Commemorating the People Who Built Us Over 33 Years, Inspiring Our Future
On August 20, 2025, at RMC’s main office, longtime friends and supporters gathered for an unforgettable evening of reflection, shared stories, and laughter as we celebrated 33 years of Rocky Mountain Communities’ history and impact. The evening honored the pioneers who laid the foundation for our organization. Among them was Steve Barbier, a veteran in affordable housing and retired leader from NeighborWorks America, who reflected on the very first days of RMC’s founding with the Mutual Housing Model. In this model, residents held long-term occupancy rights and governance roles.
Joyce Alms Ransford, another pioneering leader for affordable housing in the region, recalled her role as a consultant in identifying residents who invested in our very first property, Mountain Terrace. The organization’s journey began with spirited community planning sessions, or charrettes, where housing leaders came together to design a framework for mutual housing. From those early conversations starting in 1992, RMC took shape, led by three key board members: Cecilia Mascarenas, Richard Padilla, and Tom Gougeon, and our first CEO, Bill Sullivan.
As the years unfolded, RMC grew into a leader in property redevelopment, preservation, community building, and upward mobility programs. Debra Bustos and her husband, Lalo Diaz, shared powerful memories from their time with the organization. Debra, who served in multiple leadership roles, including Director of Real Estate Development, recalled receiving a midnight call over the Fourth of July holiday about a devastating fire at one of our properties. Acting quickly and with compassion, she ensured displaced families were housed in hotels and the asset manager on staff later successfully advocated with insurers to cover costs, pointing to the resident ownership principles of the Mutual Housing Model. Meanwhile, Lalo, working on the construction side, developed an innovative five-day redevelopment system that allowed apartments to be rehabilitated in phases with limited impact on residents. This unique approach meant residents could return each evening to a home partially restored; this became an inspiring example of creativity and care in action in the affordable housing industry.
Mark Marshall, President and CEO of Rocky Mountain Communities, wrapped up the evening by looking to the future as we reinvest in our existing portfolio of properties including the current gut rehab of Gateway Village in Fort Morgan, CO and focus on new affordable housing development starting with the 4995 Washington St. project in Denver’s Globeville neighborhood, in partnership with Evergreen Real Estate Group, Globeville Elyria Swansea Coalition (GES Coalition) and Denver Public Library.
From a first look at our 33-year timeline to hearing heartfelt words from past and present leaders, the event was a moving tribute to the people and milestones that define who we are today. We are deeply grateful to our residents, partners, board members, and friends who continue to walk alongside us in building Safe, Equitable, Resilient, and Vibrant (SERV) Communities across Colorado. These stories are only a glimpse into the legacy of courage, compassion, and innovation that built RMC. To preserve this history, we’ve completed more than 10 in-depth interviews with key individuals as part of our RMC History Project Timeline, set to launch on our website later this year. If you would like to learn more about the RMC History Project and share your stories about your involvement in our history, please contact Bessana Kendig, at bkendig@rmcommunities.org.
