Hundreds of homes built under Denver's affordable housing program were sold to buyers who didn't qualify for them. Now, the city is trying to clean up the mess.
Denver is attempting to find a solution after the revelation that about 300 homes built for low-income residents were sold to buyers who did not qualify for affordable housing. Now, city officials have proposed a compromise they hope will eventually recoup the affordable units without kicking people out of their homes. Andrew Kenney reports in the Post:
The new deal is simple: Affected homeowners would be allowed to keep their properties for as long as they want, even if they broke the income limits. But when they sell the houses, they would have to obey the program's strict pricing limits ... When they eventually move, the income restrictions on their properties would resume, staying in place for however many years the ineligible homeowner chose to stay in the home.
The pathway also applies to people who are breaking other rules, including illegally renting out their homes.
Officials claim the root of these mistaken transactions is an error at the state level resulting in local affordability restrictions not being presented clearly during sales. But attorneys for the homeowners accuse the city of negligence in administering the affordable housing program over the last 15 years.
Read the full story: Denver offers a fix for affordable housing mess, but dozens of homeowners could take a hit
How One Community Land Trust Delivers Housing Affordability to Denver
The Elevation Community Land Trust's unusual ownership structure and strong initial fundraising have given it a solid footing in the Denver area.
Denver Condo Project Aims for 'Permanent Affordability'
More often the province of rental housing, affordability policies are limited in the for-sale market. A partnership in Denver aims to change that with a mixed-use project including at least 86 condos destined to be "permanently affordable."
Houston Habitat for Humanity builds modular homes in one-third the construction time of traditional houses
The nonprofit known for facilitating affordable homeownership is working to cut costs as traditional construction becomes more expensive.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour
If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.
Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River
Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.
US buildings threatened, destroyed by fires set to triple by 2060
Researchers found a high fire risk for socioeconomically vulnerable neighborhoods in the American West.
LA residents may be allowed to paint their own crosswalks
Councilwoman Katy Yaroslavsky put out a motion instructing the Los Angeles Department of Public Transportation to study the feasibility of allowing volunteers to paint crosswalks.
Dallas moves to overhaul its zoning code
The city's zoning reform will allow more multi-family and mixed-use developments.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority