As community advocates, supporters, and do-ers, the pandemic hasn’t been easy on any of us. These times are unpredictable, and so is the future of the places we call home. We know local leaders are working hard to manage these economic challenges and prepare for recovery, but the situation we’re in is one that nobody has experience dealing with.
One opportunity in this pandemic is that communities are able to shape the recovery of their economies to make them better than they were before, and there are many ways to make that happen.
Although this pandemic has stunted our economies, it has not decreased the value of properties, and the pressure to grow has not subsided. With some clean up and investment, those old, abandoned sites and buildings in your town are opportunities for economic drivers during these turbulent times. While these sites may not be in use or are environmentally contaminated due to the site’s age or past usage, there is great opportunity there. These sites are called brownfields.
You may be picturing that abandoned gas station or empty, historic building in your town. Don’t know if it’s “contaminated”? Good news- you don’t have to know to receive support and assistance from the Colorado Brownfields Partnership.
Community Builders acts as the outreach organization for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s (CDPHE) Brownfields program. Together, we’re known as the Colorado Brownfields Partnership, and we want to help you and your Colorado community during the COVID pandemic.
We provide education and support to communities in understanding brownfields sites and how to go about revitalization and redevelopment. This support is always free, and we welcome your questions and inquiries.
We also connect communities, non-profits, and property owners with tools, low interest loans, and grants to help restore their contaminated properties. From asbestus and lead paint testing, to completing a successful clean-up, we can help you obtain the financial resources to prime your property for redevelopment.
Offerings
Free Planning Support
- Workshops with residents, property owners, and community leaders that provide information about brownfields, how to access Colorado Brownfields financial resources, and problem solve existing brownfield sites. Fortunately, we can do these workshops virtually.
- Assistance to work directly with a community to support long-term planning and visioning efforts that spur economic development through reuse, revitalization, placed based economic growth, and placemaking. Communities will work with us to develop actionable strategies to prepare properties for development, all while strengthening their public-private partnerships and identifying creative funding sources.
- On-call coaching to ensure your project continues moving forward.
Financial Resources
- Targeted Brownfield Assessments to assist non-profits, municipalities and private property owners with determining if a site is contaminated and if clean up is necessary. These are known as a phase 1 and phase 2 assessments.
- A Voluntary Cleanup Program(VCUP)which provides property owners and potential buyers with state approved cleanup plans and/or no action determinations.
- Brownfields Tax Credits to assist in offsetting cleanup costs.
- Brownfields Cleanup Revolving Loan Fund to access low-interest and flexible term funding for cleanup costs.
- Colorado Brownfield Cleanup Grants available to governments and nonprofits.
If your community is exploring options for economic recovery during this time, consider a brownfield site. Only Colorado communities are eligible for the Colorado Brownfields Partnership resources, but many communities in the West can find brownfields resources in their state. Contact us to see how we can support your community.