An affordable housing project requested a waiver of parking requirements to build 36 deeply affordable housing units in Denver. A local neighborhood organization's opposition to the waiver won the day.
"Plans to build 36 apartments in Five Points for some of Denver’s poorest residents have been stalled because of parking," reports Donna Bryson.
The plan in question calls for deeply affordable housing to be built on land near the Agape Christian Church in Five Points, but local homeowners say "that their parking woes would be exacerbated by the proposal," according to Bryson. The city has responded to those parking concerns instead of choosing to prioritize the construction of affordable housing.
"Each of the 36 one-bedroom apartments would be restricted to households that earn no more than 30 percent of area median income, which now is $19,500 a year for one person," explains Bryson about the details of the project's affordable housing proposal.
"On July 14, the five-member [Board of Adjustment for Zoning] appointed by the mayor to consider waivers of zoning requirements issued a final denial of a request to include six spaces for cars for residents of the 36 units and for staff who will be providing services at Charity’s House Apartments. Under zoning rules, 22 spaces were required for the 36 units."
The successful opposition of the project is credited to Lynne Bruning of the Welton Corridor Registered Neighborhood Organization.
Read the full story: Why we can’t have affordable things: Parking problems stalled 36 homes for some of the poorest residents
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