse but if there is money and they are looking for infrastructure projects quickly, that is the kind of thing to [inform] the governor of.”
The overarching question for the county is how to participate, if federal funding for local projects becomes available.
“I wonder what the best way to pursue this is,” Meinert asked, noting that Rep. John Salazar and Sen. Ken Salazar are sensitive to county issues and that it wouldn’t hurt to notify them that at the county-level “we have projects ready to go.”
The commissioners agreed to take steps to ensure the county is ready to act if a stimulus package is passed and Meinert agreed to draft a letter to CCI notifying them of Ouray County’s interest in the matter.
“If counties don’t get their foot in the door, the state could absorb any money without it going any further,” Staehle cautioned.
www.ourayland.com
www.ridgwayland.com
Written by:
Gus Jarvis
Ouray County Watch
OURAY – With just over five weeks until President-Elect Barack Obama is inaugurated and with the national economy in a recession, it is the general consensus of the Ouray County Commissioners that the county should make a concerted effort to benefit from the economic stimulus package the incoming president may initiate.
While no formal action was taken at Monday’s regular meeting in Ouray, the conversation was sparked by the county’s Emergency Planning Coordinator Alan Staehle, who asked the commissioners if there are any steps to be taken to make sure the county would be in line if the new Congress funds infrastructure upgrades. Staehle further suggested that Colorado Counties Inc. could be a voice for the county.
“I am wondering if CCI shouldn’t be making sure that counties are in line for some that?” Staehle said. “We might have some opportunity if the president’s new infrastructure initiatives put some money into it at the county level.”
Commissioner Keith Meinert agreed, adding that before the National Governors Association meeting with Obama earlier this month, the Colorado Department of Transportation compiled a list of infrastructure projects that are engineered and ready to go if the new president initiates an infrastructure initiative. Locally, Meinert said the passing lane on Highway 550 near the Colona Gap and the Bear Creek Falls bridge are two projects that could be funded.
Commissioner Don Batchelder said chip-sealing roads to would be another immediate option but later cautioned that the county “is going to have to be conscious” about the cost of sustaining chip-sealed roads.
Commissioner Heidi Albritton added that one of the projects Obama has set his sights on is retrofitting public buildings to make them greener and more energy efficient. At some point the Ouray County Courthouse will be overhauled, she added.
“It sounds like Obama’s transition team is inclined to have stimulus that isn’t just roads, this might be something they would want to fast track,” Meinert said. “We are a long way from going forward with the courthouse but if there is money and they are looking for infrastructure projects quickly, that is the kind of thing to [inform] the governor of.”
The overarching question for the county is how to participate, if federal funding for local projects becomes available.
“I wonder what the best way to pursue this is,” Meinert asked, noting that Rep. John Salazar and Sen. Ken Salazar are sensitive to county issues and that it wouldn’t hurt to notify them that at the county-level “we have projects ready to go.”
The commissioners agreed to take steps to ensure the county is ready to act if a stimulus package is passed and Meinert agreed to draft a letter to CCI notifying them of Ouray County’s interest in the matter.
“If counties don’t get their foot in the door, the state could absorb any money without it going any further,” Staehle cautioned.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Ouray Real Estate Foreclosures
Written by the Ouray Plaindealer
Posted by: Erin Eddy
www.ourayland.com
www.ridgwayland.com
Lately, a good chunk of Ouray County Treasurer Jeannine Casolari's time is taken up with the business of foreclosures ... more time than she would like.
"There's other things that go on in this office, like tax collection," she said, in forthright frustration. "February is a busy time with first half property tax payments coming in. Yesterday we collected half a million dollars of property taxes and processed them in a day."
Add to that the flood of foreclosures Casolari and her staff are currently processing, and it makes for a very full plate.
Casolari, whose steady, thoughtful demeanor is belied by a frenzy of curly gray hair and colorful glasses, says that for the size of the county, said the volume of foreclosures she's seeing is nothing short of remarkable, tripling from its rate of a year ago, with no end in sight.
In the past, Casolari said, three to six foreclosures in a year was a lot. In fact, she conducted just two foreclosure sales in 2008. But come October, the national sickness hit home. "What started as a slow year all of a sudden magnified," she said. "All of a sudden, I was getting three foreclosures in a week." By the year's end, eight more foreclosures had been filed in the county.
This year, the numbers are off the charts, in unprecedented territory, with 10 filed already, not two months into 2009. "To see us in the stages of tripling, that's what's scary," Casolari said. "It hasn't let up yet. I expect more next week. We get phone calls from people all the time asking about the fees to get the process started."
Simply keeping up with the statutorily mandated schedule for processing a foreclosure is a daunting task, upon which she and her two staff keep a hawkish eye. "All three of us are looking at these deadlines together," Casolari said.
