The Jefferson County Community Development Division will conduct Community Needs Assessments in four participating jurisdictional cities of Edgewater, Golden, Wheat Ridge, and the Town of Mountain View over the next six months to engage community members throughout Jefferson County.

The needs to be addressed with this new program will be determined from community input at the assessment meetings. Discussion topics may include housing, transportation, healthcare, childcare or recreation, but will be open to all topics community members would like to discuss. Population at a given assessment meeting (i.e. seniors, parents, Spanish-speaking only, etc.) will be taken into account for the range and focus of topics discussed.

The Community Development Division receives an average of $2.5 million from the Federal Government to assist low-to-moderate-income residents of Jefferson County. The implementation of this new program is an effort for the Division to direct these dollars based on the true and current needs within various communities.

Director Jacqueline Pickett and Analyst Emily J.B. Sander will be conducting the assessments, along with assistance from various state and local partners. The first Community Assessment, a new program for the Community Development Division will take place in the City of Edgewater the week of June 16.

Upon completion of each city assessment, a summary report will be available on the Division's Web site, www.jeffco.us/commdev. The first report will be online in early July 2008.

The Jefferson County Community Development Division hopes to make this program a best practice model for other jurisdictions.

For more information contact Emily J.B. Sander at 303-271-8371 or esander@jeffco.us.