If you live in Jefferson County, it's important you take the time and complete the Jefferson County Public Schools 2015-2016 Community Budget Survey.
As I've reported here and here, our community is in the midst of an extremely contentious debate about the future of our public school system, with both sides in the debate claiming the support of the public at large.
So far the number of respondents appears depressingly low-- just a few thousand individuals out of some 400,000+ Jeffco residents.
Here's the link:
jeffcoschools.citizenbudget.com
Friday, January 30, 2015
Thursday, January 22, 2015
Defining Downtown Lakewood: Political Leanings
Cities have their political leanings. When people mention Boulder, liberal is the term that quickly comes to mind. Mention Colorado Springs, and it's conservative.
But what about Lakewood?
Lakewood is the largest city in Jefferson County, and Jeffco is often described as the classic swing county here in Colorado, making or breaking candidates for statewide office. And yet, in the last decade, Jeffco has been trending blue, voting more and more often for Democrats over Republicans.
Much of this trend has been driven by Lakewood, which has become a Democratic bastion within Jeffco.
This is nicely illustrated by the results of the most recent 2014 elections.
State House Districts
Much of Lakewood (and all of downtown Lakewood) sits within the borders of Colorado House District 28, which is represented by Democrat Brittany Petersen. The rest of Lakewood sits in House District 23, which is represented by Democrat Max Tyler.
Although 2014 was widely viewed as a banner year for Republicans, Petersen won her election by a solid 55% of the vote. Her Republican opponent, Stacia Kuhn, received just 45%. Tyler, meanwhile, handily won his election with 51% of the vote vs. 41% for his Republican opponent Jane Barnes.
So, in the two races where voters consisted mostly of Lakewood residents, Democrats won by solid margins.
State Senate District
Lakewood's Democratic strength is also shown in the results of Colorado Senate District 22.
Geographically, this district is long and skinny, stretching from downtown Lakewood and Edgewater in the north all the way down to C-470 in the south. Voters in the southern part of the district are more Republican. Voters in the north of the district are more Democratic.
So how did the last election pan out?
Despite Republican headwinds, incumbent Senator and Democrat Andy Kerr narrowly won re-election, garnering 51% of the vote, while his Republican and Tea-Party affiliated opponent Tony Sanchez received 49%.
Again, I think this speaks to the strength of Lakewood as an emerging Democratic stronghold-- Kerr would not have been able to win without the heavy support of Lakewood's voters.
Statewide and Federal Elections
I haven't been able to dig up detailed voting statistics for Lakewood for statewide and federal elections, but I do have data for how Jeffco voted as a whole, and I think the results speak, again, to the way Jeffco (with Lakewood's help) is trending blue.
In the 2014 elections, Jeffco went for Democratic Governor John Hickenlooper over his Republican opponent Bob Beauprez by a margin of 51% to 46%.
Jeffco also supported Democratic Representative Ed Perlmutter over his opponent Don Ytterberg by a solid 55% to 45%.
Perhaps most tellingly, however, Jeffco voters preferred incumbent Senator Mark Udall over Cory Gardner by 47.24% to 46.99%. Gardner, of course, won the election, but (by an admittedly very narrow margin) Jeffco voters went against the statewide trend, voting instead with Denver and Boulder for the more liberal candidate.
Downtown Lakewood
Looking at this data all together, and especially at the way the Colorado state house and senate seat are drawn, we get a picture of Lakewood as more Democratic than the rest of Jefferson county, and downtown Lakewood as more Democratic than suburban Lakewood.
But what about Lakewood?
Lakewood is the largest city in Jefferson County, and Jeffco is often described as the classic swing county here in Colorado, making or breaking candidates for statewide office. And yet, in the last decade, Jeffco has been trending blue, voting more and more often for Democrats over Republicans.
Much of this trend has been driven by Lakewood, which has become a Democratic bastion within Jeffco.
This is nicely illustrated by the results of the most recent 2014 elections.
 |
| Colorado House District 28 in Blue and House District 23 in Yellow |
State House Districts
Much of Lakewood (and all of downtown Lakewood) sits within the borders of Colorado House District 28, which is represented by Democrat Brittany Petersen. The rest of Lakewood sits in House District 23, which is represented by Democrat Max Tyler.
Although 2014 was widely viewed as a banner year for Republicans, Petersen won her election by a solid 55% of the vote. Her Republican opponent, Stacia Kuhn, received just 45%. Tyler, meanwhile, handily won his election with 51% of the vote vs. 41% for his Republican opponent Jane Barnes.
So, in the two races where voters consisted mostly of Lakewood residents, Democrats won by solid margins.
State Senate District
Lakewood's Democratic strength is also shown in the results of Colorado Senate District 22.
