Denver leaders on Wednesday broke ground on a 102-unit affordable housing development at 3270 W. Colfax Ave. which took advantage of a $4 million loan from the Department of Housing Stability and a $100,000 grant from the Office of Climate Action, Sustainability and Resilience.
In addition to money from HOST and CSAR, “The Irving” is using money from a statewide affordable housing fund set up by Proposition 123.
The multifamily development, called “The Irving at Mile High Vista,” will be restricted to residents in the 20-80% area median income bracket. The all-rental development will feature apartments ranging from studios to three bedrooms and is billed as being an all electric, climate friendly design, according to a city news release.
The new building was constructed with multiple energy efficient policies in mind, as Denver attempts to become a more sustainable city in light of the planet’s changing climate. The issue has become so pronounced the City Council asked Mayor Mike Johnston to declare a climate emergency in its letter outlining budget priorities for 2025.
Climate friendly features at the Irving, highlighted by a city press release, include a rooftop solar array, efficient appliances and lighting, electric vehicle charging stations and heat pumps.
The new construction is also part of an ongoing effort by Johnston to “build and sustain” thousands of affordable housing units in his first year, and tens of thousands if he can remain in office for two terms.
“Affordable housing is not just about providing shelter; it’s about creating a Denver where the people who serve, work and live in this city have a fair chance to thrive,” Johnston said in the release. “The Irving represents our city and partners’ dedication and commitment to creating inclusive neighborhoods where residents of all backgrounds can call home.”
Denver has recently shifted its approach to addressing homelessness, choosing to focus on housing people and providing them services, rather than simply sheltering them. But this effort has run into several roadblocks, including layers of bureaucracy and a City Council that has delayed certain projects.
Furthermore, the city’s own track record with homelessness resolution is questionable. In a previous report, The Denver Gazette found that nearly as many people exiting the eight shelter sites tied to Johnston’s new initiative have ended up either dead, or in custody, as have ended up in permanent housing solutions, city data shows. Nine died and 19 individuals ended up in jail, prison or a juvenile detention facility.
As of May 20, the latest update, 1,514 people have been sheltered by the city. Of those, 45 people have been moved to leased units, 26 have found “other shelter,” seven found other stable housing options and four have begun in-patient treatments.
However, 10 have died, 28 are in jail, 47 people’s status is unknown and 165 — more than 10% — are not sheltered again. But the city has been somewhat diligently building affordable housing, and the press release from HOST said more than 2,200 units have received city financing. There are also 25 sites throughout Denver being built and/or preserved by the city.
“The Irving” is being developed by the Urban Land Conservancy, which purchased the land next to the Rodolfo “Corky” Gonzales Library branch and Del Norte’s Avondale Apartments, completing the development of the Mile High Vista, according to the press release.
“The Irving is the culmination of the community’s long-term vision for Mile High Vista, a mixed-use development that offers affordable housing and library services,” said Sarah Harman, senior vice president of real estate at ULC. “Because of the ongoing displacement of longtime residents in the West Colfax neighborhood, we believe it’s more important than ever to deliver affordable housing here.”
