Department of Local Affairs provides $23M in federal emergency rental assistance, affordable housing in July for Colorado

Up to $19.65 million in federal CARES Act funding for emergency rental assistance is now available to property owners on behalf of their tenants through the Colorado Department of Local Affairs Division of Housing. In addition, the division awarded $3.27 million through the Colorado State Housing Board for affordable housing in July.

Applications are now open for landlords to apply for the Property Owner Preservation program on behalf of their residents impacted by COVID-19, which resides alongside the Emergency Housing Assistance Program for renters on the DOH website bit.ly/31H3KfE.

DOH awarded Bright Future Foundation $660,000 to support the construction of Brighthouse Emergency Shelter in Gypsum. The trauma-informed housing design will have space to shelter up to 22 individuals. Seven units will have kitchenettes and one will accommodate larger families. This project will also have a communal kitchen, common area and on-site counseling space.

The division granted the City of Gunnison $1.2 million to develop 4.3 acres of the 15-acre Lazy K property into a combination of single-family homes, duplexes and townhomes for families with incomes 80 to 120% of the area median income (AMI), with two homes at market rate. The Lazy K property will also include the West Gunnison Community Park, built with a Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) grant received in early 2020. Lazy K will develop an early childhood education center in a later phase of the project.

Metro West Housing Solutions was awarded $800,000 to assist with the construction of the second phase of Lamar Station Crossing in Lakewood. Phase II consists of adding 65 units made up of studios, and one-,two-, and three-bedroom apartments for people with incomes between 20–80% of the AMI. Thirteen of the units are reserved for those in the two lowest AMIs.

The Housing Authority of the City and County of Denver was granted $585,000 to assist with new construction of the 53-unit Shoshone development in the Highlands neighborhood of Denver. The three-story building of one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments will be available to people between 20 and 80% of the AMI.

The State Housing Board and DOLA’s Division of Housing continue to support the creation of affordable housing that is accessible, safe and secure for all Coloradoans. For complete information on Housing Board grant approvals, visit bit.ly/3kwbkSY.