Geographically, this district is long and skinny, stretching from downtown Lakewood and Edgewater in the north all the way down to C-470 in the south. Voters in the southern part of the district are more Republican. Voters in the north of the district are more Democratic.
 |
| Colorado Senate District 22 |
So how did the last election pan out?
Despite Republican headwinds, incumbent Senator and Democrat Andy Kerr narrowly won re-election, garnering 51% of the vote, while his Republican and Tea-Party affiliated opponent Tony Sanchez received 49%.
Again, I think this speaks to the strength of Lakewood as an emerging Democratic stronghold-- Kerr would not have been able to win without the heavy support of Lakewood's voters.
Statewide and Federal Elections
I haven't been able to dig up detailed voting statistics for Lakewood for statewide and federal elections, but I do have data for how Jeffco voted as a whole, and I think the results speak, again, to the way Jeffco (with Lakewood's help) is trending blue.
In the 2014 elections, Jeffco went for Democratic Governor John Hickenlooper over his Republican opponent Bob Beauprez by a margin of 51% to 46%.
Jeffco also supported Democratic Representative Ed Perlmutter over his opponent Don Ytterberg by a solid 55% to 45%.
Perhaps most tellingly, however, Jeffco voters preferred incumbent Senator Mark Udall over Cory Gardner by 47.24% to 46.99%. Gardner, of course, won the election, but (by an admittedly very narrow margin) Jeffco voters went against the statewide trend, voting instead with Denver and Boulder for the more liberal candidate.
Downtown Lakewood
Looking at this data all together, and especially at the way the Colorado state house and senate seat are drawn, we get a picture of Lakewood as more Democratic than the rest of Jefferson county, and downtown Lakewood as more Democratic than suburban Lakewood.
Sunday, January 18, 2015
Defining Downtown Lakewood: Demographics
The city of Lakewood officially defines its downtown as consisting of four quadrants of roughly equal size, each surrounding the intersection of Wadsworth and Alameda.
But who lives in downtown Lakewood? What is the character of these quadrants? To get some hard data, I took a look at the 2010 census data for Lakewood, which is broken down by census tract. These census tracts roughly-- though not exactly-- line up with the boundaries of what the city considers to be its official downtown.
Northwest Quadrant
Let's start with the Northwest Quadrant. This is the area behind the Olive Garden and Dairy Queen that you see on the corner of Wadsworth and Alameda. It's a mostly residential area of 1950s and 60s ranch homes with large yards, along with a smattering of newer construction. There's also a fair amount of undeveloped land in this quadrant, including the large parcel where the Villas at Belmar is planned.
1168 people lived in this neighborhood as of 2010, and the median yearly income was $80,667. The median age was 45, and the poverty rate was just 2.7%. The largest ethnicity in the Northeast Quadrant was Non-Hispanic White, at 69%. The next two largest were Hispanic, at 20%, and Asian, at 5%.
Southwest Quadrant
The Southwest Quadrant is the least populated in downtown Lakewood-- not surprisingly, as it's home to the large Belmar Park, as well as the Lakewood civic center. This is where you'll find the Lakewood Heritage Museum, the galleries and performance space of the Lakewood Cultural Center, the headquarters of both the Lakewood police and the West Metro fire department, the city council chambers, and a number of city offices.
I should also note that the Belmar Commons shopping center is located in this quadrant, with a King Soopers as its anchor tenant.
Demographics wise, the Southwest Quadrant (or at least the census tract with which it roughly overlaps) was home to just 717 people as of 2010. The median yearly income was $59,063. The median age was 56.6, and the poverty rate was 11.9%. The largest ethnicity in this Quadrant was Non-Hispanic White at 74%. The next two largest were Hispanic, at 9%, and Multiethnic, also at 9%.
Northeast Quadrant
From Alameda and Wadsworth, this quadrant is defined by the new Walgreens and Key Bank buildings, along with a construction zone that is soon to be an emergency medical center.
As you drive further east, you see aging strip malls and rows of fast food restaurants. Behind them is a neighborhood of modest but generally well-maintained homes, along with the green oasis of the Villas, an age-restricted retirement community. In the middle of the neighborhood is Stein Elementary, while the large O'Kane Park sits just to the north.
I have to say that this neighborhood reminds me a lot of Cherry Creek North in the 1980s and early 1990s, when that Denver neighborhood was defined by its modest bungalows and its proximity to the new Cherry Creek shopping center. Today, of course, those bungalows are gone, replaced by high-end infill housing. The extremely modest price of housing in this part of downtown Lakewood, combined with its walkability to Belmar, makes me wonder if we'll see a similar wave of scrape-offs and infill construction in the future. Could it be the next Cherry Creek North?
