2000 Best Practice Awards

Best Practice: The Uptown Project

Partnerships Provide Affordable Housing in Uptown Denver

Denver. The Uptown Partnership (TUP) provides affordable housing, housing for the disabled and housing for special needs populations while generating commercial investment and overall neighborhood revitalization. The partnership initially jump-started development in uptown Denver by rehabilitating Washington Place, a foreclosed, HUD-owned multifamily property. Over the past ten years, TUP has developed 165 units of low- and moderate-income for-rent and for-sale units at 15 scattered sites that serve a broad-based socio-economic clientele. TUP has focused on providing affordable and special needs housing that is well integrated into the local community. By developing partnerships with local community groups and service providers for special needs populations, TUP has proved the efficiency and effectiveness of its model. Each partner brings to the collaboration an area of expertise. By developing projects with several "experts" including human service providers, city and state agencies, lenders, foundations and other nonprofits, TUP has increased impact and minimized duplication of efforts.

Contact: Marney McCleary, Phone: (303) 832-6832
Tracking Number: 2143
Winning Category: Program (Community Builder)

Best Practice: Willow Street Residences

A Coalition of Three Non-Profits Addresses Special Housing Needs

Littleton. Borne out of the need for a Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO) to develop affordable housing and housing for persons with special needs, three local nonprofits formed a partnership to develop affordable housing for Arapaho County and its residents. These three nonprofits serving special-needs residents received training from housing management experts, incorporated their nonprofit, and became certified by the county as a CHDO. With $400,000 in CDBG and HOME Partnership funds, the association purchased a property and developed the 80-unit Willow Street Residences. The association assembled a task force to design the property and developed a management structure to ease neighborhood concerns about the proposed development. The $400,000 provided by the County leveraged $7 million from other sources. With an active and flexible partnership, the agencies have created an environment that addresses special needs in the community and provides additional low-income housing.

Contact: Colleen Currier, Phone: (303) 738-8062
Tracking Number: 1699
Winning Category: Georgraphical

Best Practice: Posada

Emergency Shelter Leads to Long-Term Assistance

Pueblo. Posada operates on the philosophy that empowerment is as important as a warm bed. This Pueblo, Colorado nonprofit has effectively used the services of a broad range of partners -- government agencies, nonprofit groups, medical providers, local law enforcement departments and other stakeholders in the community -- to provide comprehensive services to individuals and families who are homeless or at risk. With the goal of empowering individuals with the skills and abilities to reintegrate into the community, Posada provides for the immediate needs of the homeless while enabling them to overcome the problems that have led to their homelessness. Posada achieves this through emergency shelter services, aggressive case management and transitional housing. Posada complements its main services with ancillary services such as employment assistance programs, physical and mental health care and counseling. Posada has served over 37,000 homeless individuals and provided over 190,000 nights of shelter.

Contact: Anne Stattelman, Phone: (719) 545-8776
Tracking Number: 906
Winning Category: Program (Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity)

Best Practice: State of Colorado’s Department of Human Services’ Partnership

Program Provides Disabled a Chance for Homeownership

Denver. Affordable homeownership can be the source for integrating persons with disabilities more fully into their communities. A pilot project by the Colorado Department of Human Services and key partners has become a valuable resource for low-income persons with disabilities who want to become homeowners. In just the few first months of operations, several low-income persons with disabilities are already in the beginning stages of homeownership.

The Department of Human Services’ Supportive Housing and Homeless Programs partnered with six lenders, the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority and 60 local service providers to help families through the loan application process and provide counseling before, during and after the purchase process.

Eligible families—those affected by disabilities and earning less that 30 percent median income--obtain loans through participating lenders who sell the loans to the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority through the agency’s HomeAccess program. The HomeAccess program offers first mortgage loans at a fixed interest rate of 3 percent with a 30-year amortization and a deferred second mortgage loan at 1.5 percent simple interest rate for up to $10,000 in assistance with down payment and closing costs.

An important element of the program is the experimental use of Section 8 Assistance as a source of funds for mortgage payments: HomeAccess considers Section 8 Assistance in its underwriting and accepts mortgage payments from the borrower and from the Section 8 Program. The acceptance of Section 8 payments permits borrowers to qualify for a higher mortgage than would otherwise be possible. Participant’s success in meeting their ongoing financial obligations is further ensured by an established network of flexible, long-term support services that are made available to help them with independent living.

Contact: Jamie Kelly, Phone: (303) 672-5443
Tracking Number: 2403
Winning Category: Geographical and Program (Community Builder)

Content Archived: April 20, 2011