A new residential project is going up in Downtown Denver’s River North district–the Renaissance Riverfront Lofts. The project is being developed by the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless and will provide 100 homes to the working poor and homeless. Here’s a recent article about the project’s groundbreaking from the Denver Business Journal: Work Begins on Affordable Housing ProjectHere’s what the development will look like:
It’s good to see a project like this moving forward. Not only does it help people with critical housing needs, but it also helps densify an area that is relatively undeveloped and provides income diversity in Downtown’s residential population.
Wow- that is a nice building. Kinda wish I was homeless.
Seriously though, while well-intended, I foresee many people taking advantage of and abusing CCH's programs. In DTC, there is a subsidizing housing project at Prentice and Valencia. I know a young couple that live there and in order to quaify, you must prove that you make 60% AMI or less.
They were able to qualify since one is a student and the other works in the service industry.
They tell me that the majority of people living there are service-industry workers such as waiters, massage therapists, exotic dancers, etc. that make most of their money in tips. On paper, these folks make much less than the AMI, but in reality they can afford a market rate unit and are taking units away from people that really need them.
We can only hope that CCH has a detailed screening process and that the units are available for those that are in need.
Wow, that's going to fit on that tiny parcel of land?
I wondered what the ceremony was for the other day.