Family and Intercultural Resource Center (FIRC) and Building Hope Presentations
Both Building Hope and FIRC presented an update to Town Council, including the services they provide, current challenges in the community, and how since March, their new building, the Sol Center in Breckenridge, is allowing them to better serve the community.
Building Hope Update
Building Hope Executive Director, Kellyn Ender, presented a 2025 Year in Review.
- 271 community members were supported in finding mental health services through Building Hope’s mental health navigation program.
- 531 scholarships issued in 2025 (56% white/40% Hispanic and 40% male/58% female). The scholarship requests declined for the first time, which Building Hope staff believes is because of the effectiveness of their navigator program.
- 212 providers now accept the Building Hope scholarship, filling gaps in available resources within the community.
- 779 community members engaged in support groups in 2025
- 29 mental health training sessions and 561 individuals trained
- 53 connectedness events to 494 participants
- 8 family events to 90 participants
- 43 hype events to 367 participants
Building Hope is also focused on growing Summit County’s mental health provider network and strengthening the local mental health system to better serve the community.
- 64 mini grants awarded to mental health providers to support professional development
- 11 providers supported through billing and credentialing services, improving access and the ability for community members to utilize health insurance for mental health services
- $125,776 awarded in tuition assistance, supervision grants, and intern stipends
Family and Intercultural Resource Center Update (FIRC)
FIRC Deputy Director of Operations and Impact, Carla Decker, provided an update on FIRC, and FIRC’s impact on the Summit County community.
FIRC’s Mission
- Opening doors and unleashing our community’s potential
- A diverse and thriving community
- Collaboration, cultural diversity, community, contribution, and curiosity
FIRC’s Focus
- Offset cost of living
- Food security is more than hunger
- Housing instability
- Health care complexity and cost
- Workforce retention
- Mental health strain
- Create interconnectedness
- Safety net for families
Summit County Income Trends
Income trends in Summit County leave some residents in a tricky position where they earn more than the Federal Poverty Level, but not enough to afford the basics where they live. This makes many people vulnerable, and FIRC is able to help fill this gap.
- Labor Force Participation Rate: 76% (state avg: 69%)
- ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) Households: 32% (state avg 28%)
- Households in Poverty: 6% (state avg 9%)
FIRC Programs Overview
There has been a focus on advocacy work connecting people to the resources that they need from insurance sign up to family support resources.
- Community Health: 1,468 people impacted, $26,000 dollars of medical assistance provided
- Financial Empowerment: 672 people impacted, $361,397 assistance distributed
- Peer Community: 3,159 people impacted, 61 Peer Support group events
- Food Markets: 33,436 food market visits, $7.5 million dollars of food value distributed
In 2025, FIRC impacted 1 in 3 of Summit County residents = 7,667 people with 38,011 total deliveries provided by staff.
Council Discussion During Building Hope and FIRC Presentations
Council had questions about support groups focused on the special needs community. They discussed the need for more mental health and substance abuse resources, suicide prevention, as well as support for men’s mental health. Additionally, they discussed the local social detox program resources and the level of care provided.
Quasi-Judicial Decision-making and Ethics Training for Town Council
The Frisco Town Attorney reviewed quasi-judicial decision-making, the Colorado Open Meetings Law, and conflicts of interest guidance, and provided an ethics in government review to the newly elected Town Councilmember and a refresher to current Town Councilmembers.
Amended Ground Lease Agreement for 101 West Main
Staff presented Ordinance 26-16 to amend and restate the 101 West Main 99-Year Ground Lease between the Town of Frisco and West Main Apartments/NHP for the redevelopment and operation of affordable workforce housing at 101 West Main Street. On June 25, 2024, the Town and NHPF West Main, LLC entered into a Second Amended and Restated Development Agreement for the redevelopment project located at 101 West Main Street. This amended and restated agreement includes updated tenant and ownership structure, changes to financing and lending provisions, updated regulatory and compliance references, right of refusal updates, insurance and construction requirement updates, and administrative and technical updates.
Background
The Town entered into a ground lease on August 27, 2025, with NHPF West Main, LLC. The Amended and Restated Ground Lease updates and consolidates the lease structure to reflect the final ownership, financing, partnership, and regulatory requirements associated with the project financing and Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (“LIHTC”) closing. The lease governs the development, construction, ownership, and operation of the affordable housing rental project consisting of 52 rental units, ranging from 30%-80% AMI, and associated amenities on Town-owned property. The Town will retain ownership of the land while leasing the property to the tenant (NHPF) for 99 years for long-term affordable housing purposes.
