Arvada STR Heat Map: What You Are Looking At

Arvada Housing Advocacy · Robert Slay, MSW · June 2026 · Data: CORA Request 2026-209

The Research Finding Every Council Member Needs to Know: Arvada’s citywide STR rate of 1.33% looks manageable — but that number masks what is happening at the neighborhood level. In specific census tracts within Districts 2 and 3, estimated STR concentrations reach 10–15% of housing units. Peer-reviewed research consistently links elevated neighborhood-level STR concentration to reduced housing affordability, declining residential stability, and degraded quality of life for long-term residents.

386

Licensed STRs citywide

76%

Concentrated in Districts 2 & 3

1.33%

Citywide average rate

10–15%

D2+D3 hotspot neighborhoods

What This Map Shows

This heat map renders the geographic intensity of short-term rental concentration across Arvada as a continuous gradient. Rather than individual dots, it shows where STRs cluster — cooler colors where they are sparse, intensifying through yellow and orange to red where they are densest.

The heat map is designed to show the shape of the problem at a glance, without requiring the viewer to count individual properties. Red and orange areas are the neighborhoods where STR concentration is highest — and where the gap between the city-wide average (1.33%) and local reality (10–15%) is widest.

How to Read the Colors

Color	What It Means
Blue / Cool	Low STR presence — sparse distribution, minimal clustering.
Green	Moderate presence — scattered properties beginning to form loose clusters.
Yellow / Orange	High presence — clear clustering, multiple properties in close proximity.
Red / Hot	Very high presence — dense clusters with multiple STRs within a few hundred feet of each other.

What the Heat Tells Us About Housing

Every red or orange area on this map is a neighborhood where a meaningful share of the housing stock has been converted from long-term residential use to short-term commercial use. These are homes no longer available to rent or buy as permanent residences. They are no longer neighbors — they are inventory.

The heat map makes visible what permit lists and spreadsheets obscure: this is not a diffuse, city-wide phenomenon. It is geographically concentrated. Two of Arvada’s four council districts absorb the vast majority of this pressure while two others face almost none. The heat shows you exactly where.

How to Use the Map

Zoom into any hot area to see the individual STRs contributing to the heat.
Pan across the city to compare heat intensity between districts — the contrast between Districts 2/3 and Districts 1/4 is stark.
Use the Layers panel to toggle district boundaries and city limits on or off.
Use the fullscreen button (top left) for the best viewing experience on any device.

Data Source

STR permit data: City of Arvada, CORA Request 2026-209 — 386 active licenses as of December 31, 2025.
Geocoding: U.S. Census Bureau Geocoding Services. 385 of 386 addresses matched to precise coordinates.
Heat rendering: Leaflet.heat library, equal-weighted point intensities, radius 35 / blur 25.
This map is for advocacy and informational purposes. All source data is public record.

← Open the Heat Map