To increase the nation’s affordable housing, we must protect and preserve existing affordable homes, and ensure stability for residents and opportunities for upward mobility.
Enterprise’s national Preservation Next program aims to support the preservation of unsubsidized affordable homes in small to medium multifamily (SMMF) properties at risk of being lost to rising rents, deterioration and destabilization through training and tools. Learn more below about how Colorado organizations can access these and other resources.
About The Colorado Preservation Academy
The Colorado Preservation Academy is a series of publicly available, no-cost, virtual training sessions designed to assist affordable housing developers and providers with guidance and best practices to acquire, rehabilitate and preserve the affordability of homes located in unsubsidized SMMF properties and prevent displacement of residents.
The training sessions include topics such as:
- Organizational sustainability and business planning
- Acquisition, property identification, and evaluation of SMMF properties
- Financing for SMMF preservation
- Navigating rehabilitation of SMMF properties
- Sustainability, resilience and health considerations
- Preservation development models
- Policy and its impacts on preservation and housing stability
- Property and asset management
- Housing stability and eviction prevention
The Colorado Preservation Academy will also provide a cohort of developers and housing providers with additional training, catalytic grants and technical assistance funds to preserve affordable homes throughout the state. To participate in the cohort, organizations must submit an application. See more below for how to apply.
Join the Colorado Preservation Academy Cohort
We are pleased to announce a call for applications to join the Colorado Preservation Academy Cohort (the cohort). In addition to preservation-focused informational sessions, the Preservation Academy will equip a cohort of up to seven affordable housing organizations and mission-aligned developers in Colorado with the tools, resources, and training to successfully manage active preservation projects.
Participating cohort organizations and entities will receive:
Training – In addition to the Preservation Academy’s virtual sessions that are available to the public, cohort organizations will receive additional deeper dive workshops and training to help them navigate the preservation development process.
Catalytic Grants – Participating cohort organizations will receive $50,000 in grant support to activate a preservation pipeline and build organizational capacity to continue their preservation work.
Technical Assistance – Cohort members will receive up to $15,000 in technical assistance funds to address project-specific needs best met by a consultant.
Peer-to-Peer Learning – Participating cohort members will learn from and problem solve with other cohort organizations embarking on preservation efforts across Colorado.
How to Apply
Applicants must register for a SlideRoom account and answer application questions here. Applicants must also complete and upload the following information with their application submission:
- Technical Assistance Budget
- Organizational Small- to Medium- Multifamily Portfolio
The deadline to apply is December 21, 2022, at 5 pm MT. Applications will only be accepted via SlideRoom.
For technical support with SlideRoom, contact support@slideroom.com. Please see the Colorado Preservation Academy Cohort Call for Applications for more information. Please contact Christi Smith, Director of Programs, with any questions.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the focus of the Preservation Academy and Cohort opportunity?
The Preservation Academy and Cohort is focused on acquiring, rehabilitating, and stabilizing unsubsidized and unrestricted units in small to medium multifamily (SMMF) properties – also known as “naturally occurring” affordable housing – and preventing displacement of residents who are living in the homes. The Academy and Cohort will focus on preserving the affordability of properties with less than 100 units, with priority placed on the unique aspects of preserving rental properties with 2 to 49 units. The Preservation Academy’s content and tools may also be relevant and applicable to preserving subsidized properties. While equally important, this is not the core focus of Preservation Next’s Academy and Cohort.
2. What is the difference between the Preservation Academy and the Cohort?
The Preservation Academy is a virtual training series open to anyone interested in information, guidance, and resources to preserve the unsubsidized housing stock in SMMF properties. Affordable housing developers, practitioners, and advocates are encouraged to join.
The Preservation Academy Cohort is a select group of organizations and entities that develop and own properties. These organizations will receive additional tools and resources to activate or advance their preservation pipeline. Please see question 6 for more information about the training and resources available to Colorado Cohort members.
3. What types of organizations are eligible to participate in the Colorado Preservation Academy Cohort?
Applicants may be a 501c3 nonprofit organization, a for-profit entity, or housing authority that aims to preserve small to medium- multifamily affordable housing and increase their capacity in this space. While the Academy will focus on preserving the affordability of properties with less than 100 units, priority will be placed on cohort members working to preserve properties with 2 to 49 units.
4. Is the Preservation Academy Cohort the right opportunity for my organization?
The Cohort is best suited for organizations that seek to preserve small to medium multifamily affordable housing or aim to increase their capacity in this space.
5. Does my organization need previous experience with SMMF preservation to be selected into the Cohort?
Previous acquisition of a property is not a requirement to participate in the Cohort, and organizations interested launching a SMMF preservation focus are eligible to apply.
6. What are the benefits of participating in the Colorado Preservation Academy Cohort?
Every organization/entity participating in the Cohort will have access to:
- Cohort-only training and workshop sessions in which participants will be able to access additional tools and resources
- Grant funding to increase organizational capacity to pursue or continue SMMF preservation activities
- Funds for individualized technical assistance best met through a consultant
- Peer learning and networking opportunities