The Town has been working with the NHP Foundation (NHPF) since early 2023 on affordable housing opportunities in Frisco. The mission of NHPF is to “preserve and create sustainable, service-enriched multifamily housing that is affordable to low- and moderate-income families and seniors, and beneficial to their communities”. The Town is currently working with NHPF on two affordable housing projects, located at 101 W Main and 602 Galena. Recognizing the significant need for all housing types and rental rates within Frisco, the Town has focused on ensuring that the two projects provide a range of affordable housing options to the community.
Council Decision
Council voted to approve Ordinance 26-16, approving the amended and restated ground lease, on second reading.
Ordinance Authorizing the Sale of Four Mary Ruth Place Workforce Housing Units
Staff brought Ordinance 26-11 to Council, which authorizes the sale of four (4) units at the Town-owned Mary Ruth Place affordable housing development, which was first discussed with Council in 2025. Per Colorado statute, Council must authorize the sale of Town property by ordinance. The primary driver for selling units at Mary Ruth Place is financial sustainability within the Town’s housing fund. The Town has made substantial commitments to three significant affordable housing projects: Granite Park (11 Town owned units, costing approximately $515,000 annually through 2042), 602 Galena (54 units with an $8.1 million contribution), and 101 W. Main (52 units with a $6.4 million contribution). These investments have significantly strained the housing fund, with Town staff notifying Council during the June 2025 housing retreat that corrective action would be required by 2026 to maintain positive fund balance. Selling the selected Mary Ruth units represents the most feasible way to offset these financial pressures to continue to support future housing opportunities. The financial impact of selling the four Mary Ruth Place units has been estimated to contribute $1.8 million to the Frisco Housing Fund.
Another factor driving the sale is the need to convert existing rental units into ownership opportunities due to a gap that the Town has struggled to fill in 2026, having created only one new for-sale unit in Frisco so far this year due to funding constraints. Selling these four units at Mary Ruth Place enables the Town to create new ownership housing in one of the most desirable parts of Frisco. This aligns with broader community goals of balancing rental and ownership options, while retaining local workers through deed-restricted housing. The proposed sale also focuses specifically on the four units currently rented to Tenmile Basin employees.
Mary Ruth Place Background
Mary Ruth Place, which was completed and occupied in late 2018, is a rental workforce-housing development located off Main Street Frisco at Galena Street and Fourth Avenue. The project created nine new units: six one-bedrooms, two two-bedrooms, and a studio. Of the newly built units, four are rented to employees working in the Tenmile Basin, and four are rented to full-time Town of Frisco employees. The development was funded primarily through Summit County Ballot Measure 5A, a 2016 voter-approved sales tax increase to support workforce housing initiatives. This $2 million project delivered units with modern amenities and convenient access to transit, trails, and Main Street businesses.
Council Direction from the First Reading
Based on Council’s direction from the first reading of Ordinance 26-11, deed restrictions will be placed on all units within the complex, keeping the affordability and local workforce mechanisms in place. The properties will be marketed and sold as follows:
- During the first 90 days of listing for sale, the Properties shall be sold or contracted for sale only under the Town’s AMI-based restrictive covenant to a party or parties within the 115% to 130% median income range and who work(s) within the Ten Mile Basin
- Expanded edibility to all of Summit County- After 90 days of listing without a sale or contract for sale, the properties or remaining property shall be sold or contracted for sale only under the Town’s AMI-based restrictive covenant to a party or parties within the 115% to 130% median income range who work(s) within Summit County
- After an additional 90 days of listing without a sale or contract for sale, the properties or remaining property may be sold or contracted for sale under the Town’s “live/work” restrictive covenant (aka “Housing Helps” restrictive covenant) to a party or parties that work(s) within the Ten Mile Basin.
Council Discussion and Decision
During the last meeting, Council gave staff direction that was intended to provide flexibility for staff to sell the units and preserve affordability. Council asked about the timeline for sale, and staff indicated that the HOA still needed to be established, and the property sales through lottery still needed to be set up with Summit Combined Housing Authority. In addition, HOA fees are yet to be determined. This means that it is likely that these homes will be made available for sale in approximately one to two months.
Council voted to approve Ordinance 26-11 on second reading with amendments based on Council’s direction during the first meeting.
Frisco Town Council Meetings: Ways to Participate
Frisco Town Council meetings are available to view via Civic Plus Resident Portal, Zoom, and YouTube, and are also held in person to make Town Council meetings easier to access for everyone.
The public can provide comment during meetings via Zoom or in person (not on YouTube), and a public comment period will be available at 7:00pm; during the consideration of ordinances; and at the discretion of Town Council during work session items, which are discussions that don’t require a formal vote by Town Council and do not require public comment. Again, this hybrid approach is intended to make Town Council meetings more accessible.