Affordable, green, supportive housing on hospital campus will support seniors, people with disabilities and homeless patients
DENVER (March 10, 2021) – Enterprise Housing Credit Investments, a subsidiary of Enterprise Community Investment (Enterprise), today announced an $18 million Low-Income Housing Tax Credit investment, in partnership with Denver Health and Hospital Authority (Denver Health) and the Denver Housing Authority (DHA), to create affordable apartments connected to health services designed to support seniors, people with disabilities and homeless patients transitioning out of Denver Health medical facilities.
The adaptive reuse of 655 Broadway will transform the 10-story administrative office building, located on Denver Health’s recently upgraded campus, into 110 furnished studio and one-bedroom apartments, 96 of which will be set aside for low-income seniors (62 and older). The remaining 14 apartments will serve as transitional housing for patients who require additional health care and housing support after being discharged from the hospital. In collaboration with DHA’s resident services, experienced housing management staff and the robust suite of Denver Health’s outpatient care programs, these patients/residents will have onsite wrap-around services to support a successful transition to long-term independent living.
“Research has shown that health and housing are directly connected. People with access to affordable, stable housing visit the emergency room less, experience better physical and mental health and live healthier lives. Enterprise is committed to increasing collaboration between the housing and health fields to create more opportunities for people to thrive,” said Jennie Rodgers, vice president and Denver market leader, Enterprise Community Partners, Enterprise’s parent company. “We are grateful to Denver Health and the Denver Housing Authority for their exceptional commitment to this proven housing model and our local community.”
Hospitals cannot discharge patients who do not have somewhere safe to go. As a result, it is not uncommon for patients to occupy hospital beds for weeks or months after they require hospitalization as they recover, causing financial strain and a lack of bed availability. The homes at 655 Broadway will create long-term affordable housing and a safe haven for patients with other places to turn.
“As an anchor institution, we do more than provide high-quality clinical care for the community we serve,” said Robin D. Wittenstein, chief executive officer, Denver Health. “We use our resources to have a positive impact on many of the factors that impact a person’s well-being. The opportunity to provide safe, transitional housing for some of our most vulnerable patients when they leave the hospital is critical. We are honored to be a part of this solution for our patients and the Denver community.”
All residents will have access to on-site management and resident services staff. Ground floor and lower-level amenities include community and activity rooms, a maintenance shop, exercise and physical/operational therapy facilities and a computer and business center. All apartments are scheduled to be ready for resident move-in by April 2022.
“We are proud to leverage the funding through our Delivering for Denver (D3) Bonding Initiative which enables us to transform this centrally located commercial property into a vital community resource,” stated David Nisivoccia, executive director, DHA. “We value the collaboration with our longtime partners Denver Health and Enterprise Housing Credit Investments for their commitment to affordable housing and access to quality health services for those who need it most.”
To further develop the partnership and new housing model, Enterprise Community Partners facilitated a Design Lab, bringing together leaders from Denver Health and DHA to discuss creating a healthy and healing physical environment for the 14 apartments that will be transitional homes for Denver Health patients experiencing homelessness. In a facilitated workshop format, participants brainstormed potential design needs, categorized their ideas and prioritized solutions based on potential impact. The Design Lab was part of Health Begins with Home, Enterprise Community Partners’ five-year, $250 million initiative to build cross-sector partnerships between housing and health care.
655 Broadway will include significant energy efficiency upgrades and will be certified according to the Enterprise Green Communities Criteria, the first national framework for green affordable housing. Green features include high efficiency mechanical systems, Energy Star appliances, use of low-VOC carpet and paints and improved building sealing and insulation. The building is also proceeding through the National Park Service historic designation process due to its architectural character.
About Enterprise
Enterprise is a national nonprofit on a mission to make home and community places of pride, power and belonging for all. To make that possible, we operate the only organization designed to address America’s affordable housing crisis from every angle: we develop and deploy programs and support community organizations on the ground; we advocate for policy on a nonpartisan basis at every level of government; we invest capital to build and preserve rental homes people can afford; and we own, operate and provide resident services for affordable communities. All so that people not only make rent, they build futures. With this end-to-end approach, 40 years of experience and thousands of local partners, Enterprise has built and preserved 793,000 affordable homes, invested $61 billion in communities and changed millions of lives. Join us.
About the Housing Authority of the City and County of Denver
DHA manages a portfolio of over 12,000 housing units and housing choice vouchers, providing affordable housing to over 25,000 very low, low and middle-income residents. Established in 1938 as a quasi-municipal corporation, the agency is the largest housing authority in the Rocky Mountain Region. Largely viewed as a progressive master developer of mixed-income communities, DHA has received numerous local and national awards for its innovative, sustainable designs and inclusive neighborhood revitalization.
About Denver Health
Denver Health is a comprehensive health and hospital system that provides high-quality care for all people, regardless of their ability to pay. We deliver medical care to one-third of Denver’s population, proudly serving as the city’s safety-net hospital and providing preventative, primary and acute care services.
For more than 160 years, Denver Health has been deeply rooted in the health and well-being of the community, providing high-quality clinical care, top-notch education and training for health care workers, and furthering critical research to benefit our patients. We are guided by our mission to serve our community with excellence, compassion, and stewardship as we work to ensure all people have access to the care and programs they need to be happy, healthy and successful.
Media Contact
Karen Whitaker, Director, Marketing Strategy
Enterprise Community Partners, Inc.
kwhitaker@enterprisecommunity.org