Colorado
More generations living under one roof as Coloradans battle high housing costs, caregiving needs

Steve Chapman’s full house sometimes feels like it’s bursting at the seams.
The 45-year-old and his wife welcomed Chapman’s mother and stepdad into their Aurora home a few years ago after his mom’s landlord sold the Loveland trailer the couple lived in, leaving them unable to afford Colorado rent on their Social Security income.
“The idea was it’d be temporary to help them get going, but it’s impossible to make it here, it seems,” Chapman said of the living arrangement.
Then the Chapmans’ 23-year-old daughter fell on financial hard times while working and pursuing her education at Arapahoe Community College. She moved into her parents’ home to save on rent. Now their eldest daughter, who lives in Nevada, is planning to move home, too.
Chapman said he feels fortunate he’s able to support his family in a four-bedroom home where everyone has their own space. But it’s a fine line between feeling cozy and crowded.
“Realistically, me and my wife are having to come to terms with the fact that this might be forever,” he said. “I don’t know if I see a viable way for this to change. It’s not like my parents are getting younger.”
Multigenerational households — homes where at least two generations of adults live — are on the rise in Colorado and across the United States. The share of the American population living in multigenerational homes has more than doubled over the past five decades, according to Pew Research, from 7% in 1971 to 18% in 2021.
In Colorado, the share of the population living in multigenerational households is about 3.7%, according to 2020 Census data. That means around 71,300 households in the state feature multiple adult generations living under one roof, up from 51,400 households in 2010 — a nearly 40% increase over the decade.
Experts point to Colorado’s steep housing market, caregiving needs for elders and children, and changing demographics and multicultural traditions as reasons for the rise in families living together.
Colorado boasts four of the most expensive noncoastal housing markets in the nation. In the Denver area, the median price of a single-family home sold in December came in at $613,500, according to data from the Denver Metro Association of Realtors. The median price in 2013 was $290,000, according to the S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices, amounting to a more than 110% increase in a decade.
Whatever the reason, said Donna Butts, executive director of the nonprofit Generations United, multigenerational households are the way of the future.
“Those who do choose to live together should be valued and respected and, unfortunately, in this country, we look at multigenerational households as having a stigma or that something is wrong, and it’s not,” she said. “Oftentimes, it’s very, very right. Families pool their resources and they live together and support each other. There’s nothing wrong with that.”
Realizing the value of family
Thor Kieser, his wife and their 8-year-old daughter live in a two-bedroom home in Golden. Kieser’s father-in-law recently immigrated from the Philippines and can’t afford a place of his own, so Grandpa sleeps on a mattress in the laundry room.
The living arrangement works well for 65-year-old Kieser, he said, because he gets the support he needs.
A few years ago, Kieser was diagnosed with stage 4 melanoma, which he overcame. Then, in 2022, he had a serious climbing accident in which he fell and broke 17 bones.
“It was one of those ‘barely survive’ situations,” Kieser said. “But I survived it, and here I am.”
Kieser’s accident resulted in health problems that impacted his mobility and ability to work. He uses a walker to get around and needs assistance getting to and from a slew of medical and physical therapy appointments.
Grandpa takes his granddaughter to elementary school in the morning. He drives Kieser to his oncology appointments, gastroenterologist and physical therapy sessions, and helps around the house while Kieser’s wife works as a certified nursing assistant during the day.
“It works out for us because I need that helping hand,” Kieser said.
Caregiving is a big reason why families are choosing to move in together, Butts said.
The mission of Generations United, the organization Butts leads, centers on improving the lives of kids and elders through intergenerational collaborations, public policies and programs.
During the pandemic, she said, families came together to support each other amid the stresses of a new frontier. Families found that caregiving — whether for children or aging parents — became easier with more people in the home. Incomes could be pooled for more affordable rents. Elderly folks at risk of isolation were around loved ones.
“We need to change our mindset and realize there is great value and importance in families staying together,” Butts said.
“We all help with something”
Many cultures already have adopted this mindset, Butts said.
Multigenerational living is rising partly because the demographic groups comprising most of the recent U.S. population growth — including Asian, Black, Hispanic and foreign-born people — are more likely to live with multiple generations, according to Pew Research.
Diana Cobos Ocaña, 47, lives with her husband, their 12- and 14-year-old children, and her 87-year-old widowed mother in their Morrison home.
Cobos Ocaña grew up in Colombia, where she said it’s not traditional to put elders in nursing homes.
