Housing Catalyst Funds, DurangoScape 2024

The City of Durango plans to donate $250,000 to the Housing Catalyst Fund to continue, identify, and fund housing projects in La Plata County. The theme and featured speakers for the 2024 DurangoScape Conference have been announced. A $100,000 nonprofit infrastructure grant was awarded to the Powerhouse. It was, once again, tax season and the Colorado Department of Revenue announced that it can now process your 2023 income tax returns and shared a few filing reminders. You're watching the "Local News Roundup," brought to you by Serious Texas Bar-B-Q and Sky Ute Casino. I'm Sadie Smith. To better address housing in La Plata County, the Housing Catalyst Fund was created through a combination of grants from the City of Durango in La Plata County. The fund identifies potential housing projects in the county and is operated through the La Plata Economic Development Alliance and Project Moxie. The fund completed its second round of funding with three projects awarded, including Animas View Mobile Home Park, Co-Op, Workforce Apartments at Three Springs, and West Side Triangle Mobile Home Park. To date, the Housing Catalyst Fund has raised $933,000 for identified projects and the City of Durango plans to donate $250,000 in 2024, matching the initial seed money amount the city donated. The third round of grants from the Housing Catalyst Fund will be awarded this spring with applications opening in March and projects announced in April. Find information on how to apply, the criteria for the grants, and a Catalyst Fund Q&A at the La Plata Economic Development Alliance's website. The theme for 2024 DurangoScape Conference focuses on native plants in their role in adapting to the changing climate. Feature speakers include Ross Wrigley, the Executive Director of Plant Select, a nonprofit leading brand of plants designed to thrive in high plain and mountain regions. And John Wickman, the former owner of Native Roots and Pine River Plants. Mike Smedley will reprise his iconic "Plant This, Not That" presentation, walking first time and experienced gardeners alike through a list of plants for residential gardens and highlighting alternatives to non-native invasive plants. The conference will be held at the Durango Public Library on March 16th and is free to members of the Durango Botanical Society. There will be a nominal fee for non-members, and the Colorado Native Plant Society will hold a seed giveaway before the conference. The Powerhouse was recently selected as a recipient of the Nonprofit Infrastructure Grant through the Colorado Department of Local Affairs. The Nonprofit Infrastructure Grant is a program for small, community-based nonprofits providing services to communities that have historically been underserved, under-resourced, or underrepresented in post-pandemic recovery. The $100,000 grant will be put towards three projects. The hiring of the museum planning consultant to develop a comprehensive museum exhibit plan, funding professional development for Powerhouse staff, and purchasing an electric truck, the Steam Roller, for outreach programs. The comprehensive plan will allow for a renewal of the Powerhouse Gallery space and updating the museum with steam-focused exhibits. Tax season has officially started with the Colorado Department of Revenue announcing that it can now process 2023 income tax returns. You can file taxes online either through the Department of Revenue's online portal, or through a third-party vendor. Taxes can also be filed by mail. The tax filing deadline for the 2023 tax year is April 15th, 2024, with six-month extensions available. Learn more about these and other stories online at durangolocal.news. Thank you for watching this edition of the "Local News Roundup." I'm Sadie Smith.