The process goes like this: the treasurer's office receives the foreclosure packet from the attorney representing the bank which holds the defaulted mortgage. Within that hefty packet are the deed of trust on the property, the original promissory note, combined Notice of Sale, Right to Cure, and Right to Redeam, along with copies of Colorado Revised Statutes 38-38-100 through 705, an Initial Mailing list which has all known addresses for the property owner and other interested parties, a Notice of Election and Demand (NED), and a check for Casolari's expenses, which include two certified mailings, and a mandatory publication for five consecutive weeks of the Combined Notice in the county's newspaper of record.
Casolari notifies the attorney that the foreclosure packet has been received, and takes the NED across the hall to the office of the County Clerk to officially record it, and the clock starts ticking.
Exactly 125 days later (or up to 230 days for agricultural property), after an intricately timed process of mailings and legal notices, another Ouray County property owner will most likely be foreclosed upon.
Once in a while, someone is able to cure the default, and when that happens, it is a moment of quiet celebration for Casolari and her staff in the midst of the maelstrom.
Casolari's seen just one cure recently. Most often, the treasurer has to move forward with the statutorily mandated foreclosure proceedings, because that is her job.
She will conduct an initial and supplemental mailing of the foreclosure documents to every addressee specified by the attorney. The property owners alone may have up to eight different addresses listed by the attorney, ranging from their P.O. box to any known physical addresses, and in some cases, even to "occupant" at the last known street address, in the hopes that whoever is living there now will be able to forward it to the defaulted property owner in question. "They're trying everything to contact that person," Casolari explained.
Out of the 30 or so mailings that Casolari may send out for any one foreclosure, up to 20 may come back. But in the best case scenario, the property owner is successfully notified and able to cure their default – in other words, pay off the debt owed. They must provide written notice of intent to cure, within 15 days prior to the sale. And after the debt has been settled, the attorney withdraws the foreclosure.
The cure must cover the cost of the prosecuting attorney's fees, and depending on the way the mortgage is structured, the considerable interest which may have accrued since the time of the default. More often than not, this is simply beyond reach of the property owner. Then Casolari must conclude the foreclosure with a sale at the front entrance of the Courthouse.
"It's a difficult thing," Casolari said. "It's hard to say I'm doing a foreclosure sale, but it's part of my job." This month, she's held two foreclosure sales already, one on Feb. 11, another just last Wednesday on Feb. 18.
"Most of the time, no one shows up," Casolari said. It's just herself standing there, with her staff as witnesses. The property goes back to the holder of the note. A certificate of purchase is issued, and after the redemption period has expired, she issues a confirmation deed to the holder of the note.
While other parts of the nation have seen banks offloading foreclosed properties at rock-bottom prices to speculators who flock like vultures with cash in hand, Casolari said "...that hasn't been our experience here." Banks, she observed, are selling properties at the face value of the mortgage, plus interest and fees, often for more than the original amount owed by the defaulted property owner.
What she has seen plenty of, however, are the predatory lending practices that triggered the national collapse of the housing market. "With some of these loans, it's just amazing anyone would have signed on the dotted line, with the kind of interest that's accumulating," she said.
Another national trend reflected locally: homes recently gotten into with minimal down payments, such that the amount of debt on the house is equal to or in some cases more than the amount for which the house was purchased in the first place.
"Another sad thing – certain individuals went into foreclosure on more than one property," Casolari noted.
Most of the records on foreclosed properties show that the mortgage has been "bundled," sold by the initial bank that issued it (often a local or regional bank) to a larger institution specializing in mortgage investments.
Conversely, it used to be that the only attorneys she saw involved in foreclosures were specialists from the Front Range. Now, she's seeing more local and regional attorneys getting in on the act. If it is their first time to conduct a foreclosure, often the packet they send is not in order, and Casolari has to ship it back to them for revision.
It is a lot to keep track of. "Some public trustees have hired a full-time assistant to deal with the foreclosures," Casolari said of her regional colleagues. "Everyone is affected." So far, Ouray County's numbers haven't escalated to an emergency level. But it might just be a matter of time.
"I didn't know this would happen to this magnitude," Casolari said. "It hasn't let up yet. Having three foreclosures a week, you almost need one person, simply to manage the timetable."
While Casolari and her staff struggle to keep up with their workload, the families and individuals in foreclosure throughout the Ouray County are trying to come to grips with what is happening to them. Here is portrait of one such family. (Their identity has been withheld to protect their privacy.)
This two-income middle class family, with two children, built their 2000-plus square foot home in 2005, before the economic crisis had started rumbling. They got into a large mortgage at a time when construction costs were going up; half of the land they purchased was covered by the proceeds of the sale of their former home, and the rest of the expenses for land acquisition and home construction came from a loan.
