PAGE TITLE WRITING THROUGH HARD TIMES COURTESY OF DENVER PUBLIC LIBRARY AND LIGHTHOUSE WRITERS WORKSHOP BENJAMIN ERIC NELSON PRAISING THE NIGHT’S SILENT DRUM Discipline Walking down dark road I see White ghost of sin Boiling remedy ROCHELLE BROGAN. CREDIT: GILES CLASEN Oppressed by dreams Left to become Tearing apart at the seams Choice of one There are no nonprofit cooperatives in Denver, but there are several collectives and co-housing properties. One of the most well-known is the Queen City Collaborative at 901 Clarkson St. in Capitol Hill. During a recent co-buying class hosted by LivWork Denver, Laura Cowperthwaite, who owns another co-housing arrangement known as Casa Gala, said she decided to invest in community housing because she didn’t want to couch surf after retiring. “Rather than handing down my homes to my children, I’m going to create housing for my community,” she said. As home values continue their meteoric rise across Denver, housing is becoming increasingly out of reach for many potential homebuyers. This is leading many to seek to split the costs with others, even total strangers, Cowperthwaite added. Economists at the World Economic Forum (WEF) expect co-living arrangements to become increasingly popular as COVID-19 upended the traditional office culture. Additionally, urban properties remain in high demand for younger homebuyers. WEF estimates up to 70% of people will live in cities by 2050. As a result, cities across the globe will need to find a way to adapt to an increase of tenants working from home. Community living provides both an environmentally and urban-friendly solution. Cowperthwaite said Denver’s housing market is already seeing increased demand for alternative living styles. According to the Colorado Association of Realtors, the average home price in Denver is now over $600,000, while the U.S. Census reports that the median household income from 2015 to 2019 was $68,592.00. “Now that COVID-19 happened, we’re seeing a lot more demand for live-work spaces because of the shift in work environments,” she added. “And, it’s shown no signs of slowing down.” ■ April 2021 DENVER VOICE 11 Fetter to this world... Hurting Wraith transcends fate Direction to being I elate That curse undone Praising the night’s silent drum The Hard Times Writing Workshop is a collaboration between Denver Public Library and Lighthouse Writers Workshop. It’s open to all members of the public, especially those experiencing homelessness. Each month, the Denver VOICE publishes a selection of writing from these workshops. Virtual workshops: lighthousewriters.org/workshop/denver-public-library-hard-times More writing by these featured poets: writedenver.org
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