The Home Builders Association (HBA) of Metro Denver, working with its volunteer Marshall Fire Task Force, will host a Marshall Fire Rebuild Expo on Saturday, April 15, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Ascent Community Church,550 McCaslin Blvd., in Louisville. The event is free to the public and will include 40 exhibitors—ranging from local builders and contractors, financial institutions, lumber and material vendors, local governments, nonprofits, and other businesses dedicated to the rebuilding efforts in Louisville, Superior and Boulder County. All of the exhibitors at the Rebuild Expo are HBA members in good standing. Register to attend.

In order to give the public an opportunity to learn more about the proposed changes to the Marshall Fire Community Development Block Grant for Disaster Recovery Action Plan and to ask questions and offer feedback, the Colorado Department of Local Affairs conducted a public hearing Tuesday, April 4.

The Department of Local Affairs has developed a substantial amendment to the Action Plan following the guidelines set by the Department of Housing and Urban Development that details how the additional funds will be allocated to address the unmet needs in Boulder County.

View the updated Action Plan.

A public comment period is open through Wednesday, May 3. The public is encouraged to provide feedback through the following methods:

• Email: DOLA_Recovery@state.co.us
• USPS Mail: Will Cundiff, 1313 Sherman St., Suite 521, Denver CO 80203
• Phone: 303-864-7720
• Online Form

Colorado wildfires are making it harder for homeowners and businesses to buy property insurance, and now the General Assembly is poised to create a public insurance plan to serve as a last resort for those who can’t find policies on the open market.

A bill introduced last week would create an insurance-of-last-resort plan — what’s being called a “fair plan” — that would protect Colorado property owners from losses due to wildfires, floods, hail, theft, vandalism and civil disturbances when no other options exist. Read more.

Rocky Mountain PBS: Amita Sobti and her family are being intentional about how they rebuild their home in Superior. Enter Passive House, an energy efficient building standard that dates back to the late 1980s. Besides being energy efficient, Passive House homes are also fire resistant. After homeowners take advantage of the incentives available to Marshall Fire survivors, Passive House homes cost around $550,000. In February 2023, the median home price in Boulder County was $680,000. Read more. 

Miranda Beasley, a senior at Silver Creek High School in Longmont, is working on her senior capstone project for the Silver Creek Leadership Academy. Her project, The Family Meal, is focused on helping those affected by the Marshall Fire.

"People who have lost their homes in large crises, like the Marshall Fire, often have their immediate needs replaced, from bedding to furniture to cleaning supplies," said Beasley. "Material heirlooms such as cookbooks containing treasured recipes or family photos are much harder to come by. I cannot replace individual books or photos, but I hope that I can lessen the severity of the impact and bring people who have been through so much some solace in the form of good food."

She has been working all year to compile a cookbook with recipes from family, friends, and the larger community. Learn more about her project and download the cookbook.