FoCo in 15 Minutes | Housing Crisis Warning, $350M Venue, Water Watch & Shake Shack

Welcome to Living in Fort Collins — The Podcast, your weekly insider look at what’s happening across Fort Collins and Northern Colorado — from growth and development to housing, business, infrastructure, and local events shaping the region.This week in Fort Collins & Northern Colorado:🏘️ NoCo Foundation Warns Region Needs 47,500 New Homes — A major new housing report says Northern Colorado needs nearly 50,000 additional housing units over the next decade to avoid worsening affordability issues. Larimer County now has the largest income-to-housing-cost gap in Colorado, while Weld County remains one of the fastest-growing counties in the state. 🎶 $350M Entertainment Venue Could Come to Northern Colorado — A proposed 12,500-seat entertainment venue is being explored in either Fort Collins or Greeley, potentially transforming the region’s entertainment, hospitality, and real estate landscape. 💧 Fort Collins Declares Water Shortage Watch — For the first time in nearly five years, Fort Collins Utilities issued a Water Shortage Watch due to low snowpack, drought conditions, and unusually warm temperatures. Residents are being asked to voluntarily reduce water usage. 🚌 Major Transfort Route Changes Coming August 17 — Fort Collins finalized a redesigned bus network focused on high-demand corridors and improved reliability while maintaining the city’s fare-free transit model. 🍔 Shake Shack Opens May 31 at Foothills Mall — Northern Colorado’s first Shake Shack officially opens later this month, continuing the momentum of retail and restaurant expansion at Foothills Mall. 📡 Flock Safety Cameras Continue to Dominate Public Debate — The May 5 meeting drew one of the largest public turnouts in recent memory, with residents voicing concerns over privacy, surveillance, and oversight related to automated license plate reader cameras. 🏠 Housing Action Plan Approved — Council approved funding to begin developing a new citywide Housing Action Plan, partially driven by state legislation and growing regional affordability concerns. 🚍 Infrastructure Investments Continue — Council approved funding for new Transfort buses, Connexion broadband expansion, and the Vine Drive Bridge replacement project. 🔥 Wildfire & Air Quality Concerns Growing — Officials highlighted upcoming wildfire smoke workshops and praised emergency response teams following the recent Pond’s Fire. 🎵 Head for the Hills: Pickin’ on the Poudre — May 16 | Mishawaka🎸 That Eighties Band at Washington’s — May 16 | Old Town🥕 Larimer County Farmers Market Opening Day — May 16🚣 A1 Wildwater Rafting Season Opens — Starting May 15🍺 Odell Small Batch Weekend (Coming Soon) — May 29–31📲 Thinking about buying, selling, or investing in Northern Colorado?My team and I help clients make confident, well-informed real estate decisions with both data and boots-on-the-ground insight across Fort Collins and Northern Colorado.Patrick Soukup📞 Call/Text: 970-893-3533📧 Email: [email protected]🌐 Website: soukuprealestate.com