Rally outside Colorado State Capitol held to bring awareness to skyrocketing rent increases
The rising cost of housing has been a major problem for many people, particularly skyrocketing rent prices.
"It's hard. Nowadays everything is so expensive," said Sonia Saravia, a Colorado renter.
She has watched Colorado grow over the last 22 years. Ever since her parents bought a trailer in Boulder in 2000.
She says since then big tech has come to town and brought with it high paying jobs, but that wasn't good for her family because it drove up the cost of living.
"Every time it grows, we have to pay more," said Sonia.
Their lot rent started at $300 a month and has since risen to $800 a month. All the while their earnings didn't keep up and eventually her parents started making tough decisions. Like forgoing medical care.
"They felt like it was medications or paying the rent," said Sonia.
That decision caught up with them. Her mom's health took a turn for the worse and doctors had to amputate her leg to save her life.
"It started with the toe and then they amputated from the knee down," recalled Sonia.
Stories like Sonia's are why Colorado Homes for All held a rally at the Colorado State Capital on Sunday. They say lawmakers need to stop ignoring one of Colorado's biggest problems and pass legislation that would provide rent stabilization.
"They should take this into consideration that 90% of Colorado is struggling and if they pass this bill on rent stabilization it would make a huge difference," said Moriah Rodriguez a spokeswoman for Colorado Homes for All.
Sonia says she wants a better future for both her and her kids and agrees legislators need to help bring soaring rents down.
"We need to have a stabilization in the rent," she said.