In terms of the data, this neighborhood was home to 1582 people as of 2010. The median yearly income was just $35,263, but the poverty rate was a low 3.7%. The median age was just 33. The largest ethnicity in this Quadrant was Non-Hispanic White at 58%. The next two largest were Hispanic, at 35%, and Multiethnic, at 2%.
Southeast Quadrant
The new urbanist development of Belmar dominates the Southeast Quadrant of downtown Lakewood. It's an area that has seen a complete transformation since the 2000 census, going from a decayed and mostly empty enclosed shopping mall to a traditional urban neighborhood with mid-rise buildings, a street-grid, and mixed residential, commercial, and retail space.
All this development makes this quadrant by far the most populous part of downtown Lakewood. As of 2010, it was home to 3299 people-- a number that will grow in next few years as Metro West Housing Solutions, David Weekley and Holland Partner Group complete their large residential projects. Median incomes was $49,600, and the median age was 29.7. Yes, Belmar is substantially younger than the rest of downtown Lakewood. Interestingly, the poverty rate stood at 11.3%, which goes a bit against Belmar's glossy image-- but there's more affordable apartments and condos on the southern end of the census tract. The largest ethnicity in this Quadrant was Non-Hispanic White at 64%. The next two largest were Hispanic, at 31%, and Asian, at 3%.
So that's my look at the demographics of Lakewood's new downtown. Next up: a look at the area's political leanings.
But who lives in downtown Lakewood? What is the character of these quadrants? To get some hard data, I took a look at the 2010 census data for Lakewood, which is broken down by census tract. These census tracts roughly-- though not exactly-- line up with the boundaries of what the city considers to be its official downtown.
Northwest Quadrant
Let's start with the Northwest Quadrant. This is the area behind the Olive Garden and Dairy Queen that you see on the corner of Wadsworth and Alameda. It's a mostly residential area of 1950s and 60s ranch homes with large yards, along with a smattering of newer construction. There's also a fair amount of undeveloped land in this quadrant, including the large parcel where the Villas at Belmar is planned.
1168 people lived in this neighborhood as of 2010, and the median yearly income was $80,667. The median age was 45, and the poverty rate was just 2.7%. The largest ethnicity in the Northeast Quadrant was Non-Hispanic White, at 69%. The next two largest were Hispanic, at 20%, and Asian, at 5%.
 |
| Census Tract Roughly Aligning with Northwest Quadrant of Downtown Lakewood |
Southwest Quadrant
The Southwest Quadrant is the least populated in downtown Lakewood-- not surprisingly, as it's home to the large Belmar Park, as well as the Lakewood civic center. This is where you'll find the Lakewood Heritage Museum, the galleries and performance space of the Lakewood Cultural Center, the headquarters of both the Lakewood police and the West Metro fire department, the city council chambers, and a number of city offices.
I should also note that the Belmar Commons shopping center is located in this quadrant, with a King Soopers as its anchor tenant.
Demographics wise, the Southwest Quadrant (or at least the census tract with which it roughly overlaps) was home to just 717 people as of 2010. The median yearly income was $59,063. The median age was 56.6, and the poverty rate was 11.9%. The largest ethnicity in this Quadrant was Non-Hispanic White at 74%. The next two largest were Hispanic, at 9%, and Multiethnic, also at 9%.
 |
| Census Tract Roughly Aligning with Southwest Quadrant of Downtown Lakewood |
Northeast Quadrant
From Alameda and Wadsworth, this quadrant is defined by the new Walgreens and Key Bank buildings, along with a construction zone that is soon to be an emergency medical center.
As you drive further east, you see aging strip malls and rows of fast food restaurants. Behind them is a neighborhood of modest but generally well-maintained homes, along with the green oasis of the Villas, an age-restricted retirement community. In the middle of the neighborhood is Stein Elementary, while the large O'Kane Park sits just to the north.
I have to say that this neighborhood reminds me a lot of Cherry Creek North in the 1980s and early 1990s, when that Denver neighborhood was defined by its modest bungalows and its proximity to the new Cherry Creek shopping center. Today, of course, those bungalows are gone, replaced by high-end infill housing. The extremely modest price of housing in this part of downtown Lakewood, combined with its walkability to Belmar, makes me wonder if we'll see a similar wave of scrape-offs and infill construction in the future. Could it be the next Cherry Creek North?
In terms of the data, this neighborhood was home to 1582 people as of 2010. The median yearly income was just $35,263, but the poverty rate was a low 3.7%. The median age was just 33. The largest ethnicity in this Quadrant was Non-Hispanic White at 58%. The next two largest were Hispanic, at 35%, and Multiethnic, at 2%.
 |
| Census Tract Roughly Aligning with Northeast Quadrant of Downtown Lakewood |
The new urbanist development of Belmar dominates the Southeast Quadrant of downtown Lakewood. It's an area that has seen a complete transformation since the 2000 census, going from a decayed and mostly empty enclosed shopping mall to a traditional urban neighborhood with mid-rise buildings, a street-grid, and mixed residential, commercial, and retail space.
