Denver Affordable Housing Package Moves Forward

Three affordable housing proposals will be presented at a public meeting before the Denver City Council, reports Joe Rubino. “The policy mandates all new housing projects of 10 or more units include at least 8% affordable housing units or face steep fees. It also greatly increases fees on most other kinds of development in the city to fund other affordable housing efforts.”

The committee approved two amendments, one of which lets developers avoid building on-site parking by committing to a larger number of affordable units in their projects. “Under the version of the policy advanced by the planning board earlier this month, only projects within 1/4 mile of a rail stop in the city would be eligible for the exemption from providing parking. [Councilwoman Amanda Sandoval]’s amendment would expand that to any project within 1/4 of a mile of any high- or medium-capacity transit corridor in the city where the city has invested in better transportation infrastructure.” This amendment, Rubino notes, is likely to face opposition in the full City Council.

“The [second] amendment, which was unanimously approved, dictates that all development projects in the city’s pipeline at the time the affordable housing policy takes effect will still pay linkage fees that rise with inflation.” However, “The policy would do away with the inflation-based model in favor of a much steeper graduated increase to the linkage fees schedule” for future projects.

Nine other amendments intended to set higher standards for affordability in neighborhoods “vulnerable to gentrification and displacement” were voted down by the committee.