Denver 21,000 homes short
Fixing the affordable housing problem, however, will require more than building.
Denver needs at least 21,000 more affordable housing units to meet current demand, but it’s going to take a lot more than construction to address the city’s housing challenges.
That was the message from city officials Friday as they unveiled a new housing strategy meant to more comprehensively address the needs of everyone from people experiencing homelessness to those working full time but still struggling to stay ahead of rising rents.
“We don’t just want people to have a home,” Mayor Michael Hancock said during an address at the 2017 Denver Housing Summit. “We want them to be able to stay in it, build their lives and families and build their futures. That means we must go beyond putting a roof over someone’s head.”
New efforts under the mayor’s recently created Office of Housing & Opportunity for People Everywhere — or HOPE for short — will focus on connecting residents with affordable housing, healthy living and good-paying jobs.
To that end, HOPE has identified 30 short-term action items to improve city and partner services by the end of 2017. They include:
• Expanding Denver Day Works program
• Developing pilot program for transportation assistance for lowincome families
• Expanding health and safety programs for the homeless, including storage options, public restroom facilities and sharp boxes
• Developing policy and financing for creation of Accessory Dwelling Units
• Expanding Section 3 Jobs Program
• Improving and expanding renter eviction assistance program
• Expanding home preservation program in gentrifying neighborhoods
“A good home, a good job and good health are the keystones to a good life,” said Erik Soliván, executive director of HOPE.
Friday’s announcement follows the launch of the city’s first dedicated local funding source for affordable housing earlier this year. The housing fund, expected to generate $150 million over 10 years through property taxes and new development impact fees, aims to create or preserve 6,000 units of affordable housing citywide.
But Hancock made it clear that the city will not be able to “build our way out of this challenge.” The $150 million, he said, was not meant to be an endall, be-all solution.
“What you’re going to see the city do is to take the resources that we’re already allocating and do much more with them. That’s what this is all about,” Hancock said after the announcement.
The population of people experiencing homelessness in Denver is changing, according to the city.
Nearly three out of four homeless individuals are working, while one in five are seniors. Of the chronically homeless, who represent one in five homeless individuals, many are experiencing mental health and substance abuse issues.
Expanding access to economic empowerment to all individuals and families will be an important part of the city’s efforts, Soliván said.
“You can never produce enough, but this approach is not just about looking at construction,” he said. “It’s how many levers can we push along the entire housing market of need. How do we look at new construction? How do we look at opportunities to access existing units through publicprivate partnerships? How do we look at ways in which we can address the housing market holistically — not just the home but also the individuals and the families who are then transitioning into that home?”