At a glance
This success story, Colorado: Partnering on Innovative Strategies for Equitable Health and Housing Policies, highlights how Core SIPP implements, evaluates and disseminates injury prevention strategies into action.
What did Colorado do?
Colorado's Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment (WCDPHE) improved their ability to review local land use codes for the 32 communities in Weld County. Local land use codes establish zoning and the processes used for housing development. WCDPHE staff examined land use codes to increase community engagement in housing affordability policy decision making and program design. The goal is to connect built environment policies to the injury and violence prevention field. Improving housing affordability, nutrition security, and transportation safety policies would lead to an increase in economic resilience.
WCDPHE increased their knowledge of housing affordability terms and land use strategies. Colorado Core State Injury Prevention Program (Core SIPP) staff connected WCDPHE with the Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) to identify local communities who received DOLA's 1271 funding. The 1271 grantees are communities who must plan and carry out a strategy to increase affordable housing in Colorado through community planning policies.
Colorado Core SIPP held a networking event that provided WCDPHE and the 1271 grantees working in Weld County the opportunity to create shared goals and use each other's knowledge, skills, and partnerships to create more housing affordability. About 20 representatives from eight local communities (Garden City, Greeley, Johnstown, Keensburg, Eaton, Evans, Windsor, and Kersey) attended the event on August 4, 2022. A WCDPHE participant said, "this event helped our team make connections with municipal staff and start the conversation around our project and the support we can provide." WCDPHE connected with the city of Evans after the event and supported a local community engagement event that collected feedback on community development, including housing. WCDPHE created a network with local communities and improved their communication and ability to work across the area on housing affordability efforts.
WCDPHE is a local public health agency funded through the Office of Health Equity (OHE) at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. WCDPHE receives technical assistance through CDC's Core SIPP to strengthen economic resilience in local communities by informing housing affordability policies. Increasing economic resilience through housing, food, and transportation would reduce risk factors associated with adverse childhood experiences, transportation safety, and traumatic brain injury. WCDPHE's strategy builds community members' knowledge and capacity to be involved in housing conversations at the local level.
How did they plan this event?
Core SIPP provided guidance, training, and resources for WCDPHE staff to create more equitable housing conversations in Weld County communities. Additionally, Core SIPP staff hosted a networking and learning event in August 2022 for the WCDPHE and DOLA funded 1271 grantees.
Why did they host this event?
Community development and city design processes include community engagement. WCDPHE found that certain community members are underrepresented in the community development and city design process for Weld County. Residents in the county who participate in city design and community engagement are more likely to be English speakers, educated, and have higher incomes. Many residents who speak languages other than English, have less education, and earn a lower income do not engage in these processes. These residents face greater housing disparities in Weld County. WCDPHE wants to increase representation and equity by including these community members in discussing and identifying policies that would increase housing affordability strategies in communities through their OHE grant. Colorado Core SIPP held the networking event to include representatives from these communities in community development and city design processes. Broadening representation to develop policies, such as housing policies, can create more well-rounded and community supported policies and programs.