All this development makes this quadrant by far the most populous part of downtown Lakewood. As of 2010, it was home to 3299 people-- a number that will grow in next few years as Metro West Housing Solutions, David Weekley and Holland Partner Group complete their large residential projects. Median incomes was $49,600, and the median age was 29.7. Yes, Belmar is substantially younger than the rest of downtown Lakewood. Interestingly, the poverty rate stood at 11.3%, which goes a bit against Belmar's glossy image-- but there's more affordable apartments and condos on the southern end of the census tract. The largest ethnicity in this Quadrant was Non-Hispanic White at 64%. The next two largest were Hispanic, at 31%, and Asian, at 3%.
 |
| Census Tract Roughly Aligning with Southeast Quadrant of Downtown Lakewood |
So that's my look at the demographics of Lakewood's new downtown. Next up: a look at the area's political leanings.
Thursday, January 15, 2015
More on Proposal to Reorganize Alameda Area Schools
Terry Elliot, the district's Chief School Effectiveness Officer, began by explaining the need for new elementary school in the Alameda High School articulation area. Currently, the area has five elementary schools-- Deane, Stein, Lasley, Patterson, and Kendrick Lakes-- and one middle school--O'Connell. All but one, he explained, is at or above maximum capacity.
Patterson Elementary, which is located near the intersection of Garrison and Mississippi (outside the boundaries of downtown Lakewood), is the least crowded with 379 students. This, Mr. Elliott explained, puts Patterson at just 79% of capacity.
The picture is different at the remaining Alameda area schools. Kendrick Lakes Elementary, which is also near the intersection of Garrison and Mississippi-- only on the west side-- has 442 students, putting the building at 109% of capacity. Lasley Elementary, located off Florida roughly halfway between Wadsworth and Sheridan, has 511 students and is at 99% of capacity.
Stein Elementary and Deane Elementary are the two Alameda area elementary schools that are in downtown Lakewood. Stein, located just a block north of Belmar on Teller St, has 737 students and is at 164% of capacity. Deane, located about a mile east of Belmar at Harlan St and West Virginia Ave, has 477 students and is at 102% of capacity.
When asked by an audience member about the reason for the overcrowding, Mr. Elliot said it had to do with the rise of multigenerational households in the area, combined with the availability of low priced housing, high mobility, and new construction.
The solution, he went on to argue, is to convert O'Connell Middle School, which is at just 50% capacity, into a new, sixth elementary school for the articulation area. O'Connell's 7th and 8th graders would then go to Alameda High School, which has just 800 students currently on a campus built for 1600. This, he said, would allow the creation of a new 7th-12th grade Alameda that would continue and extend its International Baccalaureate program.
All this would involved drawing new enrollment lines for the entire east side of downtown Lakewood. Currently, for example, the neighborhood elementary school for everyone living in Belmar is Deane. This would likely change, although Mr. Elliott said the district has not yet begun looking at how enrollment lines would be redrawn.
He also stated that the new elementary school would also have the International Baccalaureate program, which, in my view at least, makes it a more desirable option than the traditional curriculum of Deane.
Whether or not you have school aged children, these kinds of changes are worth paying close attention to. School enrollment lines affect property values and rents. I hope that the Jeffco School Board listens closely to the community before making any decision. And I hope the community gives that input.
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
Meeting on Proposed School Closings/Mergers
There's a meeting tonight (Wednesday January 14th) at Alameda International High School about a proposal to restructure the neighborhood schools that serve the east side of downtown Lakewood.
Downtown Lakewood is defined by the four quadrants created by the intersection of Wadsworth and Alameda Avenues. What you might not know is that the neighborhoods on the west side of Wadsworth and the neighborhoods on the east side (including Belmar) are in different school enrollment zones. Both sides are part of the Jefferson County School system, but the neighborhoods on the west side of Wadsworth feed into Lakewood High School, an award winning school with a noted International Baccalaureate program. Neighborhoods on the east side feed into Alameda High School, which has seen shrinking enrollments as a growing number of local parents choice enroll their students into other schools, including Lakewood High. At the same time, enrollment in Alameda's feeder elementary schools has been growing, with the award winning Stein Elementary now at something around 170% of capacity.
Just a few weeks ago the school district floated a proposal to turn Alameda into a 7th-12th grade International Baccalaureate school (Alameda High currently has a small but growing International Baccalaureate program, started to compete with the program at Lakewood).
The proposal would then be to close O'Connell Middle School (Alameda High School's only middle level feeder) and turn it into a new elementary school in order to relieve overcrowding a Stein.
Tonight's meeting is from 6-8 pm. I'll try and attend and report back.
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