“Besides, she is a great help,” Cobos Ocaña said. “Our kids love having Abuelita” — Spanish for Grandma — “at home, and they are required to speak Spanish to her and teach her English expressions, so that’s another way to preserve our language.”

Thirty percent of the adults in multigenerational households surveyed by Pew say the experience has been very positive while 27% label it as somewhat positive. That’s far more than the 14% who think it’s been somewhat negative or 3% who say it’s been very negative.
Cobos Ocaña and her husband are both teachers. When they go off to work and the kids go to school, she said her mother takes care of the home by cleaning and preparing meals.
“I enjoy the freedom that I feel when I have everybody in charge of something,” Cobos Ocaña said. “Everybody — my mom, my husband, my kids, myself — we all help with something.”

Feed me to the tigers
In 2014, for the first time in more than 130 years, adults between the ages of 18 and 34 were more likely to live in their parents’ home than they were to live with a partner in their own household, according to Pew, which attributed the change to “the dramatic drop in the share of young Americans who are choosing to settle down romantically before age 35.”
Overall, men and women are equally likely to live in a multigenerational house, but men are more likely to do so when they’re under 40 and women are more likely when they’re over 40, researchers found. Among the oldest Americans — 65 and older — 20% of women live in multigenerational households, compared with 15% of men, Pew said.
A third of U.S. adults in multigenerational households cite caregiving as a major reason for their living arrangement, including 25% who noted adult caregiving and 12% who noted child care, according to Pew.
Evelyn Baker joked that she could write a doozy of a self-help book about the trials and tribulations of trying to date as a single mother of teenage boys living with an elderly parent during a global pandemic.
At the height of COVID-19, the 53-year-old Baker searched for a housing situation that would allow her to better care for her octogenarian mother with Parkinson’s disease.
Baker looked into Lennar’s Next Gen homes, which offer a house with a connected suite with a private entrance to “provide all the essentials multigenerational families need to work, learn, create or have a sense of independence,” the company’s website said. Baker was told they were so popular that none were available at the time, but she was persistent and managed to snag one in the Central Park neighborhood that fell out of escrow in 2020.
“We felt really fortunate,” she said.
Baker’s mother grew up in the Philippines, where multigenerational households are more common. But Baker was born in the U.S.
“There’s an interesting multicultural thing happening, where I feel sort of beholden to some of those cultural expectations,” she said.
On one hand, Baker said the living arrangement has been a blessing. Her children have been able to spend time with their grandmother and understand the Filipino elder in a way they wouldn’t have otherwise, she said.
“I feel really lucky to have had this time, too, though it’s really hard,” Baker said.
Baker isn’t able to have much of a social life, she said, because she comes home from work to relieve her mother’s in-home caretaker. Baker does the cooking and cleaning and struggles to find time and space for herself, she said, while managing anticipatory grief over her mother’s declining health.
“Plus, even as a grown-ass woman, when we moved back in together, all of a sudden all those mother/daughter dynamics come flooding back, and it felt like, ‘Oh my God, I’m 15 again,’” Baker said.
Baker recognizes the financial privilege her family has in being able to purchase a home with space for everyone and to be able to afford in-home care.
“It highlights for me how sucky we are as a culture in figuring out how to deal with aging in this society right now,” Baker said. “We’re lucky to have the resources to figure out the best possible solution, but even the best possible solution feels untenable and heartbreaking on a daily basis.”
Recently, Baker discussed the possibility of going on a safari vacation with her children and needing to find care for her mother during the trip.
“She asked me to take her with me and feed her to the tigers,” Baker said. “We started joking about a business model that was like an end-of-life safari where you can go out with a bang.”
Butts noted that American culture needs to adopt policies to make multigenerational living a better, easier experience.
For example, she said oftentimes there can only be one homeowner or married couple on an insurance policy or loan for the household. Sometimes there are zoning issues that prevent or discourage too many people from living together, she said.
“There is this old John Wayne mentality that we have to stand on our own when we oftentimes need each other,” Butts said.
“Forced into this position”
University of Colorado Boulder economics professor Terra McKinnish said Colorado’s housing market is playing a significant role in generations needing to move in together to afford rent.
The Baby Boomer generation has acquired significant housing wealth, McKinnish said, but many localities have restricted housing supply to such a degree that it’s generated “enormous wealth” for mostly older, mostly higher-income homeowners.
