Colorado Department of Local Affairs|
Media Contact: Natriece Bryant, Deputy Executive Director
[email protected] 303-241-8364
Department of Local Affairs provides $23M in federal emergency rental assistance, affordable housing in July for Colorado Denver, CO – July 30, 2020 – Up to $19.65M in federal CARES Act funding for emergency rental assistance is now available to property owners on behalf of their tenants through the Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) Division of Housing (DOH). In addition, the division awarded $3.27M through the Colorado State Housing Board (SHB) for affordable housing in July.
Applications are now open for landlords to apply for the Property Owner Preservation (POP) program on behalf of their residents impacted by COVID-19, which resides alongside the Emergency Housing Assistance Program (EHAP) for renters on the DOH website.
DOH awarded Bright Future Foundation (BFF) $660K to support the construction of Brighthouse Emergency Shelter in Gypsum, Colorado. The trauma-informed housing design will have space to shelter up to 22 individuals. Seven units will have kitchenettes and one will accommodate larger families. This project will also have a communal kitchen, common area and on-site counseling space.
The Division granted the City of Gunnison $1.2M to develop 4.3 acres of the 15-acre Lazy K property in Gunnison, Colorado into a combination of single-family homes, duplexes and townhomes for families with incomes 80 - 120 percent of the area median income (AMI), with two homes at market-rate. The Lazy K property will also include the West Gunnison Community Park, built with a Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) grant received in early 2020. Lazy K will develop an early childhood education center in a later phase of the project.
Metro West Housing Solutions (MWHS) was awarded $800K to assist with the construction of the second phase of Lamar Station Crossing in Lakewood, Colorado. Phase II consists of adding 65 units made up of studios, and one-,two-, and three-bedroom apartments for people with incomes between 20 and 80 percent of the AMI. Thirteen of the units are reserved for those in the two lowest AMIs.
The Housing Authority of the City and County of Denver (DHA) was granted $585K to assist with new construction of the 53-unit Shoshone development in the Highlands neighborhood of Denver. The three-story building of one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments will be available to people between 20 and 80 percent of the AMI.
“Many Coloradans are facing housing challenges they didn’t face before the pandemic. Providing emergency rental and mortgage assistance is a top priority for the Division of Housing right now, as we try to support Coloradans impacted by COVID-19,” said DOLA Housing Director Alison George. “In addition to our continuing efforts to make sure affordable housing is available to those in need.”
The State Housing Board and DOLA’s Division of Housing continue to support the creation of affordable housing that is accessible, safe and secure for all Coloradoans. For complete information on Housing Board grant approvals, visit cdola.colorado.gov/state-housing-board.