Between two salaries, they were easily able to afford their mortgage, and had no other large expenses in life except the norm--two car loans, one student loan, low credit card balances, etc.
A job loss, and health issues within the family, changed all that. The couple are now in the process of refinancing to save their home from foreclosure, and cut their monthly mortgage payment to make it affordable. They are not working with a local bank, and said their mortgage company was not helpful until they hired a loan modification financial assistant to get them in direct contact with their lenders.
Even if they are able to refinance, the fact remains that the husband still cannot find work locally. The family plans to leave the area if they lose their house, and move in with relatives until they get back on their feet.
While the numbers coming out of Casolari's office show that many families and individuals across the county are in the same difficult position, this couple said they don't know anyone personally who is also to the point of losing their home. "It seems like everyone keeps talking about how tough times are, but I don't personally see many families that are cutting back on expenses (vacations, impulse buying, dining out, etc.)," the wife said.
In the meantime, as they await news from their lender, they are also casting a hopeful eye toward the nation's capitol and its leaders.
"I am hopeful Obama's plans will help not only us and people in our same situation before it is too late, but the country as a whole to get out of this economical crisis that we are all in, regardless of how each is doing as an individual family," said the wife. "I keep hearing about the available money that is out there, but it is not easy to get the assistance needed. It would be nice to have a support group of people who are in our same situation, to get together with to find out what is and is not working to save our homes."
Casolari often refers property owners in foreclosure to Colorado Revised Statutes 38-38-100 through 705, as well as to the Colorado Foreclosure Hotline, 1-877-601-HOPE, http://www.coloradoforeclosurehotline.org/
Posted by: Erin Eddy
www.ourayland.com
www.ridgwayland.com
Lately, a good chunk of Ouray County Treasurer Jeannine Casolari's time is taken up with the business of foreclosures ... more time than she would like.
"There's other things that go on in this office, like tax collection," she said, in forthright frustration. "February is a busy time with first half property tax payments coming in. Yesterday we collected half a million dollars of property taxes and processed them in a day."
Add to that the flood of foreclosures Casolari and her staff are currently processing, and it makes for a very full plate.
Casolari, whose steady, thoughtful demeanor is belied by a frenzy of curly gray hair and colorful glasses, says that for the size of the county, said the volume of foreclosures she's seeing is nothing short of remarkable, tripling from its rate of a year ago, with no end in sight.
In the past, Casolari said, three to six foreclosures in a year was a lot. In fact, she conducted just two foreclosure sales in 2008. But come October, the national sickness hit home. "What started as a slow year all of a sudden magnified," she said. "All of a sudden, I was getting three foreclosures in a week." By the year's end, eight more foreclosures had been filed in the county.
This year, the numbers are off the charts, in unprecedented territory, with 10 filed already, not two months into 2009. "To see us in the stages of tripling, that's what's scary," Casolari said. "It hasn't let up yet. I expect more next week. We get phone calls from people all the time asking about the fees to get the process started."
Simply keeping up with the statutorily mandated schedule for processing a foreclosure is a daunting task, upon which she and her two staff keep a hawkish eye. "All three of us are looking at these deadlines together," Casolari said.
The process goes like this: the treasurer's office receives the foreclosure packet from the attorney representing the bank which holds the defaulted mortgage. Within that hefty packet are the deed of trust on the property, the original promissory note, combined Notice of Sale, Right to Cure, and Right to Redeam, along with copies of Colorado Revised Statutes 38-38-100 through 705, an Initial Mailing list which has all known addresses for the property owner and other interested parties, a Notice of Election and Demand (NED), and a check for Casolari's expenses, which include two certified mailings, and a mandatory publication for five consecutive weeks of the Combined Notice in the county's newspaper of record.
Casolari notifies the attorney that the foreclosure packet has been received, and takes the NED across the hall to the office of the County Clerk to officially record it, and the clock starts ticking.
Exactly 125 days later (or up to 230 days for agricultural property), after an intricately timed process of mailings and legal notices, another Ouray County property owner will most likely be foreclosed upon.
Once in a while, someone is able to cure the default, and when that happens, it is a moment of quiet celebration for Casolari and her staff in the midst of the maelstrom.
Casolari's seen just one cure recently. Most often, the treasurer has to move forward with the statutorily mandated foreclosure proceedings, because that is her job.
She will conduct an initial and supplemental mailing of the foreclosure documents to every addressee specified by the attorney. The property owners alone may have up to eight different addresses listed by the attorney, ranging from their P.O. box to any known physical addresses, and in some cases, even to "occupant" at the last known street address, in the hopes that whoever is living there now will be able to forward it to the defaulted property owner in question. "They're trying everything to contact that person," Casolari explained.