“But then the housing costs faced by younger generations and lower- and middle-income and non-homeowners are enormous,” McKinnish said. “That’s really affected the ability of younger generations to establish their own separate households compared to the Baby Boomer generation. It’s become much harder for the younger generations to break into homeownership unless they’re getting financial support from Baby Boomer parents who have housing wealth.”
Juan Manuel Ramirez Anzures would like to move out of his grandparents’ West Colfax home, but he’d be shelling out nearly half of his monthly income as a Denver Public Library employee — at least — to afford rent in the city where he grew up.
Anzures’ parents moved to New Mexico when he was a senior in high school so they could finally know life without a mortgage payment hanging over their heads. Anzures moved in with his grandparents and now, at 23, hasn’t been able to afford to leave, he said.
The Denverite has a front-row seat to condo construction around his grandparents’ home. The view is bittersweet. Anzures said he knows more homes need to be built — Colorado is short more than 100,000 housing units, with nearly half of the state’s housing shortfall concentrated in metro Denver — but is worried about gentrification that pushes out marginalized communities.
Living with his grandparents and a cousin isn’t bad, he said. The family eats dinner together and watches telenovelas — Spanish soap operas. But Anzures wants more privacy and the pride of feeling like he can make it on his own.
“Everything is becoming much more challenging to obtain, even the most bare-bones accommodations for oneself,” Anzures said. “It leads to young people experiencing nihilism and despair — that no matter how much I try and try to do things the right way, I’m just stuck or even going in reverse.”
The average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Denver in January is around $1,600, according to Zillow. That’s a more than 50% increase over 10 years ago, when the average Denver rent was about $1,041.
The disparity has meant young adults are staying in their parents’ homes longer.
Chapman and his adult daughter — soon to be joined by her sister back home in Aurora — know the struggle.
Chapman said he sympathizes with his daughters, who aren’t lazy, but a victim of circumstance. He knows it’s hard to live a lifestyle conducive to being a young adult while crashing with parents, he said.
“We lived our crazy 20s already, so I’m not trying to live that again,” Chapman said. “I know that’s hard on her. But it is our home. You kind of have to choose at this point if you’re going to live your crazy 20s or live with your parents. They’re kind of forced into this position.”
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Colorado
How ‘a man with a blow torch’ turned a rally in Colorado into a scene of horror

The first 911 calls reporting the Colorado flamethrower attack were as horrific as they were unbelievable.
“There is a male with a blow torch setting people on fire,” a dispatcher advised the city’s police department, passing on the account of an eyewitness. Another official reported: “Multiple burns, potential terror attack.”
What had been a peaceful rally at the Boulder’s Pearl Street Mall on Sunday in solidarity with hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza quickly turned into a scene of horror, with medical crews arriving to find victims lying or sitting on the ground with their legs and bodies burned – and police holding a suspect face down with a gun at his back.
Members of the public raced from local restaurants with buckets and jugs of water to pour over those who were injured.
The attack by a man hurling molotov cocktails and shouting “Free Palestine” struck at the heart of one of Colorado’s largest Jewish communities, just 10 days after two Israeli embassy staffers were shot dead in Washington DC by a man yelling the same statement. It also came weeks after an arson attack on the home of Josh Shapiro, the Jewish governor of Pennsylvania, by a pro-Palestinian activist.
“Make no mistake: if and when Jews are targeted to protest Israel’s actions, it should clearly and unequivocally be understood and condemned as antisemitism,” Amy Spitalnick, chief executive of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, said in a statement.
“These attacks come alongside a broader rise in antisemitism, from hate crimes targeting Jews walking down the street, to efforts to marginalize, isolate, and discriminate against Jews, to antisemitic and white supremacist mass violence targeting synagogues and other spaces.”
Boulder county, where Sunday’s attack took place, had long been considered a safe, “dream community” for Jewish families drawn there over the last decade. Numbers have doubled to represent more than 10% of the county’s 330,000 population.
The eight victims – four men and four women, including an 88-year-old Holocaust survivor, and a mother and daughter – represented a cross-section of a vibrant diaspora in a city with numerous Jewish community centers, schools and businesses.
“What happened here in our local community in Boulder is shameful, and I think people really need to have a sense of accountability,” Fred Greene, rabbi of Boulder’s Har HaShem congregation, told CNN on Monday.
“If we want peace, if we want dignity for people, there have to be other ways than this kind of violence.”
Another expert, University of Boulder Hillel executive director Elyana Funk, told the network that the assault was especially shocking because it targeted a “quiet and respectful” assembly of residents who were taking part in a solidarity walk, which has become popular in numerous Jewish communities around the world since the Hamas terror attack on Israel and taking of hostages on 7 October 2023.
“This wasn’t a pro-Israel rally or some sort of political statement on the war,” she said. “These are peaceful people who’ve been walking for nearly 20 months weekly to bring awareness for the hostages.”
The attack came on the same day as the start of Shavuot, a two-day Jewish festival to celebrate the 50th day after the Passover holiday. Several events were postponed or canceled after the attack, but Funk said resilience would shine through.
“The antidote for antisemitism can be Jewish joy, and Jewish community and Jewish connection,” she said.
Meanwhile, the Boulder police chief, Stephen Redfearn, recalled the community reaction to the 2021 mass shooting at a supermarket in the city that left 10 people dead.
“Boulder is not immune to tragedy sadly and I know a lot of people are scared right now and questioning how this happened and why,” he said at a press conference on Sunday night.
“Boulder has recovered from acts of violence before and we will again recover. I urge this community to come together. Now is not the time to be divisive.”
The attack took place on Pearl Street Mall, a popular pedestrian area of downtown Boulder laced with stores and restaurants, overlooked by the University of Colorado, and a regular venue for the event supporting Run for Their Lives, an organization calling for the immediate release of the Gaza hostages.
Eyewitnesses said the suspect, 45-year-old Mohamed Sabry Soliman, appeared out of nowhere and seemingly singled out individuals taking part in the rally.
“It was easily the most horrific thing I’ve ever seen in my life,” Brian Horowitz, 37, told CNN.
The Denver resident said he was in a cafe with his family when he heard screams and raced to confront the suspect, who was shouting profanities at his victims.
“‘Fuck you Zionists,” Horowitz said the man yelled. “‘You’re killing my people so I kill you.’”
Horowitz added: “There’s someone who is outraged enough to go and attack these elderly people who are doing absolutely nothing to provoke it other than walk in silence and meet in a courtyard peacefully. It’s unbelievable.”
Colorado
Several wounded in attack on pro-Israel hostage event in Boulder, Colorado
FBI personnel and local police are investigating an attack in Boulder, Colorado that occurred at an event raising awareness for the Israeli hostages, Deputy Director of the FBI Dan Bongino said in a post on Twitter/X.
On Sunday afternoon, a man threw Molotov cocktails at participants of a weekly walking group that raises awareness for the hostages in Hamas captivity.
Local media reported that five people were burned. The injuries range “from very serious to more minor,” Boulder Police Chief Stephen Redfearn said, according to Reuters.
One eyewitness said that one woman was so badly burned that she had to roll on the ground to put the fire out. Walla reported that children were among the five injured.
The suspect, an adult male, is now in custody, Reuters said.
In videos of the attack circulated on social media, the suspect is seen walking and shouting “end Zionists” and “Palestine is free” while holding bottles containing clear liquids.
The video of an alleged terrorist from Boulder Colorado has emerged. He is heard saying “end Zionists” few times, also screams “Palestine is Free” at 28-29 second mark pic.twitter.com/uVNdVpcwlQ
— Michael Elgort (@just_whatever) June 1, 2025
Local authorities said that they could not confirm whether or not it was a terror attack at the time of publication.
FBI personnel are on the scene in Boulder, Colorado, along with local law enforcement.We are investigating this incident as an act of terror, and targeted violence. All of the necessary assets will be dedicated to this investigation. If you have any investigative tips please…
— Dan Bongino (@FBIDDBongino) June 1, 2025
“We are saddened and heartbroken,” Boulder’s Jewish Community said in a post on Facebook. “When events like this enter our own community, we are shaken. Our hope is that we come together for one another.”
“Our hearts go out to those who witnessed this horrible attack, and prayers for a speedy recovery to those who were injured,” the statement said.
FBI, police investigating Boulder attack
FBI Director Kash Patel said on Sunday that the agency was aware of and fully investigating the potential terror attack.
While he did not provide further details, Patel said in a post on social media: “Our agents and local law enforcement are on the scene already, and we will share updates as more information becomes available.”
Police are asking the public to avoid the expanded evacuation area, they said on Twitter/X. So far, they have evacuated the 1200, 1300, and 1400 blocks of Pearl Street between Walnut and Pine, Colorado, according to local reports.
