Aurora Housing Observer

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

My name’s Pranet Swain. I regularly try to interview local residents with personal perspectives on Aurora’s housing shortage that are usually hard to thoughtfully share through our crowded town hall meetings. I regularly meet interviewees while sitting in on local town hall meetings, volunteering at local homeless shelters, as well as through email request. While I usually stick to publishing interviews with those currently at risk of eviction or homelessness, the publication does include some conversations with those with different perspectives on the crisis. As a disclaimer, all conversations are condensed for clarity and some names have been altered for privacy upon request.

  • 7/6/23 – Louisa Hopkins

    Welcome, and thank you for joining us to discuss a vital yet often overlooked aspect of the housing crisis in Aurora: the psychological impact of housing insecurity on individuals and families. Could you share with us your personal story and how it highlights this issue? Thank you for having me. My personal story with housing…

    7/6/23 – Louisa Hopkins
  • 6/29/23 – Alexis Raynier

    Welcome, and thank you for taking the time to share your experiences with us today. Our discussion centers around a critical but often unseen aspect of the housing crisis: the conditions and realities of living within a homeless shelter in Aurora. Could you start by sharing your personal journey and how you came to reside…

    6/29/23 – Alexis Raynier
  • 6/22/23 – Bernice King

    Welcome, and thank you for joining us today. Our conversation centers on a crucial issue affecting many in our community: the intricate link between finding and retaining a job and the challenges of securing and keeping an apartment in Aurora. Could you begin by sharing your personal experience with this issue? Thank you for having…

    6/22/23 – Bernice King
  • 6/15/23 – Patricia Agustin

    Welcome, and thank you for joining us today. Our focus is on an issue increasingly impacting families in Aurora: the challenge of accessing quality, affordable childcare and its implications for housing stability. Could you share with us your personal story and how these interconnected issues have affected you? Thank you for having me. My journey…

    6/15/23 – Patricia Agustin
  • 6/8/23 – Filip Daniels

    Welcome, and thank you for joining us today. Our focus is on the significant impact of transportation access on housing choices and affordability in Aurora. This issue touches on the broader challenges of urban development, sustainability, and social equity. Could you share with us how transportation access has shaped your housing decisions and overall quality…

    6/8/23 – Filip Daniels
  • 6/1/23 – Patricia Stewart

    Welcome. Today, we’re diving into a topic recently discussed at a city hall meeting in Aurora: the future of green spaces within urban development and their impact on community well-being and housing values. Could you share with us your personal connection to this issue and how it has affected your experience living in Aurora? Thank…

    6/1/23 – Patricia Stewart
  • 5/25/23 – James Alexander

    Welcome. Today, we’re exploring a critical discussion that recently took place at a city hall meeting in Aurora: a hypothetical proposition regarding the redistribution of school property taxes to more evenly fund education across the city. This proposition has implications for school quality and its relationship with affordable housing. Could you share your perspective, perhaps…

    5/25/23 – James Alexander
  • 5/18/23 – Henry Ramos

    Welcome, and thank you for joining us today. Our discussion focuses on a critical and often overlooked aspect of urban living: the health disparities between low-income housing neighborhoods and other areas in Aurora. Could you start by sharing your personal or professional observations on how these disparities manifest in the community? Thank you for having…

    5/18/23 – Henry Ramos
  • 5/11/23 – Lucy Sanchez

    Welcome, and thank you for joining us today to discuss a critical issue affecting our community: the lack of mixed-income housing neighborhoods in Aurora and the resulting segregation between low-income and high-income housing areas. This division has profound implications for social equity and cohesion. Could you share your personal or professional observations on how this…

    5/11/23 – Lucy Sanchez
  • 5/4/23 – Linda Scott

    Welcome, and thank you for joining us today. Our discussion centers on a pressing issue facing communities across Aurora: the challenge of integrating sustainable practices into urban development, with a specific focus on energy-efficient housing. You’re someone that’s worked with a similar issue in Chicago – could you share with us your insights or personal…

    5/4/23 – Linda Scott