Out of the 30 or so mailings that Casolari may send out for any one foreclosure, up to 20 may come back. But in the best case scenario, the property owner is successfully notified and able to cure their default – in other words, pay off the debt owed. They must provide written notice of intent to cure, within 15 days prior to the sale. And after the debt has been settled, the attorney withdraws the foreclosure.
The cure must cover the cost of the prosecuting attorney's fees, and depending on the way the mortgage is structured, the considerable interest which may have accrued since the time of the default. More often than not, this is simply beyond reach of the property owner. Then Casolari must conclude the foreclosure with a sale at the front entrance of the Courthouse.
"It's a difficult thing," Casolari said. "It's hard to say I'm doing a foreclosure sale, but it's part of my job." This month, she's held two foreclosure sales already, one on Feb. 11, another just last Wednesday on Feb. 18.
"Most of the time, no one shows up," Casolari said. It's just herself standing there, with her staff as witnesses. The property goes back to the holder of the note. A certificate of purchase is issued, and after the redemption period has expired, she issues a confirmation deed to the holder of the note.
While other parts of the nation have seen banks offloading foreclosed properties at rock-bottom prices to speculators who flock like vultures with cash in hand, Casolari said "...that hasn't been our experience here." Banks, she observed, are selling properties at the face value of the mortgage, plus interest and fees, often for more than the original amount owed by the defaulted property owner.
What she has seen plenty of, however, are the predatory lending practices that triggered the national collapse of the housing market. "With some of these loans, it's just amazing anyone would have signed on the dotted line, with the kind of interest that's accumulating," she said.
Another national trend reflected locally: homes recently gotten into with minimal down payments, such that the amount of debt on the house is equal to or in some cases more than the amount for which the house was purchased in the first place.
"Another sad thing – certain individuals went into foreclosure on more than one property," Casolari noted.
Most of the records on foreclosed properties show that the mortgage has been "bundled," sold by the initial bank that issued it (often a local or regional bank) to a larger institution specializing in mortgage investments.
Conversely, it used to be that the only attorneys she saw involved in foreclosures were specialists from the Front Range. Now, she's seeing more local and regional attorneys getting in on the act. If it is their first time to conduct a foreclosure, often the packet they send is not in order, and Casolari has to ship it back to them for revision.
It is a lot to keep track of. "Some public trustees have hired a full-time assistant to deal with the foreclosures," Casolari said of her regional colleagues. "Everyone is affected." So far, Ouray County's numbers haven't escalated to an emergency level. But it might just be a matter of time.
"I didn't know this would happen to this magnitude," Casolari said. "It hasn't let up yet. Having three foreclosures a week, you almost need one person, simply to manage the timetable."
While Casolari and her staff struggle to keep up with their workload, the families and individuals in foreclosure throughout the Ouray County are trying to come to grips with what is happening to them. Here is portrait of one such family. (Their identity has been withheld to protect their privacy.)
This two-income middle class family, with two children, built their 2000-plus square foot home in 2005, before the economic crisis had started rumbling. They got into a large mortgage at a time when construction costs were going up; half of the land they purchased was covered by the proceeds of the sale of their former home, and the rest of the expenses for land acquisition and home construction came from a loan.
Between two salaries, they were easily able to afford their mortgage, and had no other large expenses in life except the norm--two car loans, one student loan, low credit card balances, etc.
A job loss, and health issues within the family, changed all that. The couple are now in the process of refinancing to save their home from foreclosure, and cut their monthly mortgage payment to make it affordable. They are not working with a local bank, and said their mortgage company was not helpful until they hired a loan modification financial assistant to get them in direct contact with their lenders.
Even if they are able to refinance, the fact remains that the husband still cannot find work locally. The family plans to leave the area if they lose their house, and move in with relatives until they get back on their feet.
While the numbers coming out of Casolari's office show that many families and individuals across the county are in the same difficult position, this couple said they don't know anyone personally who is also to the point of losing their home. "It seems like everyone keeps talking about how tough times are, but I don't personally see many families that are cutting back on expenses (vacations, impulse buying, dining out, etc.)," the wife said.
In the meantime, as they await news from their lender, they are also casting a hopeful eye toward the nation's capitol and its leaders.
"I am hopeful Obama's plans will help not only us and people in our same situation before it is too late, but the country as a whole to get out of this economical crisis that we are all in, regardless of how each is doing as an individual family," said the wife. "I keep hearing about the available money that is out there, but it is not easy to get the assistance needed. It would be nice to have a support group of people who are in our same situation, to get together with to find out what is and is not working to save our homes."
Casolari often refers property owners in foreclosure to Colorado Revised Statutes 38-38-100 through 705, as well as to the Colorado Foreclosure Hotline, 1-877-601-HOPE, http://www.coloradoforeclosurehotline.org/
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