Colfax Community Vision & Action Plan

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Overview

Northwest Aurora is the cultural heart of the city and East Colfax is Aurora’s original downtown. Over the past year, the Colfax Community Vision & Action Plan project has focused on (1) gathering community priorities for the Colfax area, (2) creating an action plan for achieving these goals, and (3) identifying new community-led organizations to help fund and work towards these priorities. Read below to learn more about the plan and the two new organizations that will help implement it: a Downtown Development Authority (DDA) and a Community Development Corporation (CDC).

The Vision and Action Plan

The draft Vision and Action Plan was created from engaging with community members at 24 events with 870+ attendees plus over 100 focused conversations with area residents, business owners, property owners, and organizations. A first draft was released in June, 2025, and a second draft incorporating community feedback was posted in November, 2025. The current draft plan is available here. Or, see the "Plan Materials" section to the right.

DDA Election

On July 28, 2025, Aurora City Council approved placing two questions related to creating an Aurora Downtown Development Authority (DDA) on a November 4, 2025 special mail ballot election. A DDA is a type of quasi-public organization, separate from the City, that is designed to fund and oversee improvements in a downtown. DDAs can be found in communities of all sizes across Colorado.

On November 4, voters in the proposed DDA boundaries approved:

1. Forming the DDA, and
2. Allowing the DDA to use Tax Increment Financing (TIF) under Colorado’s Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR). TIF is a financial tool that will allow the DDA to reinvest future tax revenue in the district into community projects outlined in the Vision and Action Plan. TIF does not raise taxes.

The CDC

A CDC is a specialized type of non-profit that focuses on community-driven economic development and real estate projects. CDCs have successfully supported programs such as business incubation and entrepreneurship, financial coaching, affordable housing and commercial development, and other community services across the Denver Metro area and the country.

While the DDA would focus on improvements in its boundaries along Colfax, the CDC would focus on projects in the wider Northwest Aurora area. The DDA and CDC will coordinate closely and support each other’s efforts.

DDA Boundaries and CDC Service Area

Below are the DDA boundaries and overlapping CDC service area. The DDA boundaries are Yosemite St. to the west, E 16th Ave. to the north, the Fitzsimons Urban Renewal Area to the east, and E 14th Ave to the south. The CDC can work throughout Northwest Aurora as it does not have defined boundaries.

Community Engagement Summary

In order to develop the Vision and Action Plan and the DDA and CDC concepts, since September 2024, the project team has:

• Hosted or attended 24 events with 870+ attendees
• Held 100+ conversations with residents, business owners, property owners, and organizations
• Survey available in 5 languages

From that feedback, these six priority areas emerged:

• Public Safety and Security
• Business Support and Access to Goods and Services
• Housing and Neighborhood Stability
• Cleaning and Maintenance
• Advancing Arts, Culture, and a Creative Economy
• Public Space Improvements

What's Happening Now?

Now that voters have approved the DDA, we will start working on the legal and administrative steps to start up the new organization. This includes the process for appointing DDA board members (who must be residents, property owners, or businesses within the DDA boundaries) and identifying a budget and work plan for the DDA’s first year based off the priorities in the Colfax Community Vision & Action Plan. At the same time, work will continue to create the CDC in parallel with DDA formation.

Please check back to this webpage - more information will be made available soon.