We have just expanded the evacuation area https://t.co/yHXHs6YdZn pic.twitter.com/5Gt8AUdu6P
— Boulder Police Dept. (@boulderpolice) June 1, 2025
The weekly walking group, Run for Their Lives, noted that their walk was not a protest, but rather a peaceful gathering to raise awareness for the hostages in Gaza.
“This is not a protest; it is a peaceful walk to show solidarity with the hostages and their families, and a plea for their release,” the organization said in a statement, as reported by CBS News.
Colorado governor, Israeli diplomats react
“Hate-filled acts of any kind are unacceptable,” Colorado Governor Jared Polis said in a Twitter/X post.
“My thoughts go out to the people who have been injured and impacted by this heinous act of terror,” he said.
I am closely monitoring the situation in Boulder, and my thoughts go out to the people who have been injured and impacted by this heinous act of terror. Hate-filled acts of any kind are unacceptable. While details emerge, the state works with local and federal law enforcement to…
— Governor Jared Polis (@GovofCO) June 1, 2025
The Israeli consulate in Los Angeles said that it was monitoring the situation and that it had contacted local law enforcement and the Boulder Jewish community.
Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said that the attack was caused by antisemitic tropes spread in the media.
“Shocked by the terrible antisemitic terror attack targeting Jews in Boulder, Colorado,” he wrote in a statement on X/Twitter.
“This is pure Antisemitism, fueled by the blood libels spread in the media. I spoke with our Ambassador in the US and our Consul General in LA. I pray for those who were wounded in the attack.
Colorado Attorney-General Phil Weiser said that he believed that the attack was a hate crime because it targeted members of the Jewish community.
“This attack appears to be a hate crime given the group that was targeted,” Colorado Attorney-General Phil Weiser said in a statement.
“People may have differing views about world events and the Israeli-Hamas conflict, but violence is never the answer to settling differences. Hate has no place in Colorado. We all have the right to peaceably assemble and the freedom to speak our views. But these violent acts—which are becoming more frequent, brazen and closer to home—must stop and those who commit these horrific acts must be fully held to account,” he said.
Jewish Federation proposes steps to Trump administration
“The attack in Boulder is another example of a wave of domestic terror aimed at the Jewish community. This must be the highest priority for the Trump Administration and Congress,” a statement from the Jewish Federations President and CEO Eric D Fingerhut said on Sunday.
The statement outlined six steps that the organization believes the Trump administration should implement, including increasing funding for defense and security organizations that protect Jewish institutions, and aggressively prosecuting antisemitic hate crimes and violence.
Colorado
Colorado Summer Bucket List – Colorado Parent

Looking to make this summer one for the books? Denver, Colorado is bursting with unforgettable experiences, sunshine-filled adventures, and mountain magic that make it the perfect playground for a bucket list summer. Whether you’re a local rediscovering your city or a visitor chasing Rocky Mountain highs, here’s how to make the most of summer in the Mile High City.
- Catch a Concert at Red Rocks
No Denver summer is complete without experiencing a live show at Red Rocks Amphitheatre. Surrounded by towering sandstone formations and under a canopy of stars, this iconic venue offers more than just music. It’s a moment you’ll never forget. - Sip and Stroll Through RiNo
The River North Art District (RiNo) is a hub of creativity, with colorful murals, funky breweries, and trendy food halls. Spend an afternoon exploring the alleys, grabbing a craft beverage, and sampling bites from Denver’s thriving culinary scene. - Hike a 14er
For the adventurers, summiting a Colorado 14er (a mountain over 14,000 feet) is a badge of honor. Mount Bierstadt and Grays Peak are popular and accessible options for beginners. Just start early and hydrate! - Cool Off with Paddleboarding
Head to Sloan’s Lake or Cherry Creek Reservoir for a chill day on the water. Rent a paddleboard, pack a picnic, and enjoy the sun with the city skyline or mountain backdrop. - Explore Union Station
Downtown Denver’s Union Station is more than a transit hub. Sip coffee at local cafes, shop at the bookstore, or enjoy a craft cocktail at The Cooper Lounge with views of the historic architecture. - Attend a Summer Festival
The city is buzzing with energy all summer long. Check out coloradoparent.com/calendar for the most up-to-date events around town, and soak up the culture, music, and community vibes. - Sunset at Washington Park
Pack a blanket and head to Washington Park for one of the best sunset views in town.
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